Here's to running through the wall. To great causes and great people. To a life filled with challenges and triumphs. This is the story of how I learned to run through walls.
Hello friends, family, co-workers, community members, and potential community partners
Over the past two years I‘ve had some of the most amazing and life
changing experiences that a simple 24 year old could have ever imagined.
When I started coming to Pridelines Youth Services in 2003 I didn’t
know what to expect. But when I walked through those doors 10 years ago I
could never have imagined that it would change my life so drastically.
As the great Dr. Seuss once wrote people are sometimes “Just Waiting”
and that’s what I was doing before I found Pridelines. I was waiting for
my life to start. I was wondering who am I, and how does this person
fit into the grand design of things. Who do I want to be, and who will I
become.
I stand here now 10 years later as an activist, a
teacher, a student, a friend, an organizer, a facilitator (no it’s not
the same as a teacher), a community member, and a advocate.
I
like to think that I am a product of this community; someone who has
grown up queer in a community that supported me and had the chance to
call many of the people I work with today not only role models, and
mentors, but friends and peers. Over the past two years I’ve been
part of an amazing team of people that have challenged me to be better,
and helped me up when I have fallen sometime’s quite literally. It has
been an honor to be part of such a small group of people working to make
the lives of young queer people better.
Working at Pridelines
has taught me many things, but most important among them is the
importance of giving back and making room at the table for young people
in our communities and in our movement.
As I sit and reflect
on the experiences I’ve had over the last 10 years, but more so over the
last 2 I think I’m a little better for the wear. I’m nervous but
excited to start this new phase of my life and don’t know where I would
be if not for places like Pridelines Youth Services. In the coming
months as I transition from a staff member to a volunteer, and continue
to raise money cause contrary to popular belief keeping the lights on
and the organizers fed is important I hope that I can continue to
support such an important part of our community and give back what
someone once gave to me.
