Public Service

From a young age, I have always been involved in some form of community involvement. More recently, when I felt the need to volunteer with the LGBTQIA+ community. As a transgender man I had slowly come to realize that I was now in one of the easiest positions in life: a white, college-educated, man. I felt disconnected from the queer community that had fought so hard to grant me this privilege. I felt a pull that I should not take this position for granted. I began volunteering at Out Center, the LGBTQIA+ community center in Reno. (This involvement led me to have the opportunity to throw the first pitch at the Reno Aces Pride game on June 8th, 2023, as I was the only one in the center who could throw a ball.)

At Our Center, I started a weekly trans* middle school peer to peer group and began advocating for trans* students in secondary education. My experiences with activism have also helped me see the need for LGBTQIA+ voices in STEM. So I began Queer Science, a queer-friendly mini lecture event for queer researchers to share and practice presenting their findings in a safe, small setting.