Academic and Advocacy Foundations

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In 2023, I enrolled in a graduate-level American Studies course to explore the discipline and see whether I could continue with one or two classes per semester alongside my career.

I ultimately had to step away for personal reasons shortly after that semester began, but the course — and especially the first response paper I wrote — had a lasting impact on how I understand systems, institutions, and cultural structures in America.

Looking back now, the themes I explored in that paper align powerfully with the issues at the center of this advocacy work. It offered a framework for understanding how individual experiences are shaped by policy, economics, culture, and power — and that perspective continues to guide how I analyze and present the events documented on this site.

Below is a highlight of that early academic writing, which reflects the foundation of my approach and why advocating for change matters so deeply to me.

(Not affiliated with Bloomberg; I do not speak for them.)

Alongside my academic work, another part of my background that shaped my advocacy today comes from my time at Bloomberg in New York City. In my early 20s, I helped support and grow BProud, Bloomberg’s LGBTQ employee resource group, and I participated in the company’s contribution to the It Gets Better Project—a global initiative focused on supporting LGBTQ youth and creating safer, more inclusive environments.

This experience solidified the values that continue to guide me:

• pushing back against systems that silence or marginalize

• speaking openly and vulnerably as a form of leadership

• building community wherever possible

• using personal experiences to advocate for safety and dignity

Bloomberg has no involvement with my case, and I do not speak for them here.

This is simply another example of the advocacy work I’ve done over the years, and how consistent my commitment has been to visibility, accountability, and protecting those who are vulnerable.

Watch my “It Gets Better” video:

▶️ https://youtu.be/oiqrh3eWEVY