If you could be a superhero, who would you be?
I don’t know that I’d want to be any particular superhero, but if I could have any power, I think I would be someone who can feel other people’s energies and be able to deescalate situations without making it apparent.
If you could be any LGBTQ+ character, who would you be and why?
I would be best friends with David Rose, of Schitt’s Creek. Over the last year, Schitt’s Creek has become the show I watch when I need to escape to a happy place. David Rose (played by creator of the show, Dan Levy) is misunderstood, scared, a little selfish but he’s also loving, a good friend, and just so unapologetically himself. This is just my long winded way of telling you to watch Schitt’s Creek. Go. Do it now. Seriously.
If you could send one message to LGBTQ+ people in our community, what would it be?
I would want people to know that they have people out there for them. That there are people who want to be here to support, encourage, and empower them. That we want the best for them. That they have people out there rooting for them, no matter what.
What are your hopes for future generations of LGBTQ+ youth?
I hope that LGBTQ+ youth continue to be more and more unapologetically themselves, without resistance or judgement.
Is there an LGBTQ+ activist who most inspires you? If so, who is it and why?
I am often inspired by anyone who is brave enough to be their most authentic self but if I had to pick one person… Alok Vaid-Menon (they/them) is someone who really inspires me. They are a poet, author, fashionista, mixed-media artist with a focus on creating more space for gender non-conforming people in the fashion world. Their movement, #DeGenderFashion, was created to empower people to reach beyond stereotypes and, to put it plainly, wear whatever the hell they want.
What is your favorite color in the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag and why?
I love that orange represents healing. Healing doesn’t look the same on everyone: some people go to therapy, others go to the gym; some write memoirs, others draw comics that let them escape their own reality. My point is that there is no correct way to heal, no timeline or handbook. We as people are all healing all the time. The LGBTQ+ community (and many others, for that matter) has had to overcome a great deal throughout history and are still here and quite clearly are not going anywhere. They are out and proud and doing the absolute best they can. This is what healing can look like.
For how long have you been a member of the committee?
I have been a member of the LGBTQ+ services committee since February 2018. I believe the first meeting I got to go to was on Valentine’s Day, actually.
Why did you decide to join?
I originally decided to join the committee when a coworker, who was a committee member, told me about how much they loved being a part of it. I wanted to be a part of a team at the library that did something bigger for the community. I wanted opportunities to learn more about community engagement and outreach but I was a library page at the time and rarely got the chance. The LGBTQ+ services committee allows and encourages pages to join and participate in events and projects which is something I’ve always admired.
What do you love most about your work on the committee?
Joining the LGBTQ+ services committee has brought me a lot of joy. I love how my fellow committee members are so kind and supportive of one another. I love being able to serve a community that is so appreciative of the work we do. Being able to serve a community that has been so greatly underserved in the past is a responsibility I do not take lightly.
