Glider AI-Omni Inclusive Allies of LGBTQ+ (GOAL+) Scholarship

Being a non-binary household with one parent who grew up strict Catholic, and another who grew up in a Christian religious cult, is a difficulty that is hard to put into words. My parents try their best to understand, but my mother in specific always has trouble with it. "I'm mourning the loss of my daughter," she said to me when I legally changed my name, along with, "I just think you're confused. This is confusing." Not being supported by the two people I truly need support from is an awful feeling. My family does not put in much effort to fully accept me for who I am, still using my old name, the wrong gender descriptors and pronouns when they are talking to me or referencing me when I am not in the conversation. That feeling of hopelessness every time I hear my old name from my parents, even if they correct themselves or apologize, hurts, especially since I know they will continue to make that same "mistake" every time. I am majoring in Sociology of Law and Criminal Justice. I hope to graduate and go on to law school at some point after my undergraduate education is finished and become an attorney. I want to become an advocate for people like me, who are gender non-conforming or any other subset of the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and make sure that my people are being protected from discrimination, harmful workplace practices, medical care blockage, and other issues that affect our communities on a local and state level. I would love to work with Minnesota's legislature to work on making sure protections for LGBTQ+ individuals are always in place, and that our human rights are not being neglected on a widespread level. I hope to make an impact on the LGBTQ+ community by becoming an advocate for change and protection of our rights through the legal system that has historically been against people like us, especially our BIPOC siblings. I want to be the person that helps spark the changes in government on a local and state level, because the impact state and local legislatures have on a community is underestimated. I also hope to, at some point, help fund a scholarship like this one where I can help LGBTQ+ youth who want to go into law, criminal justice, or some type of political field where we are immensely underrepresented, to thrive and not have to worry as much about the financial burden of undergraduate education.

I am my mother's daughter. I am supposed to be a spitting image of her and exceed all of the dreams she was unable to accomplish. Except I'm not. I spent the first 20 years of my life afraid to be who I was intended to be because of the backlash I received from my mother. I couldn't talk to her about my crushes because she would likely find out that they were not boys, as she expected. I couldn't go shopping with her because I would end up leaving with a dress that I wouldn't dare wear in public. I watched her support my lesbian cousin and neighbors, a gay couple, in front of others but had her threaten to anoint me with holy oil behind closed doors. For the first 20 years of my life, I was afraid to love, be expressive, or to even be me. Most people, never make it out but for me, I used these experiences to fuel my passion for letting people know that it is okay to be yourself. I am currently majoring in plant and environmental science at Clemson University. It has been a challenge leaving the state of Florida to go to the bible belt state of South Carolina but the challenges make my fight even more worth it. With my education, I plan on changing the face of agriculture. When most people think of a farmer they do now think of a black queer woman and that is going to change in my lifetime. After graduating I plan on enrolling in the peace corps to serve two years proving assistance to farmers in different regions to help maintain their food. Upon my return, I plan to either work for the USDA and/or a BIPOC farm. An ultimate career goal of mine is to eventually open up my farm and continue my teachings throughout different communities. As a minority student at a PWI that mostly consists of cis-gendered white men and women, it became evident to me how important my presence is in this world. In my classes, I am usually one of 2 students of color and 1 of 3 openly queer students. In only a short time at Clemson, I have participated in some history amongst my LGBTQ+ peers, which has been inspiring. I currently serve as the president of my sorority and have been continuously working to create a safe space for others. These experiences will help me continue to impact the community around me in my post-grad life. I plan to continue to advocate for those in this world who feel as if they don't have a voice or platform. I want to be an example for the youth and even the elders, that anything is possible, especially if you truly want it.

The night I came out to my parents, at 15 years old, was the first time I was ever truly afraid of my father. I'd known I was gay since I was 12 or 13. I'd even told some people at school at that point. But I knew my father wouldn't take the news well. And mom has been emotionally beaten down by him for years... she wasn't going to stand up for me either. The evening that I had admitted to being gay is one I'll never forget. Dad had found some incriminating evidence on my browser history. And you'll need to understand that this was the late 90's... the internet was still in its infancy, and I had no idea that a thing called a "history folder" existed... live and learn, right? Dad got falling-down-drunk that night. He screamed and yelled in ways that I'd never seen before. He called me every slur he could think of - at the top of his lungs. He ripped a plaque off our living room wall. It had a poem on it about how you get your last name from your father and how you should honor it and so forth... there was a heinous moment I was sure he was going to strike me with it. It was not a good experience. Since then, my father and I don't communicate about my sexuality or the men I date. He's not a part of my life in any meaningful way. When I got married in 2015, he wouldn't come to the ceremony. He DID come to the reception but didn't speak to anyone, didn't dress up, and in every picture taken he looks like he's sat on a tack. My mother and sister eventually came around though, thankfully, and have been my biggest supporters. Much to my father's consternation, I've gone on to own this part of me. I am a Trevor Project Suicide Prevention Counselor one or two nights a week. I am on the Board of Directors for LGBTQ+Allies Lake County. And I even assisted in planning our county's very first Pride celebration this June. And to cap that all off, I won the Mr. R&J Leather Bear Pride contest, thrusting me into the world of titleholders and charity fundraising... and I *LOVE* it. I have a successful career with a large manufacturer in the garment decoration industry. It's been twenty-one years with this employer - and I'm the first openly LGBT person to be a part of senior management. But I can safely say that this isn't my final destination. My work with my community taught me that I have a bigger purpose. So, at 39 years old I have returned to school to work towards my Bachelors in Social Work. The first stop is an Associates of Arts in General Studies. Then on to Youngstown State University for my Social Work degree. I want to serve my local LGBT community in Lake County, Ohio as a counselor. I have several ideas on specifically where I could end up, but first things first - education. The challenge to going back to school at my age is all the adult expenses that I already have. Car payment... mortgage... bills. As the kids say, the struggle is real. This is on top of the two other non profit boards I belong to and my weekly activities raising money for one LGBT charity or another due to my title. But I wouldn't change a thing. I'm finally starting the life I've always wanted.