My favorite aspect of Minecraft is the building. When entering a new world I always set out to find vistas to build in. Once I find the most satisfying mountain or most complex ravine, I begin building. While there is a lot of enjoyment in mining, farming, and participating in the level progression necessitated in Minecraft's systems it is all a means to an end for me. Every step whether it be the first setup of a mob farm, first diamond, or first trip to the Nether is all a step towards building the most magnificent base possible. I adore the process of base building. It is a complex net of problems that need to be neatly untangled to create an efficient and aesthetically pleasing home. My adoration for base building has been so extreme that it was one of the reasons that I started looking into STEM as a field of study and career. The logical pathways found in Minecraft base building are much like those required in a lab environment. Beyond base building being a contributor to my current career and academic pathway it has been one of my deepest comforts. I have continuously coped with the stress of relationships and school by escaping to another world inside Minecraft. One of my greatest flaws as a friend and partner has been that my first reaction to all problems is to try and solve them. This doesn't always work and can make the situation worse; however, in Minecraft, any problem that does exist can be solved. Because of this need to solve the problems the complexity of base building in Minecraft has always called to me. Minecraft is entertainment, escape, connection, and the source of some of my greatest memories.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary identifying person. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College, pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and work on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for those who just don’t fit in. So, the expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. This has been a heavy burden I have always felt I had to shoulder alone. Wherever I looked in classes, despite my passion for science, I would always be the odd one out. STEM has been a field largely dominated by a very visible population of straight, often white, men. Where was the place for a queer trans women? Truly, it didn’t feel like there was any. I doubted myself a lot especially in high school as all of my queer friends moved deeper into the visual and performing arts while I went in the complete opposite direction. In STEM there is a large queer population in the fields of ecology and botany, but I’ve never been interested in those fields. So, even though there are queer people in STEM I never thought I could belong to that group. Because of my struggle goal is to add myself as a loud and visible queer person of color in the STEM field. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. Currently working a part-time minimum wage job, moving won’t be possible for me, but if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough money to move out of my hometown. With a scholarship, I will be able to begin working to achieve my goal and dream of adding more queer people to STEM.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary person belonging to the African American community. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. I remember in middle school how deeply contradictory my feelings were when my friend at the time remarked “Are you sure you aren’t trans?”. There wasn’t much thought necessary. I knew it was true. That passing remark flipped my world on its head and elicited not just feelings of euphoria but also confusion and loss. Since then I have spent most of my life attempting to understand myself and my gender identity. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for those who just don’t fit in. So, the expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I received my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more queer faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary identifying person. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for those who just don’t fit in. So, the expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. Early on my love for science came from my high school biology teacher. I’d always had a passing love for science but his enthusiasm for the topics lit a passion inside of me. From there I pursued every course in science I could until I was able to take Biotechnology courses at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART). In taking these courses I realized how much research in biology affected our lives. I began to see it everywhere: in the grocery store, in cooking, gardening, and in myself. As I learned and observed my passions grew and allowed me to decide on microbiology as a career. The study of microorganisms is as ubiquitous as the germs themselves. It is not contained to just pathology. Rather, microorganisms have given us CRISPR, PCR machines, agricultural innovations, and even our health and wellness. I am fascinated with this balance that we strike with things usually considered to be malignant. It is a silent mutualistic relationship that has defined our species and allowed us to get to where we are. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. Currently working a part-time minimum wage job, moving won’t be possible for me, but if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough money to move out of my hometown. With a scholarship, I will be able to begin working to achieve my goal and dream of adding more queer people to STEM.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary identifying person. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for those who just don’t fit in. So, the expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. Early on my love for science came from my high school biology teacher. I’d always had a passing love for science but his enthusiasm for the topics lit a passion inside of me. From there I pursued every course in science I could until I was able to take Biotechnology courses at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART). In taking these courses I realized how much research in biology affected our lives. I began to see it everywhere: in the grocery store, in cooking, gardening, and in myself. As I learned and observed my passions grew and allowed me to decide on microbiology as a career. The study of microorganisms is as ubiquitous as the germs themselves. It is not contained to just pathology. Rather, microorganisms have given us CRISPR, PCR machines, agricultural innovations, and even our health and wellness. I am fascinated with this balance that we strike with things usually considered to be malignant. It is a silent mutualistic relationship that has defined our species and allowed us to get to where we are. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. Currently working a part-time minimum wage job, moving won’t be possible for me, but if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough money to move out of my hometown. With a scholarship, I will be able to begin working to achieve my goal and dream of adding more queer people to STEM.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary identifying person. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate's degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. As a biology and chemistry tutor part of my job is to make sure that, where possible, everyone who comes to me for help has their needs addressed. In implementation, this ethos means that I have to approach each student with an attitude of non-judgement. I have always believed that asking for help requires no small amount of damage to one’s ego so I have the utmost respect for the students that come to me. Respect and non-judgement mean that no matter the background of the person they will have their needs met. In my first semester of working as a chemistry tutor, I had several students who became regular visitors to my sessions. One student that stands out in my mind had just recently been diagnosed with ADHD and was very vocal about the fact that he felt he had needs that were different from those of other students. In the spirit of my commitment to respect and non-judgment, I made it clear to that student that his needs would be met to the greatest extent of my ability. He became a very regular visitor to my tutoring sessions and over the several months of the semester became very proficient in chemistry. Though I attribute the bulk sum of his success to his academic capabilities I believe my commitment to addressing student’s needs allowed me to help him flourish. Over the past two years as a tutor and eventually assistant to a professor of biology I have encountered a diverse set of needs. Different learning styles, personal backgrounds, academic backgrounds, etc all create a spectrum of abilities that I have learned to address. In this way, I have made sure I am the best academic tool for a diverse set of students. As a queer person, STEM has never felt like a field where I am represented. Because I chose science as my career I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. Because of this, at their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where all people can not only feel they belong but that they are represented. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer and Hispanic scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology so that I can go into either education, lab work, research, or as a bioethics advocate. Currently working a part-time minimum wage job, moving won’t be possible for me, but if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough money to move out of my hometown. Without the funds afforded by a scholarship, I will not have enough funds to move and to pursue my career aspirations. A scholarship will be the jumpstart I need to get my degree and become an advocate for the ethos of diversity and inclusion that I already practice.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (legally Patrick Callahan) and I am trans-feminine, non-binary identifying. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate's degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. As a biology and chemistry tutor part of my job is to make sure that, where possible, everyone who comes to me for help has their needs addressed. In implementation, this ethos means that I have to approach each student with an attitude of non-judgement. Respect and non-judgement mean that no matter the background of the person they will have their needs met. In my first semester of working as a chemistry tutor, I had several students who became regular visitors to my sessions. One student that stands out in my mind had just recently been diagnosed with ADHD and was very vocal about the fact that he felt he had needs that were different from those of other students. In the spirit of my commitment to respect and non-judgment, I made it clear to that student that his needs would be met to the greatest extent of my ability. He became a very regular visitor to my tutoring sessions and over the several months of the semester became very proficient in chemistry. Though I attribute the bulk sum of his success to his academic capabilities I believe my commitment to addressing student’s needs allowed me to help him flourish. I am currently heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer and Hispanic scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology so that I can go into either education, lab work, research, or as a bioethics advocate. Without the funds afforded by a scholarship, I will not have enough funds to move and pursue my career aspirations. A scholarship will be the jumpstart I need to get my degree and become an advocate for the ethos of diversity and inclusion that I already practice.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary person belonging to the African American community. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people of color in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for minorities like me. The expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I receive my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more diverse faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary person belonging to the African American community. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people of color in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for minorities like me. The expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I receive my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more diverse faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary person belonging to the African American community. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people of color in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for minorities like me. The expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I receive my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more diverse faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary person belonging to the African American community. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people of color in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for minorities like me. The expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I receive my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more diverse faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.

My name is Rhea Fox-Morris (Legally Patrick Callahan) and I am a trans feminine, non-binary person belonging to the African American community. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people of color in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for minorities like me. The expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. My goal is to add just one more queer person of color to the field of STEM. It would be a success if even just one kid saw my face and knew they had a place in science. I know how much of an impact that can make because it has happened to me. While taking classes in community college I saw a wide breadth of diversity in the STEM classes. I was awe-struck by the diversity and it reassured me I did have a place in the field that I love. I want to be that for others. Even for just one person. I am heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I receive my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more diverse faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.

My name is Patrick Callahan and since middle school, I have known one thing to be true about myself: I love science. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. From a very early age, there was one question I could not stop asking: “Why?” I have always wanted to understand the why of everything around me. Why did the world around me look, feel, and smell the way that it did? My appetite for understanding was insatiable and my quest was not limited to just science. I also wanted to understand the media presented to me. I remember specifically the collection of Star Wars encyclopedias and catalogs of planets that I would pour over every night before bed. Suffice it to say that I have always had a very strong sense of curiosity. That exact ethos is the core of my love of mathematics. Whenever I have sought an answer from any field of science or understanding I have found that it all goes back to mathematics. Through math, I can find explanations for nearly every concept. In this way, mathematics facilitates my curiosity; however, recently I have fallen in love with math not just for its areas of expertise but also for the knowledge gaps. Because math is the root explanation for all modern science it is also the, in my opinion, most important battlefield. I love watching the push and pull of ideas as the field of mathematics attempts to grapple with its inconsistencies while pushing the bounds of what is known. As a product of how math was taught and presented from an early age, I always thought that I hated it. The sense of tedium constantly frustrated me. Recently, my love of math has blossomed. A calculus and physics class have helped me see how exactly math applies to the real world. My love for math has been a hard-won thing, but through it, I have an even greater grasp of academic subjects that I love. Mathematics facilitates my curiosity about the world, aligns with my ethos, and enables my endless queries of “why?”. For these reasons I love math.

My name is Rhea Callahan (legally Patrick Callahan) and I am trans-feminine, non-binary identifying. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. I remember in middle school how deeply contradictory my feelings were when my friend at the time remarked “Are you sure you aren’t trans?”. There wasn’t much thought necessary. I knew it was true. That passing remark flipped my world on its head and elicited not just feelings of euphoria but also confusion and loss. Since then I have spent most of my life attempting to understand myself and my gender identity. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for those who just don’t fit in. So, the expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. Early on my love for science came from my high school biology teacher. I’d always had a passing love for science but his enthusiasm for the topics lit a passion inside of me. From there I pursued every course in science I could until I was able to take Biotechnology courses at the Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART). In taking these courses I realized how much research in biology affected our lives. I began to see it everywhere: in the grocery store, in cooking, gardening, and in myself. As I learned and observed my passions grew and allowed me to decide on microbiology as a career. The study of microorganisms is as ubiquitous as the germs themselves. It is not contained to just pathology. Rather, microorganisms have given us CRISPR, PCR machines, agricultural innovations, and even our health and wellness. I am fascinated with this balance that we strike with things usually considered to be malignant. It is a silent mutualistic relationship that has defined our species and allowed us to get to where we are. Though I believe bacteria to be the original “man’s best friend” there is no denying the pathogenic properties of them and other microbes. It was the infectious capabilities of a virus that robbed me of my junior year in high school. Covid-19 impacted me just as it did so many others. The course of my academic career was fundamentally rerouted and opportunities that I might have previously had were whisked away on the whims of a pandemic. Being forced to stay inside made me depressed, and agoraphobic, and put a brake on the journey I had been on to treat my dysphoria. I spent much of my time reading, writing, and drawing. Without classes to engage with my passion for science dwindled. I believed I may have lost the academic path that I had put so much effort into; however, as schools opened and I was allowed back into classes I realized that my passions could dwindle but never leave. I fought for my passions. I took classes like AP Chemistry that others believed were too hard to be taken electively. I pursued my love for biology further at CART through a Biotechnology and Forensics class. I made strides in my gender journey by coming out to my family, friends, teachers, and peers. The pandemic may have made me feel like I could never achieve my personal and academic aspirations but it also taught me how to work for my goals. By Senior year I could be myself and pursue what I loved. Yes, every class was difficult but I still passed and still eventually graduated with a 3.7 GPA. I still succeeded despite it all and I will continue to grow so that I can show others like me that there is a place for queerness in STEM. I am currently heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. Currently working a part-time minimum wage job, moving won’t be possible for me, but if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough money to move out of my hometown. With a scholarship, I will be able to begin working to achieve my goal and dream of adding more queer people to STEM.

My name is Patrick Callahan but I go by Rhea and I am trans feminine, non-binary identifying. Since middle school I have known two things to be true about myself: I love science and I am trans. Currently, I am enrolled at Fresno City College where I am pursuing an associate degree in Biology. I have a 3.4 GPA and I am working on campus in the Tutorial Center where I frequently help students with questions regarding chemistry and biology. I remember in middle school how deeply contradictory my feelings were when my friend at the time remarked “Are you sure you aren’t trans?”. There wasn’t much thought necessary. I knew it was true. That passing remark flipped my world on its head and elicited not just feelings of euphoria but also confusion and loss. Since then I have spent most of my life attempting to understand myself and my gender identity. For most of middle and high school, I wasn’t out as trans and because of that, I felt like I had a secret shame I was hiding. There was never a place that felt safe for me and my expression. Even after coming out, these feelings never truly left. I attribute some of that shame to the fact that, especially in my formative years, there was a lack of visibly trans-identifying people in the careers I wanted to pursue. While it has changed for the better STEM as a whole has always been missing queer representation. I remember the faces of my queer friends in high school when I told them I wanted to become a biologist. STEM was never seen as a place for trans people, rather the arts have long been a haven for those who just don’t fit in. So, the expectation was that I, an admittedly artistically inclined person, would follow that path. Instead, I chose science and because of my divergent choice, I have long felt like the blackest sheep in a herd of black sheep. At their core, my career aspirations boil down to the simple fact that I love all things science and I want to be able to contribute to making STEM a field where queer people belong. I am currently heading into my last semester of community college and after that, I plan to transfer to a four-year university. My goal is to transfer to Chico State University where there is a large queer scene. There I will pursue a B.S. in microbiology. On my minimum wage part-time job moving will be close to impossible for me; however, if I am granted a scholarship I will have enough savings to safely move. Once I received my B.S. at Chico State University I can pursue my goal of adding more queer faces to the field of STEM. A huge help in getting there would be a scholarship which would allow me to move out of my hometown to Chico.