I want to be clear. I still, and will always stand, with the immigrant, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized communities as a queer Black and extremely socially awkward woman. I believe in universal healthcare, oppose the death penalty, will not consume anything that is not vegan, believe education should be free, I am pro-choice, and that all people deserve housing. I believe in building equitable spaces and that no one is better than anyone else. Life is hell without laws that are centered around equality, and because of this, I have never followed a law or rule that I perceived to be unfair. At one point, slavery was legal in the U.S., and just because something is legal in the eyes of the law does not make it right. 

If you’re into that stuff, I am a Libra Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Venus. I bleed balance and justice. I have avoided well-paying positions because I saw that leadership wasn’t fair to other employees. Outside of attempting to calm my constant anxiety with planning, exercise, mindfulness, and meditation, I like to surround myself with like-minded people to stay sane.

It helps to live in California. It also helps to have received a message from an organization I support saying that California will continue to defend the rights and safety of immigrant families, and so will the organization. A stark cry from being the only one who said anything like that during a pandemic-era Zoom meeting with another agency about similar issues.  

As an outdoor educator in California, I will not jeopardize the safety of any of my students or their families. I am here as a community member, friend, and colleague to all marginalized folks who are terrified right now for the next four years and beyond.  

I want you to know that I don’t rock with nazis, Trump, or any kind of hatred. I will call the great mountain Denali. Trans rights are human rights, and I believe if you snitch to ICE that you would have also snitched on Anne Frank.  

All that is to say, I am also doing what I can to survive by focusing on what I can handle for a change. I’m celebrating wins around the world, such as Thailand becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday. I’m following the advice from my fellow 92%, and I’m keeping my peace and taking each day one at a time.