Strength Found in Community and Unexpected Stories

This clip episode explores the journey of trans advocacy through personal stories, challenges, and triumphs. Listeners will discover the importance of community, love, and resilience while navigating the complexities of identity and purpose. 

Kitcaster Podcast Agency
Did you know that podcasts are a great way to grow your personal and business brand voice?

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

We had done a picture of just the two of us in Vegas.

Speaker 2: 0:04

You holding the bouquet and saying something's going down in Vegas.

Speaker 1: 0:07

Yep, and everybody thought that you and I were getting married. But it was actually my really really good friend, kate and Christy, and they got married. I had known Kate pretty much as soon as I came out and so, yeah, that was that opportunity and you and I went to Vegas for the weekend and, you know, supported them and hung out with them.

Speaker 2: 0:33

And you've been there for me. Apla I'm on the board. At APLA. We've done the AIDS. You've done pretty much every AIDS walk that I've gone to.

Speaker 1: 0:40

Yes.

Speaker 2: 0:42

And I appreciate all of that support. But we also had other roommates. Yes, and I appreciate all of that support. But we also had other roommates. Yes, and we've created just kind of like a little family and every year we have our Christmas picture. Yes, this is one from a couple of years ago.

Speaker 1: 0:54

Yes, this was the one from a couple of years ago and we decided to kind of do like an 80s throwback.

Speaker 2: 1:00

Bad sweater.

Speaker 1: 1:01

Bad sweater type thing and we had quite a bit of fun with this one and this is the one without the bottles of alcohol in there, which I remember. We kind of had a little joke and fun with the bottles of alcohol.

Speaker 2: 1:14

We have a few bottles of alcohol every now and then at the house. So you got moved in and we had this incredible group of family and friends and we've got to do so many amazing things over the course of the last few years and I've seen you actually grow tremendously. And one of the things we got to do was go to Outfest because one of your friends from Oklahoma was featured in one of the films at Outfest.

Speaker 1: 1:43

Yes, oklahoma was featured in one of the films at Outfest. Yes, so some people may be familiar with Sarah Cunningham. She's one of the people who started the Free Mom Hugs. She started out in Oklahoma back in 2015. Some people might know her as the person who's kind of made the quote that if you need somebody to step in as a parent for your LGBT wedding, let me know and I'll be there for you. And so in this photo right here, this is a picture of Sarah and then her son Parker. Sarah and then her son Parker. They were out at Outfest and they came and she, you know, anytime she's been out here in California. Her and I have always made sure that we have gotten together and she's just such a wonderful woman.

Speaker 2: 2:40

And they're such an incredible organization. I see them every time I go to different prides. The Free Moms Hugs groups are there and they just do an amazing service to the people in the community. And having her featured in that I think it was the Mama Bears documentary talking about the fierceness of her love for her child and her love for everybody's children that are in the LGBTQ plus community. She does such amazing work and it's such an incredible organization and getting a chance to meet her it's like meeting one of your heroes. You get a chance to thank somebody for the incredible work that they're doing.

Speaker 1: 3:19

Yes, it is amazing and Sarah's been a big supporter for me and has been there and has seen a lot of things that I have done and what I've been able to accomplish over the years that I've been doing what I've been doing and she's just an absolutely wonderful woman and I know that when I go to pride events for work that I do and I see the mom hugs and stuff like that and I get to talk with them and I get to share the story about how I know Sarah and the origination. They are quite impressed.

Speaker 2: 3:58

So one of the things that after you got back to California and you lived for a little bit with your folks, you were not having very much luck finding work. I seem to remember you submitting something like 500 applications and not a single interview.

Speaker 1: 4:18

Nope, not an interview.

Speaker 2: 4:19

And so you finally were able to get a job, and it wasn't as a buyer, it wasn't as an executive, it wasn't using your bachelor or master's degree. You got a job. Doing what?

Speaker 1: 4:32

I got a job as a guest relations person at Six Flags.

Speaker 2: 4:38

So Six Flags, magic Mountain, and I assume that you were making $30, $40, $50 an hour doing that.

Speaker 1: 4:44

Yeah, I wish it was a minimum wage which was like $12 an hour.

Speaker 2: 4:49

So you've gone from being this executive at these major companies making tons of money, and the only thing that you can get for employment is a minimum wage job at Magic Mountain.

Speaker 1: 5:01

Yes, that was pretty much the only thing that people viewed me qualified for.

Speaker 2: 5:07

Well, thank God you got that job because it allowed you to get moved in and we could do all of these amazing things over the rest of your. But I've seen you as you have gone from a minimum no job to a minimum wage job at Magic Mountain to then going into the LGBTQ center or the LGBT center.

Speaker 1: 5:25

Yes, so yeah, I've been able to go, and it was even a struggle getting into the LA LGBT Center. Yes, so yeah, I've been able to go, and it was even a struggle getting into the LA LGBT Center. I mean, I had to go through five different interviews and apply for multiple different positions there to get where I'm at now, and it's been. You know, I've now been working with them for a little bit over six years as well, and I've had the opportunity to work and be there for the LGBT community, the trans population and it's allowed me to really be able to smile again and be happy with who I am and really present myself as who I am again.

Speaker 1: 6:15

And it's allowed you to also do a lot of your advocacy work? Yes, yes, I definitely am still able to do a lot of advocacy work. I'm able to get back out and do what I do and use my voice and use my education that I have as far as my intellect and being able to properly discuss with other people in a positive way and not have the conversation where I'm bashing or talking negative. I'm having the good sit-down conversations.

Speaker 2: 6:45

And working there encouraged you to expand your education.

Speaker 1: 6:51

Yes, it did. It definitely expanded my education. I decided while I was during COVID. I'm actually one of those people who looks at COVID as a win. I know a lot of people look at it as a negative, but for COVID I met my girlfriend, or now fiance. Her and I met. During COVID I got to go back to school. Here's a picture of her and I together. There's Boo, yeah, there's Boo. One of our adventures in Joshua Tree. We were out there having fun, just doing our thing and always trying to find a new adventure to go on.

Speaker 2: 7:41

That's one of the things I saw you struggle through, as your roommate was dating apps and meeting people and struggling to get it, and so when Boo finally came into it, it was like so amazing.