What does identifying (or not identifying) with the BGLTQ community mean to you?

I came into my queer identity during my final year of college, and it was a long journey. For me, this community is where I've found the deepest care, the deepest commitment to support, and the most profound understandings of the world. Queer people are so magnificent, and in this year especially, mutual aid has been immensely significant amongst community members. Identifying as a part of this community has allowed me to recognize my own fluidity, my unique needs as a queer person, and my capacity for joy.

How, if at all, has your identity shaped your academic and/or professional journey?

I was very lucky because my first job after I graduated was a very queer friendly space, and it allowed me to connect with other queer people in a professional setting. Not everyone was welcoming, but my core group of coworkers were immensely supportive, which allowed me to come out of my shell as a queer person and create space for my personal and professional lives to blend. Now, in my second job out of college, I am very proud of my queer identity and I refuse to be quiet about it. I am committed to building community within academic and professional settings, which continue to be often oppressive to queer folks. I'm lucky to work mainly in the arts, a field that is more welcoming than others, but it is also difficult to navigate financially. My queer communities in academic and professional settings have been important not only for navigating issues related to queer identity, but also providing mentorship and support related to financial literacy and job security.

What advice would you give to yourself when you were an undergraduate?

You don't have to know everything about your identity right now. It's okay to feel confused, even when others seem sure of themselves. Identifying with queerness comes to people at different stages in life, so your curiosity doesn't have to turn into any specific identity marker. I know it's hard to be in that space of confusion, but let yourself love yourself in the in-between. I'm still in the in-between, and I'm learning each day. There is never an end point that you will reach when you will fully understand yourself. Love the things you don't know about yourself as much as the things you do know.

What support can you provide to current undergraduate BGLTQ students who are hoping to enter into your field?

I'm happy to talk at any point to share more about my experiences, and just find joy together. I attended Brown for my undergraduate schooling, so I'm sure I've had a similar academic experience to those at Harvard. I'm also happy to make connections to queer people outside of Harvard who can speak to career opportunities if someone has questions that I cannot answer.

What are your areas of expertise?

Artistic practice and visual arts, art history, arts education, museum work, public engagement, curatorial work, design work, intersections of Latinx and queer identities, mixed race identity, attending college long-distance from family/home