My name is RJ, and I have a passion for community development.
In 2018, I moved to Lesotho, where I met a group of queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people who helped me understand myself beyond my limiting colonial beliefs. Most importantly, they taught me how to thrive on the generosity of community. Life in Lesotho instilled an ethic of community care, which I always keep close to my heart.
After leaving Lesotho, I moved to Taiwan, where I earned a Master's in Science of Global Health. While in Taiwan, I learned the importance of multi-generational friendships. These friendships showed me the value of sitting at the feet of elders and ancestors. Above all else, they taught me to mobilize community wisdom to solve problems and uplift the people around me.
In 2022, I arrived in Philly, where unexpected circumstances left me homeless, jobless, and completely alone in a new city. To get back on my feet, I created an online English course focused on LGBTQ+ vocabulary, history, and community engagement. Students and young professionals from all over the world hired me to teach them how to navigate their queerness in English-speaking countries. In return, my students gifted me with incredible stories of life within their queer communities at home. Most importantly, I learned that queer resistance is thriving everywhere.
Finally, I left Philly to return to my Colorado birthplace. Although I arrived under devastating circumstances, my journey brought me back to this place for a reason. I believe that Colorado is a center of the gender revolution. Now, I am committed to offering my gifts as a social engineer, community healer, and gender theorist to the powerful, collective future building that is happening right here in Boulder, Colorado.
Having learned that there are people just like me, working hard to build vibrant and healthy queer communities all over the world, I decided to dedicate this website to creating resources to help queer leaders nurture strong, resilient, and capable communities.
Whether you listen to my podcast (The Trans Embodiment Pod), use my community programming materials, or partner with me to help your organization serve queer people, I am so proud of the work you are doing.
