Some may call me a Texan but in fact I grew up all over the world. My family moved every three years. My dad was in the military and the idea of home was elusive for me. Although, difficult at times, it benefited me because I was able to really see the world. I saw how all human beings are very similar but also quite different in many ways. I think moving often enabled me to have a different perspective from the average American child. I'm appreciative of the times we were able to move abroad and learn about different cultures. This broadened my horizons early on and allowed me to step outside of myself. Traveling is a continued passion of mine.

I lived in China for a year and travel for professional development seminars all over the world. I had an opportunity to attend a seminar on the women’s movement in Amman, Jordan and an intercultural communication seminar in Madrid, Spain among others. This has continually informed my understanding around social justice and a look into my own socialization around whiteness.

As a queer woman who didn’t come out to my family until I was 40 years old, I understand what it feels like to be isolated, vulnerable and misunderstood. I feel that I can take some of that experience and extend it to have empathy for many different people. I may not know what it means to be a person of color or grow up in a war torn country, but I feel that we all must begin to connect to one another in as many ways as we can.

My biggest pride is my daughter, Ruby. My love for traveling and passion for social justice has now spread to her. She's an advocate for racial and gender equity in her own right. We've travelled to five different countries and she's only 8 years old. We've only just begun exploring this world together.