It has
been a year since I put words to “paper”. Life’s little disasters, loves
little tornados, new jobs, friends moving away…they all somehow take precedent
over reflection and mediation. It’s easier to keep busy in the
ebb-and-flow of daily life than to take ten minutes to examine ones
circumstance and grow. But now, now is the perfect time to revisit old
practices and nearly forgotten passions.
Understanding and accepting reflection as a daily practice will produce
profound life changes, it will breed happiness and perspective, it can help you
learn from your mistakes and give you great ideas both in your personal life
and in your professional career. Regular
reflection my friends is a practice we could all benefit from this year.
2014: A
year to remember! What a year we had, what a year I had. So many
chapters started and ended; many of great wins and victorious battles, a few
with difficult losses of love and of family. Each chapter filled with the
potential for great growth and unforeseen opportunity. Chapters I wish I
had outlined here, but…here we are, and here are moments that make me honored
to be in this time.
Now is
our time. 2014 was a year of great triumph for the Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer communities in Houston and around this
country. We saw unprecedented amounts of support in nonprofit,
legislative, and allied communities.
At the
Grammy’s Queen Latifah officiated a massive wedding during Macklemore and Ryan
Lewis’s performance of “Same Love” (video here),
Laverne Cox became the first trans person to land the cover of Time Magazine,
Honey Maid showed us that LGBT parents can be traditional too (video here) with
their “This Is Wholesome” ad campaign, and the countless number of legislative
same-sex marriage victories outlined HERE in a MIc.com
article written by Jarred Keller.
PrEP became the next great tool in get to a zero new transmissions in the fight
against HIV and Aids. Here locally Houston City Council adopted the
Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) – which bans discrimination based not
just on sexual orientation and gender identity, but also echoes federal
discrimination laws - with the help of hundreds of unsung hero’s who call
Houston home. Our rainbow is as vibrant as ever, and 2015 can only
be that much better. The state of LGBT America and the fight for equality
continues to stay in the headlines of our media and on the lips of Americans
gay and allied.
Change
can be good. On November 14th my
life and my professional career changed forever. At 10:15am I received
the call from Human Resources at Legacy Community Health informing me that
Legacy wanted me to join their family. After some mediation and serious
thought I accepted and became Legacy’s newest Manger for Community
Relations. Now…almost two months into my job I’m confident in my decision.
I wont
lie, I was weary of leaving everything I knew; my work family, the job that I
came to love, the familiarity of an organization that I connected with and
who’s mission I had tattooed on my heart. But I knew Legacy and I knew
what I could be capable of doing with the backing of an organization that
wasn’t afraid to take a chance on an idea, or a mission, or on a commitment to
a cause. Legacy was a first responder in the fight against HIV and
Aids. Before there was a movement, there was Legacy…or what would be
known as such. And it is that commitment to the LGBT community that
guided my decision. Now…what great things await me every day when I step
into that clinic in the heart of Montrose.
With
unfortunate challenges and life’s lows, come great rewards. Finding opportunity in the struggles, seeing
inspiration in the mundane, opening oneself to the possibility of navigating the
unknown…that is what strengthens our soul and readies us for the next battle. I am so honored to be in this
moment. 2014 was a year of unexpected change. 2015 will be a year
of determined growth and prosperity. Here I come.
