I moved to LA in the fall of 2019 so I had not lived here very long when the pandemic hit and everything closed. It suddenly became much harder to find queer spaces and to find a community in my new home.
I figured volunteering for the Center would be a good jumping off point, and it has proven to be that and so much more.
I work at the Pride Pantry every Thursday packing bags with produce and boxes with dry foods for pick-up and delivery on Fridays. I started as a “floater” in the summer of 2020 and, after a few months, I became the leader of the produce bag assembly line. I work as a coach so it comes naturally for me to explain and delegate tasks!
This experience has shown me that filling hundreds of produce bags can be really fun when you have cool people to spend time with. It’s also confirmed for me that I love spending time with a lot of queer people. This has become a time when I can be authentically myself the most. I’ve had some really wonderful conversations with my fellow volunteers about coming out and how being queer has affected us at various points in our lives.
I’ve met people who have been involved with the Center for decades, and I’ve heard stories about the incredible impact the Center has had on our community. Any chance you have to be a part of that impact is so rewarding.
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Hometown: Walled Lake (Metro Detroit), MI
Year Started Volunteering at Center: 2020
Volunteer Positions: Pride Pantry
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