I believe fully in the values put forth by the organizers of this march. I would have loved to joined my friends and colleagues in protest and solidarity either locally or in D.C., but health and other circumstances prevent me from doing so. At the last march I participated in–a Black Lives Matter rally in Ithaca, New York–I nearly passed out mid-march due to my intersecting conditions of diabetes and anxiety. I appreciate that the organizers have created this alternative virtual space for people who want to show strength and commitment to genuinely progressive values at this critical moment in our nation’s history.

I’m a PhD Candidate at Vanderbilt University writing a dissertation on Renaissance literature and philosophy. Prior to my academic teaching and research, I worked as a Senior Field Organizer for the National LGBTQ Task Force.