25 Years of Investments: Dr. Laramie Smith

For 25 years, GSBA has invested in the hearts and minds of LGBTQ and allied students. Join us as we award $350,000 to 48 of the brightest in Washington State. Meet these inspiring students and support them along their journey at the 2015 GSBA Scholarship Dinner on May 15 at the Seattle Waterfront Marriott. If you are unable to attend the Dinner, consider sponsoring a scholar at the Dinner with a donation of $150 or more. On this 25^th Anniversary we will celebrate investing over $2 million dollars in 350 leaders. Please read more about our featured alumni speaker, Laramie Smith. She, and the many other alumni scholars, will be on hand to share their successes with you.

In 1999, Laramie Smith had lost her determination to go to college. She wondered what college would look like, how she would get there, how she could pay for it and what doors it could open. “They were mysteries I couldn't even begin to comprehend. I just knew I could do better with my life,” remembers the Lacey native. As she was looking into her options, Laramie applied for and received a GSBA scholarship. “I found myself without parents who could embody unconditional love and support, but I was suddenly and unexpectedly embraced by the LGBTQ community.”

Fast-forward 15 years: Laramie R. Smith, PhD, is a behavioral health scientist whose research is devoted to the prevention and treatment needs of HIV-affected and medically underserved communities.

Laramie received her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in American cultural studies from Western Washington University. She worked on the Centers for Disease Control’s National HIV/AIDS Behavioral Surveillance study in conjunction with the Seattle–King County Department of Public Health’s HIV/AIDS Program, examining the intersection of substance use and housing vulnerabilities among adolescent and adult populations at the University of Washington.

Laramie defending her dissertation.

She earned her doctorate in social psychology from the University of Connecticut. During her doctoral training, she received a National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Health to develop and evaluate a theory-based approach to retention in HIV care in the Bronx. Through a complementary line of research, Laramie continues to investigate mechanisms through which HIV, drug use and methadone maintenance-related stigmas disrupt individuals’ prevention and treatment behaviors.

She worked at the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP) on a large project in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. As an extension of this trial, she integrated her work in HIV care with her investigation and support of the needs of newly diagnosed patients who were not yet eligible for antiretroviral therapy.

Laramie is currently a postdoctoral fellow at University of California San Diego School of Medicine’s Division of Global Public Health. Her research interests include infectious disease prevention, treatment and care; health disparities; medically vulnerable and underserved populations; LGBTQ health; health behavior theory; intervention development and evaluation; and structural equation modeling.

As the first GSBA scholar to receive four years of consecutive funding, Laramie gained just as much, if not more, from the knowledge that an entire community believed in her ability to thrive and provide leadership in the face of adversity. “This personal connection gave me strength and resolve to attain my education and invest my efforts back into in the health of the LGBTQ and other marginalized communities,” she says. “This support is more than I could have ever expected when I opened my first scholarship award letter in 1999. It has laid a solid foundation from which I continue to approach life's challenges and value my successes.”

Creating Change: Ruben

GSBA Scholars Attend Creating Change

For 25 years, the GSBA Scholarship Fund has invested in LGBTQ and allied students through financial scholarships. We know that our scholars are the future leaders of our community. In order to create a strong, well-prepared and skilled workforce, we understand our students need support beyond tuition.

This year we are excited to share that GSBA was able to sponsor two students to attend the 27th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change in Denver. Along with our Scholarship Manager Jessica Wootten, current scholars Angela Tang and Ruben Zecena attended the weeklong conference earlier this month. In their own way, Angela and Ruben each share their experiences at Creating Change. Click here to read Angela's reflections.

From Ruben Zecena

Attending Creating Change was refreshing for my activism, as well as being able to go to a fabulous drag queen show! My first impression of the conference was walking into the main lobby and finding an altar for Jesse Hernandez. She was a queer Latina who was brutally shot a few days prior to the conference. Many workshops began with a minute of silence for Jesse, and I was glad to be in a space that valued queer lives of color. Angela and I were also able to exchange ideas on events that we had taken part of. Both of us were amazed at the amount of queer people of color at the conference. I went to some workshops that were mainly in Spanish, which I had never experienced in activist settings. 

One of my favorite workshops was one created by Make the Road New York. This workshop gave information about the organization’s mission and the communities that they work for. Not only were the organization’s leaders present at the workshop, but also allowed some of their members to speak at the workshop. These speakers were trans Latina immigrants who spoke about their living conditions in New York. They spoke about employment discrimination as well as being harassed by the police. A piece of information that I was shocked by is that police in New York who find trans women carrying condoms use that as a reason to detain these women on charges of prostitution. I also learned about undocumented Latinas who are then taken to detention centers with the danger of being deported to countries where their lives are at danger. This workshop had speakers that had also participated in the protest that arose at creating change. I appreciated the radical conversations that arose throughout the conference and am grateful to have attended creating change.

A week after this conference I spoke at a rally put on by an organization that I am part of, Queer People of Color and Allies, and was able to honor the lives of queer and trans people of color. I learned some of the information I talked about at Creating Change and was inspired to continue to be part of queer activist organizations.

Creating Change: Angela

GSBA Scholars Attend Creating Change

For 25 years, the GSBA Scholarship Fund has invested in LGBTQ and allied students through financial scholarships. We know that our scholars are the future leaders of our community. In order to create a strong, well-prepared and skilled workforce, we understand our students need support beyond tuition.

This year we are excited to share that GSBA was able to sponsor two students to attend the 27th National Conference on LGBT Equality:Creating Change in Denver. Along with our Scholarship Manager Jessica Wootten, current scholars Angela Tang and Ruben Zecena attended the weeklong conference earlier this month. In their own way, Angela and Ruben each share their experiences at Creating Change. Click here to read Ruben's reflections.

From Angela Tang

Hello!

My name is Angela Tang. I’m a student at Whitman College and have been a GSBA Scholar for the past two years. Through this, I got the opportunity to attend the national LGBTQ Task Force, Creating Change Conference 2015. The conference was hosted in Denver Colorado with beautiful and consistent 70F weather which I enjoyed from Friday 2/6 to Sunday 2/8.

Each day was composed of four sets of 1.5hour workshops with a lunch break and plenary session in between, in addition to a caucus at the end of the day. I attended 12 different events and I will share with you my experience from three.

One of the first workshops I attended was titled “Art of the Schmooze,” hosted by networking expert Robbie Samuels. This workshop was designed to teach participants how to make the most of their time at Creating Change. As someone who had only been to one previous conference, I was eager to learn about how I could get the most out of Creating Change so that I could apply the knowledge and connections gained, back to Seattle and Whitman College. Robbie Samuels shared an abundance of information that ranged from an eight-step game plan all the way to the smallest details such as which is the best position to stand in for optimal accessibility and how to get out of a(n awkward) conversation. For example, one of the best networking opportunities is not only to stay after an event to greet and meet the speakers, but also to make conversation with those who also are in line to meet the speaker. The implication is that those in line may share common interest with you and are also eager to make the most of their experience. I was able to use these skills throughout the rest of the conference, and will continue to use my cultivated skills through College and beyond.

“At The Table Making Changes: LGBTQ Leadership,” featured a panel of four elected officials. Which included Mayor of Somerset, Maryland Jeffrey Slavin; former Colorado Speaker of House Mark Ferrandino; and was moderated by Victory Fund Fund Institute Speaker Jaan Williams. With a panel of four successful LGBTQ elected officials, I was able to gain valuable insight to what the process of what being an LGBTQ official meant. A common consensus among the officials was that they chose not to sponsor any case related to LGBTQ issues during their first few years to avoid being known as the LGBTQ official. Curious to the reasoning, I posed the question of “Why did ya’ll choose to not sponsor LGBTQ cases during their first few years when those were issues ya’ll cared about, and as a LGBTQ elected official would actually have power to create the change for?” The answer to this was unanimous. If you were elected, you wouldn’t be elected only based on your LGBTQ identity likewise, there wouldn’t be enough pull to lose solely based upon being LGBTQ. Therefore, there would be a lot more other things that you would care about. By sponsoring issues not relating to LGBTQ issues at first, you gain power through establishing allies in supporting other’s endeavors and avoid marginalizing certain people who could help you win LGBTQ cases. Very cool!

One of my goals for this conference was to establish my network of Queer Asian Pacific Islanders. I attended “Mapping Power: LGTQ AAPI Organizing for Change,” as well as the Asian/South Asian/Southeast Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus. Through these sessions, I was able to make meaningful connections with other Queer AAPI folks, who were undergoing similar issues as I was in regards to assimilation, internalized racism, difficulty connecting with the LGBTQ community while simultaneously being ostracized from the API community for being LGBTQ. It felt very validating to be in that space where we explored a brief history of Queer API Americans and shared our struggles. Additionally, we spoke about API involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement, something I have been questioning for a while now.

In addition to these great sessions, I enjoyed some incredible food, great company by Jessica Wootten and Ruben Zecena, the Drag Show on Friday night, and the 50+ Allies dance on Saturday.

I’d like to thank the GBSA for continually supporting my endeavors and needs. Their financial support, emotional support, and professional development opportunities continue to enrich my life. I will take from this conference an understanding that creating change for the LGBTQ community in particular, takes a lot of consideration of intersectional identities, and a lot of collaboration. Additionally, I learned that no one who is working on creating change is doing so alone.

Lastly, thanks to Jessica Wootten for coordinating the logistics of this excursion exquisitely and for being there always for support.

All my best,

Angela Tang

Scholar Update: Jackson Shultz

by Jackson Shultz, GSBA Scholar 2008-2009

Since becoming a GSBA scholar, my life has changed in innumerable ways. In 2009, I married the love of my life, Kristopher. Together we have helped one another to make progress toward our educational and career goals. We both graduated from Washington State University with degrees in women’s studies in 2010. We then moved to New Hampshire, where we both worked full time while completing our master’s degrees at Dartmouth College. Kristopher is the Family Case Manager at the local homeless shelter and is completing his thesis on LGBTQ youth homelessness. I worked as a Web Programmer at the Geisel School of Medicine while completing my thesis, an oral history of transgender activism. I graduated in 2014 with a degree in creative writing. My writing has been published in two LGBTQ anthologies and several academic journals, and in 2011, I won the National Confluence Award for Excellence in Creative Writing.

(L-R) Kristopher, Mosely and Jackson

While attending Dartmouth, I had several incredible opportunities to be involved in local LGBTQ endeavors. I currently serve on the board of directors of the Upper Valley Rainbow Connection, a local LGBTQ social organization. I am also the Education Director for the Trans Education, Activism, Community & Health (TEACH) Alliance. TEACH Alliance is a non-profit organization that provides transgender advocacy services through outreach to educational and health professionals, and promotes autonomy in transgender communities by teaching activism and community-building skills. Through this organization I have been able to travel from California to Maine, providing workshops and forging connections with other LGBTQ activists, educators, and advocates. My favorite activities, however, are focused on mentorship: I serve as a local mentor for several transgender and gender non-conforming youth, and volunteer as a youth counselor for the Trans Youth Equality Foundation.

Since graduating, I have taught as an Adjunct Professor of Writing and Rhetoric at New England College. I teach creative writing and writing fundamentals. While teaching, I am currently taking a gap year before starting a doctoral program. I spent the early part of this school year developing my master’s thesis into a full-length manuscript. I’m pleased to say that my book, Trans/Portraits, will be released from the University Press of New England in October 2015. Looking ahead, my goal is to return to the Pacific Northwest and begin a doctoral program in higher education administration and leadership in the fall. I strongly believe that having openly LGBTQ administrators is critical to the success of LGBTQ students, and hope to affect positive change in policies and practices to better accommodate the unique needs of LGBTQ students. In the mean time, I will continue teaching, writing, and spending time with my husband and our obnoxiously large Newfoundland dog.

Check out Jackson and Kristopher in their TEDx talk on transgender liberation and gender equity.

2014 Graduating Scholars

All of at GSBA want to send a big congratulations to all the GSBA Scholars who graduated this year!

Hanna O'Donnell (2008, 2010-2012)

Central Washington University, magna cum laude

Carnella Linder (2013)

AAS, Social & Human Services, Seattle Central College

Continuing on for a Bachelor's degree next year

Nyka Tucker (2013, 2014)

BS, Microbiology and Global Health, University of Washington

Lisa Eytel (2011)

BS, Chemistry and Forensic Science; Honors degree, Criminal Justice; Russel Sage College

Pursuing a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Oregon

Greg Phelps (2010-2013)

Business Administration: Management Information Systems, Western Washington University

Miki Cabell (2011-2014)

MPA, Tribal Governance, The Evergreen State College

Pursuing a PhD in Indigenous Studies at Whakatane Awanuiāranga

Ryan Biava (1996-1997)

PhD, Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dissertation: “The Comparative Politics of Privacy: Ideas, Institutions & Information”

Carver (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013)

BA, Social Work, Eastern Washington University

Danny Cords (2013)

BA, Human Development & Learning and Social Justice Studies, Antioch University

Completing his Master's degree in Education (Adult Education and Organizational Behavior) in March

Alejandra Silva Hernandez
BS, Microbiology, University of Washington

Scholar Spotlight: Beyond the Finish Line with Darlene Palmer

A GSBA Scholar since 2010, we’ve seen Darlene Palmer overcome many obstacles. As a single-mother working to make ends meet while working towards her degree and facing numerous health challenges, Darlene has successfully managed to it all with grace and perseverance. Beyond perseverance, comes inspiration and drive. Darlene has spent the last year proving that she is strong, passionate and as fiery as they come.

Let’s go back to March 2011. Darlene had already received her first GSBA Scholarship and was doing well at Spokane Falls Community College. However, she soon found herself in an unthinkable position. Darlene had to undergo a complete knee reconstruction, which left her unable to walk for over 2 months. Determined to continue her education, she made it to Seattle for her scholarship interview in a wheelchair. Fortunately for Darlene, she was awarded a second GSBA Scholarship and began the process of rehabilitation. Finally after two long months of grueling physical therapy, she took her first steps. The pain she felt was excruciating, but she knew she needed to relearn to walk. She said, “I wanted to walk. I NEEDED to walk. I knew running would not be something I could try for at least 6 months, and really, I was perfectly fine with that. I just wanted to be functional again. I wanted to walk, step off a curb, climb stairs, stand in the shower, and be fully functional on my own.”

And that she did. Darlene stepped off that curb and walked, and walked, and walked… In fact, she’s addicted to walking. What started as 5Ks quickly turned into half marathons. Fast-forward to September 2013. On a whim, and with encouragement from her best friend, she signed up for her first half-marathon with only weeks to train. She knows it sounds crazy, she didn’t even have proper shoes but she did it, in Keen sandals. She walked. 13.1 miles and each step was a victory worth celebrating.

She continued to walk. Just 3 months after her first half and surgery to remove her gallbladder, she not only completed the Seattle Half Marathon in December, but also shaved an hour off of her previous time. The pride she felt was overwhelming. Through the pain of blisters, she pushed through and received her second half-marathon medal.

All this walking had her thinking about her upcoming birthday. She knew what she had to do—a third half-marathon. Darlene thought what a better way to celebrate her birthday than by signing up for the Phoenix Half Marathon. As she prepared for this race, just as in the times before she faced an obstacle. This time it was kidney stones. Again she endured pain and a hospital stay, but remained focused.

This race was different. For her, as a Hispanic, lesbian woman, it was political. Arizona has been known to have tough immigration laws and a government that nearly passed a legal LGBT discrimination bill. So as Darlene prepared for her birthday race, she declared, “I will do it as a minority in a state who can racially profile me and demand I prove my citizenship status. I will do it for people who are not able to walk out their door and feel safe from discrimination. I will do it without hiding any part of who I am, as that is what makes me great!”

And by now you know how the story goes. Darlene crushed the Phoenix Half Marathon and did so while wearing the Rainbow Flag. She said, “I will not be put back in the closet, but I will walk out and proud for all those in Arizona and elsewhere who were not able to be out.”

Darlene has set and exceeded her goals each time. She has already signed up for her next half and has big plans to continue on her path of physical fitness. Darlene is studying Human Development at Washington State University and will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in May 2015. In addition to school, she works as an in-home caretaker for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s and stays busy raising her 11-year old daughter and 9-year old stepdaughter.

To follow continue on this walking journey with Darlene, you can visit her blog of inspiration at http://halfmarathondar.blogspot.com/

Scholar Spotlight: Cady Smith

Cady (L) at the 2013 Scholarship Dinner

"I will never forget when I walked into the GSBA Scholarship dinner for the first time. I remember being so utterly overwhelmed by the amount of support I faced, after thinking for years that I was alone. I cried. My parents cried. The individuals that interviewed me cried. I couldn't believe that I had made it this far, that I had finally found a community where I was fully accepted. As a second year scholar, the dinner affected me just as strongly. I remember one of the speakers saying (with regards to being part of the queer community), 'You don't need to be fixed. There is nothing to fix.' 

"GSBA has showed me that this statement is true at every turn. I now know that my future matters. Every day that I assume my various leadership roles I strive to be a representative of the love and acceptance that GSBA has shown me. Even though some of my past is painful, I didn't go through it needlessly. This organization has taught me the power that my personal story has. This experience has built me into a person with a passion for leading and helping others. If I can help even one person realize that there's an entire community waiting out there with open arms, like the GSBA has, then everything I've been through has been worth it."

Cady (R) after completing the Color Run

As usual, Cady is keeping herself very busy in the South Sound area. She is currently a Rieke Leadership Fellow for Pacific Lutheran University's Diversity Center. She is working to reestablish the campus' Queer Ally Network and safe space program. She is a graphic designer at IMPACT, the graphic design office at PLU and she also works as a Marketing and Development Associate at Centerforce, a nonprofit in Lakewook devoted to empowering adults with disabilities. As part of the University Students Museum Advisory Committee at the Tacoma Museum of Glass, Cady helps to strengthen communication and interaction between the Museum, university students and faculty throughout the Puget Sound area.

Catching up with GSBA Scholar Patrick English

Patrick speaking at the 2007 GSBA Scholarship Dinner

2007 GSBA Scholar Patrick English is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a graduate of Western Washington University with majors in Biochemistry and Political Science. Patrick moved to Washington, DC last year and currently works as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where he uses his biochemistry skills on a daily basis. 

This past summer, Patrick and a colleague wrote and produced an original musical inspired by the cartoon villain Carmen Sandiego for the 2012 Capital Fringe Festival. Their show, “Where in the World? The Untold Story of Camilla Sanfrancisco,” tracks the global pursuit of an agent gone rogue. While on the run, she encounters colorful criminals, outrageous heists...and puns. For Camilla, getting caught is just the beginning.  They had hundreds of audience members attend and out of 130 shows in the festival, they were awarded the “Best of Fringe” audience award from Theatermainia.com.

Click here for more information on the GSBA Scholarship Fund.

Patrick (right) and co-producer, Jeff Vonch after winning "Best Overall Show"

GSBA Scholar Spotlight: Jessica Warmbo

Jessica Warmbo and Kyle Rapinan (also a former GSBA Scholar) at LavenderGraduation   (Photo by PHOTOTAINMENT)

Congratulations to Jessica Warmbo, a four-year GSBA scholar, who graduated last month with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Welfare, and a Minor in Diversity Studies, from the University of Washington.  Through Jessica’s advocacy in the classroom and beyond, she was vocal about readings that contained homophobia and transphobia, and spoke up when her classmates said something that might be problematic.  She said, “I advocated for more education around gender identity, which was very badly needed.  I think that my straight and cis classmates are more prepared to do social work with queer individuals in a competent way due to my advocacy.” 

Throughout Jessica’s time at the University of Washington, she has been involved with the UW Q Center.  She has been employed there, as well as acting as a peer advisor and a coordinator of the Queer Mentoring Program.  She will continue to work with the Q Center this year as she prepares for graduate school.  Jessica will enroll in the University of Washington’s School of Social Work in July to ear her Master’s in Social Work, with a concentration in Mental Health.  She will graduate in June 2013 and plans to become a counselor who works within the queer community.

Jessica said being a GSBA scholar has meant she could focus on school fully without worrying about finances.  She said the GSBA offered, “support that I didn’t get from my family, and it means a lot because I was both emotionally and financially supported by GSBA.  It was comforting to have consistent people in my life rooting for me and supporting me.”  She also has been grateful for meeting the many professional and successful queer business owners through the GSBA, and says, “after hearing some of their stories, I felt encouraged that I could do the same and make a life for myself after going through a lot of trauma.”