My Roommate My Hero

I've heard before that family are the friends you choose sometimes. And while I'm close to my sisters and my Mom, I'm not particularly close to the rest of my family. At all. In the interim of somewhere around the time I started high school I met my roommate in college I knew we would become great friends. I didn't know we would easily be roommates for the next however many years until I find my princess or move to Portland or whatever that we would continue sharing things that are secrets, having man meals, having our gym time, our movies for guys who like movies night (except these are mostly comedies), going to church, bowling a couple times, going to coffeeshops, running errands, meeting the family, etc.- yeah we are pretty much family. More than that, I feel a sense of mutual respect with us- little disagreement (but not for months) and a little keep in check moments when I'm overindulgent on caffeine. We love each other like bros and always will. For someone I've had as a friend for so long, only until we were rooming together could we see the ups and downs: the many hours and blood, sweat, and tears of our intense brotherly love for each other. There are times when he comes home and I've already got dinner for him- kind of like a family member would. He has so much love and has came so far and has seen me come far- we are always looking out for each other and I'm the proudest of him I ever have been. He wanted to be my roommate five years prior and his Mom was a fan right away. And I am so proud of all that he continues to do and loves to do- love him so much.

The 2nd Toughest Job In The World

I will never deny that being a parent is the toughest job in the world- while I'm not a parent and probably never will be, I have seen enough from my family and heard stories from plenty of other people that ensured me that the hours are tiring, the joy is constantly sapped by many days of constantly interrupted sleep, and the energy into a kid is so intense that it sometimes is not only done in the best manner. And we get no instructions. So that is in many people's views- the toughest job in the world. However, there is a job that I've done on a volunteer basis or interning the past several years that is in my opinion almost equally as tough and sometimes tiring- activism. It's worth every minute and it is something that the world needs more of, however the standing up and taking a stand in people's lives and the emotions that you see year to year- that is something that takes a very personal and intuitive piece to it- I have been in the forefront of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Inquiring, and Ally (LGBTQIA) activism since 2010 and Developmental Disability (DD) activism for even longer and something in both of those senses is that it is exhausting, is sometimes so busy that it's almost like another part-time volunteer job with little benefits, and it is something that sticking up for those without a voice year in and year out is something that takes love, kindness, hurt, and sometimes even hope away from your position. However LGBTQIA and DD activism is something both as a Christian who is supposed to love thy neighbor as thyself and not judge anybody from the privilege or lack of privilege they have and as a human rights supporter who believes that everyone should be respected and as a Communication/ Leadership and Human Relations/ Public Relations student who is also so passionate about equality that I almost became a Gender Studies minor for longer than 2 weeks, I feel like people who are marginalized need support, need hope, need people who are able to stand thick and thin, need friends, and need people who care so deeply that they are willing to stick out a hand and help them. I think that LGBTQIA and DD rights are issues that aren't easy to come by, especially in more Red states and I think that it is not easy or well-applauded and even me, the most like-able guy in Boise who has more support than almost anyone here- even I have a few enemies in town. I don't do it for what people think and that is something I don't care about- my reputation in Boise is rock-solid no matter what I do- I do it so that people can have a gleam of hope and a glimmer of delight in choices that they had no choice in and that they can see that it is something that is inevitably brought into light and is none of the individuals business but their own and it is their choice to be public about it. I feel like people who are LGBTQIA and DD have almost as much if not more to teach people in their adversity they have to overcome- and it is working through this adversity that allies can continue to stand and champion causes for people who can constantly champion their friends, family, and support- especially since those without a voice need champions. To end this blog I will close with a quote: "Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other"- JFK- and I have learned a great deal through this leadership and the triumphs and setbacks I've had.