This Pride Month, we are pleased to highlight Lizi King, a senior training specialist who works out of our Baltimore office. Lizi, who says “Stone Butch Blues” by Leslie Feinberg and “Pretty” by KB Brookins shaped their perspective on inclusion, explains some of their journey discovering their authentic self:

“I was raised among many who think very differently than I do today. With time and introspection, pondering, ‘What makes me different than other folks in my life?’ I started to find pieces of my queer identity. With those pieces, I leapt into self-discovery. I’ve found such joy and community along the way among other LGBTQ+ people and allies.

“Pride is a celebration of each person’s journey toward self-knowledge. Pride evokes questions whose answers may land us exactly where we were before or may invite us into further reflection. Pride is collective gratitude for liberation and access to our true selves. That said, no one can be described by a singular identity; our lives are shaped by the multiple lenses through which we interpret the world.”