Many folks have different coming out stories. As for me, I kind of just blurted it out. I was talking to my mom when I decided to tell her that I identify as queer. I was in college at the time, and my parents thought it was just a phase. Of course, I knew it wasn’t. In fact, I’d kept this part of myself quiet for many years because I was raised in a religious environment and feared I wouldn’t be accepted as I am. Even though I didn’t feel supported right away, I didn’t let it stop me from pursuing a happy, authentic life.
Fast forward to now, I've been with my partner for nine years, we've got two kids, and my parents have become amazingly supportive. It’s a completely different dynamic, and they see that they have two daughters as opposed to one. I’m very happy to have that now, but I realize there are still many people who don’t have a support system, and that’s why LGBTQIA+ advocacy has become a big part of my life both personally and professionally.

I started my Amazon career unpacking boxes during the nightshift at a fulfillment center in Baltimore eight years ago. From there, I moved into a role in human resources where I took on a passion project to scale the company’s LGBTQIA+ affinity group, Glamazon, to fulfillment centers around the world. Leaders took notice of my work with Glamazon over the years, and eventually offered me my current role as a senior program manager in the LGBTQIA+ office under Amazon’s Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, where I now focus on creating programs and initiatives for employees and communities around the world.
I like to say that my “gay job” has become my day job, because the volunteer work I’ve done with nonprofit organizations outside of the office—aka my gay job—has actually become the focus of my role at the company. I’ve learned a lot during my career journey, including many lessons on what it takes to drive positive change. Here are some of my best tips to use your passion to make a difference.