Introduction
Who am I ?
My name is Miguel Marron (he/him/his). I am currently on my last year at Indio High School. My high school experience has been filled with me acting on my passion for outreach work and helping the LGBTQI+ community in any way possible. Being president of Shades of Love, our oncampus GSA club, has allowed me to connect with students and create a safe space for them. I was recently awarded the Burton May Pride Award due to my outstanding participation, dedication and initiative with creating a positive self-image among other LGBTQI+ youth. I am one of the few openly transgender students on campus and the only one to begin the medical transition. I have gained the role of inspiration to many younger peers. I use my unique challenges and obstacles to inspire my peers to stay strong and move forward despite these difficult obstacles. My biggest goal is to remind the LGBTQI+ youth to continue to be their genuine self and never let the world bring them down.
What is my project about?
I spent a lot of time thinking of ways that I can give back to my community. When I was first looking for resources that are available, I came across East Coachella Valley Pride (ECVP). ECVP is an amazing center that serves as the LGBTQ+ Community Center of the Desert. The programs and resources ECVP offers are so important and inspiring. I've always kept them in my mind.
When I began to create events for club members as through Shades of Love (SOL), I saw the positive impact that the even had on attendees. However, I felt that there had to be a way for me to expand this impact and create a stronger sense of community outside of the club. So, I came across another local organization that is near our school: The Indio Teen Center. I saw it as the perfect location that could bring together LGBTQ+ youth from moer age groups! This inspired me to work on creating workshops and other educational opportunities that could bring the community and allies together. Another benefit of the workshops are professional, volunteer, and leadership opportunities for SOL members and students. Overall, my goal and mission with this project and partnership between East Coachella Valley Pride, Indio Teen Center, and Shades of Love is to educate more people on the LGBTQ+ community and build strong relationships within our members and allies.