I am a transgender-identified healthcare worker, and have always been interested in participating and collaborating in research that advances health equity for LGBTQ+ people. In my work as an RN, educator and writer, I have engaged with questions of equity for the majority of my career. In my advocacy work, the same is true. I founded the Merced Pride Center, GLSEN Merced, Genderpeers (the original name for Merced's transgender support group, still going strong after 5 years), and LGBTQ+ Merced. Connecting LGBTQ+ people to health resources is work that I am always naturally doing, because I know about the historical lack of it, due to stigma, discrimination, or the unavailability of providers in rural areas. Furthermore, epidemiological data regarding LGBTQ+ people in our area is currently non-existent. Connecting the community to meaningful research, and creating excellent data that reflects our local area is a crucial next step in creating equity for LGBTQ+ Merced.
