To go from having suicidal thoughts that started at age 13 due to discrimination to recently receiving an award from The Sharp Index (@SharpIndex) - a phenomenal organization dedicated to decreasing suicide and burnout among healthcare workers - for being named their 2024 Advocacy Leader of the Year is yet another piece in healing the scars from when I feared I wouldn’t make it this far.🌙💖🐦‍🔥🦄❤️‍🩹 When I first experienced suicidality, all I wanted was for people to know that they are so deeply loved and their dreams of a peaceful reality are beautiful. I wanted to show that Black, queer people—that minoritized people—could not only survive, we will thrive even as parts of society attempt to stop our existence and humanity’s inevitable progress.💖 This award feels especially meaningful as this administration continues to attack and scapegoat LGBTQ+ and minoritized people for simply existing and saying we’re done with being mistreated.🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈✊🏽 Every day that I get to be with all of you is such a gift. Thank you for being beside me as I’ve found my voice and my unique way to speak about my suicidality. 🫂 Thank you for being my community as I’ve come into my own as a Black, trans person in this world.🏳️‍⚧️ Thank you for being with me as I’m constantly learning to truly - and more deeply - be my full self.💖🦄 So much gratitude for @CoherenceMed for creating an organization that is a force of such healing in our world, and to the 200 judges. A huge thanks also to @drjessigold for secretly nominating me and somehow keeping it a secret until I found out I won and she sent a post with all caps.💖 To everyone living with suicidality, keep going. You’ve got this. I’m right here with you. Let’s fucking go, you beautiful Sailor Starlights, Your Sailor Moon.🌙💖🐦‍🔥🦄🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🦸🏽‍♂️✊🏽