Guest Blogger: Mike White
Recent College grad and brand new TAC Tour Coordinator

Hello Ally Coalition,

My name is Mike White, and I’m the Ally Coalition coordinator for the Fun. Some Nights Summer Tour.

I just graduated from the University of Vermont and studied British Literature and Classical Civilization.  I met some of my dearest friends while volunteering for my high school GSA. I continued to volunteer for my college GSA, and watching active people in GSAs and YSCs get up everyday and give it their all is incredible.

There was one person I met during my years at UVM that keeps me energized toward doing work involving LGBTQ activism. Her name is Emily, and we met Sophomore year. Emily is wonderful – she’s a lacrosse player, a Classics major, she’s bright, and she was active in our LGBTQ community at UVM. Emily went to a small religious high school in Tennessee, so her coming out process couldn’t really begin until college.

I’m ready to invest my energy in The Ally Coalition because I want to make sure that other young people don’t have to feel similarly unsafe in their learning environments.

This is why creating a safe space, especially in schools, for people of all identities, is essential. Regardless of what you think about the politics, schools should be off limits. There shouldn’t be a place in this country where young people don’t feel comfortable being honest about who the are. Education is one of the critical ways that young folks gain access to the world, and that opportunity should be available and encouraged for anyone interested in bettering themselves.

I’m so excited to get on the bus and start meeting with folks. I’m going to be updating a tour twitter and what we’re up to, so check me out: https://twitter.com/thatmikewhite

See you on the road,

MikeWhite!

-PS, That’s me and my sister’s pup.