Emily!
Who are you?
Hi everyone! My name is Emily Michelman and I am the new Volunteer
Intern for Family Equality Council. I grew up in Annapolis,
Maryland, but when I graduated from high school my parents headed
down south to Durham, North Carolina. I spend most of my time in
Poughkeepsie, New York where I attend Vassar College. I am a rising
senior majoring in Women’s Studies.
What brought you to Family Equality Council? What interests you
about LGBT families?
I was looking for a summer internship where I could help make a
difference and learn important business skills along the way. I
started looking for a job where I could put my academic focus in
Women’s Studies and Queer Studies to active work. I knew it was
time I took my academic passions out of the classroom and into our
communities. Through my experience working with children, I have
always felt family, love and equality should priorities.
Do you remember a specific moment or story that made you become
an advocate for equality? For LGBT families specifically?
Coming from a fairly liberal home, but growing up in a conservative
environment, I was constantly alarmed about the accepted prejudices
happening around me. Then, during my Intro to Women’s Studies
Class at Vassar, I found myself having ‘click’ moments almost
every class. From first semester, I knew I was destined to be a
life-long advocate for equality. Reading Kath Weston’s Families
We Choose really sparked my interest in kinship and how families
are viewed in America. I have continued to pursue this interest
academically, and my passion has grown for the issues as I see my
LGBTQ friends have their relations and families unjustly
questioned. In addition, I have spent much of my time around
children through working at day camps. I see how susceptible
children are to comments of ignorance and bullying. I have had the
pleasure of helping with amazing activism for children, including a
Queer Coloring Book Workshop this past spring. Helping with such
programming made me very excited for future work with LGBT
families!
What are you most looking forward to about working with Family
Equality Council?
This summer I hope to learn about the behind the scene workings of
a nonprofit. As the Volunteer Intern, I am specifically excited to
organize and excite people about issues that I am passionate about.
I am also eager to get to know some of the families that support
Family Equality Council. In short, I hope to help make a
difference, learn skills, and have fun! Simple goals, really…
Know what you want to be when you grow up? ; )
This question gets scarier and scarier as ‘growing up’ (or,
graduation) looms near. I plan on taking a break from academia
after graduation, and later apply to grad school, perhaps for
Social Work. I have always been drawn to counseling, and think this
may be a career I would like to pursue. I definitely plan on
following my interests in Women’s Studies and Queer Studies.