Each day I wake up and shower. I put my clothes on just like everyone else. There is nothing different from me than to anyone else. At face value I am just another big black man but to my core I am a transman of color.

What does this mean exactly? It means that each day I go about my life in a small town living my truth. Even though I have had my run ins with racist, transphobic, and homophobic people, I still live my truth. Prescott, AZ is a small town that moves at a small-town pace and I have grown to love it. I do not plan to live here for the rest of my life, but I am living here now, and I make the best of it.

I married a beautiful and smart woman, who happens to be white. Let me tell you, some of the looks we get are interesting and down -right intense sometimes. She has witnessed statements such as “Why is she with that n****r?”. When I tell you, she was about to fight this little old lady, I mean fist balled up and ready to pounce. She was pissed. This is just the face value of what we have to deal with in a small-town. Imagine what they would say if they knew I was a transman. I have been called a “him her”, “it”, “thing”, and my all-time favorite (said with great sarcasm) “in-between”.

Even though my time in Prescott, AZ has been met with some negative situations it has also been filled with such beauty and wonder. Prescott is an amazingly beautiful town. The mountains and trees sing during the sunrise and sunset. I have worked with many types of people who have showed me so much love and respect. I have made wonderful and supportive friends through working with GYCC and in the community. Prescott has changed so much since I moved here in 2012 and changed for the better. I look forward to expanding the thoughts of the people in the community with the work GYCC is doing.