!Bienvenido a Michele al DC Center/Welcome Michele to the DC Center!
Michele (she/her) joined us in 2021 as one of our trauma-informed, licensed mental health clinicians. Michele speaks English and Spanish. We are very excited to have her on the DC Center team!
You can meet Michele at the DC once it is safe to return to the Center in-person, but for now, read on to learn about her.
I love working with staff, volunteers, and folks who connect to The DC Center for community, care and creativity. The DC Center is an exciting place that invites and welcomes and nurtures authenticity and creativity – and real and lasting connections – through art, therapy, education, and advocacy. I really look forward to being able to gather in person at The DC Center – and until then, will continue to seek and soak up the virtual connections!
I enjoy leading groups, working individually with folks, and connecting to the other aspects of the Center – like the open mics, art and movie gatherings.
I look forward to bringing my full self to The DC Center – my queer, social justice-y, artistic, therapist, religiously trained, Spanish-speaking, pet-loving self!
Birthdate, Astro Sign:
–October 2, Libra
Where are you originally from?
–born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama.
Why did you start working at the DC Center?
–because I got lucky!!! I wanted to be a part of a dynamic, creative, authentic, place doing real and transformative work with and for our LGBTQ+ community! It is an amazing place! I am fortunate to be a part of The DC Center!
What has been your favorite part about working at the DC Center?
–collaboration with amazing, creative, and dynamic staff and working with folks who come to The DC Center for connection, care, and healing!
What is your music anthem?
–I love music! Life could and maybe should be a musical! So picking one song or album is really hard. I love “Rise Up” (Andra Day) and “This is Me” (Keala Settle and “The Greatest Showman Ensemble”) and Joy Oladokun’s latest album! And I am a longtime fan of The Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, and Maná!
What is your favorite part about the LGBTQ+ community?
–we are resilient and creative! We know pain and we know how to have a great time! We know how to make joy come alive! We know how to make sparkling lemonade out of dry lemons! We know how to create and recreate family and community, to rise from the ashes and live in vibrant color!
What is your favorite spot in DC and what do you do there?
–there are so many great spots in DC! I love exploring Rock Creek Park, the museums, and hanging out around U Street.
What is your favorite queer movie?
–“Pose” (not a movie, but, yes! Wow!!)
What color would you paint the White House, given the chance?
–rainbow, of course!! With colors in the Progress Pride flag.
Who do you look up to in the queer community?
–there are so many I look to with deep gratitude and respect. I look to the artists – who birth creations that touch souls and transform minds. I look to those at Stonewall who let the uprising and were then ignored and discarded. I look to those who had to live in the closets in order to survive and were quiet revolutionaries. I look to courageous leaders in spiritual and religious settings who name truths of the inherent worth and dignity of each person. I look to the amazing performers in “Pose” – who have fought to be where they are and have transformed lives from their audacity to live their lives out loud! I look to children of today, with more freedoms and choices of who to be and how to be – and to the adults around them who are following the lead of the children, rather than imposing rigid norms of how and who to be.
