New Member Spotlight 5/1/2024
My name is Aleksei and I’m an 18 year old student finishing up my last year of high school. I’ve been coming to Second Unitarian Church since November and have been so glad to find such a welcoming community that embraces plurality and diversity.
As part of my last semester, my school offers an opportunity to take four weeks off school to work on a service project. I have chosen to dedicate time to working with the wonderful community at 2U, specifically with a focus on uplifting and highlighting the queer community in our church. As a transgender and queer person myself, there have been many times in my life I’ve felt isolated and struggled to find community. I believe that especially in times like these, when our community is under attack around the country, it is important for us to come together and celebrate our shared identities.
As part of my project, I have been in the early stages of organising an all ages event of queer celebration here at 2U. Our preliminary date for this event is May 12, from 6pm to 8pm. More details to come in the near future!
In addition to this, I would love to compile oral histories of queer 2U members. Our stories are important and need to be told, especially in times when so many around us want to make us feel alone. If you are interested in sitting down for an informal interview, please feel free to reach out to me, either at my email (aleksei.k.sokolov@gmail.com) or send me a text at (224) 217-1530. I look forward to hearing from you.
