Cultural Resume

• I grew up in a middle class white family who often had struggles with money and who also had access to many privileged resources (e.g. high levels of education, wealthy extended family, owned our own home, etc.).

• Growing up in a southern state, I was steeped in a very racist culture from a young age. Some members of my family held racist beliefs and most struggled with anti-fat bias.

•  My father’s family had strong ties to their Irish-Catholic heritage, while my mother’s family identified with being pioneers.

• Mental illness, including substance abuse, and trauma run in my family.

• My privilege includes being white, cis-hetero, educated, a citizen, English-speaking, with strong connection to family (parents still together), and I have access to mental and physical health care.

• I have lived experience of gender based violence.

• I am actively unlearning many things, but focusing particularly right now on racial bias and internalized anti-fat bias.