To preface this post, I’d like to introduce myself and what it is that brought me to attend Trans Pride 2023. My name is Krysten, my pronouns are she/her, and I am the new Practice Manager at Gender Wellness of Los Angeles (GWLA). I am so very grateful for the opportunity to have been able to attend Trans Pride 2023, as an ally representing GWLA. I started my new position about four weeks prior to Trans Pride, so I am currently still getting my footing in the position, but it has been such an amazing, expansive learning experience. I’ve had the true pleasure of working closely with Casey Weitzman, MA, LMFT who is the Founder and President of GWLA and Grace O’Connor, MA, LMFT, Vice President of GWLA. The Team has created welcoming, safe space for me to explore, ask questions, and expand my horizons.

When asked to help run our booth at Pride, I was very eager and excited, though, I admit, I was a bit nervous. This being my first Pride experience, I was nervous as to how I can show up respectfully, as a guest in the community at such a monumental event. Not to my surprise, I felt such warm, welcoming energy from guests, event staff, and other vendors alike. In fact, the experience exceeded my expectations.

So many beautiful faces, personalities, styles, colors, and talent roamed about the space at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, I was taken aback by it all. What an incredible opportunity it was to be able to meet and converse with so many kind people getting to speak about this wonderful company I now work for, including spreading awareness of the services and resources that Casey and Grace offer. My experience was not limited to just managing the booth and observing. I had the chance to walk around the venue, smile at familiar faces I had previously met at the booth, watch live music, have some tasty treats, and even shop around at other booths to further show support.

Overall, this was a very rewarding opportunity to be an ally in the community and it has definitely planted a seed for the ways I’d like to be more involved with the community and events in the future.

~ Krysten (she/her)