There’s something outrageously special about being honored by your hometown, to have the place that raised you up look at where you are and the work that you have done/are doing and not only respond positively, but honor you for it. I’ve had a lot of really special moments with the Portland, Oregon queer community in recent months. I was asked to keynote this year’s Oregon Queer Youth Conference and now the youth book group at SMYRC (the queer youth center where I grew up) is reading Roving Pack!!!
Amidst all of this I got the news that I had been selected as one of the 2013 Queer Heros NW by the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest and the Q Center!!!!!
“We thank you from the bottom of our queer hearts, Sassafras – we know we can survive whatever the LGBTQ-hating adult world can throw at us, because you did”
This is one of the most powerful compliments I’ve ever received. I’m humbled, and honored that my hometown thinks of me and my work so highly. The last two weeks have been an incredible whirlwind between this and the Lammys, I am even more committed to writing the kinds of stories that people can really connect with