Since this is a new blog, and some of my new readers don’t really know who I am, I thought I’d do a fun facts post. Here are 7 facts about me!

• I graduated from a women’s college.

Yes, they still exist! I graduated from Mills College in Oakland, California in 2013. Going to Mills was and amazing experience, and it’s the reason for the next two facts about me.

• I sing in the Mills College Choir.

Even though I’m an alumna, I still sing in the college choir (I’m a first soprano, in case anyone wanted to know). I’m part of a community of students, alumnae and faculty that come together and seeing every Wednesday and put on a concert every semester. I am also on the choir’s Board of Directors as Alumnae Liason. Singing, for me, is a spiritual experience and is not only fun but healing.

• I am a collective member of Black Women Birthing Justice.

I have always been interested in maternity care and reproductive Justice, and while at Mills I had an opportunity to be a research assistant to the collective. I stayed on as a member after the semester was over because I believed in the work they were doing. We have some exciting things coming up in the next year, I’ll keep you posted!

• I’m married.

My wife and I on our wedding day

Last October I got married to an amazing woman after almost seven years of dating (we’re high school sweethearts). One particular thing that pertains to this blog is navigating an interfaith marriage, and speculating on how we’re going to handle having an interfaith family once we start having kids. I’m so grateful for having such a loving and understanding partner, who has been open and compassionate as I’ve explored different religious paths. She is very supportive and encouraging of my journey and process, and that’s more than I could have asked for.

• I don’t own a car.

Or have a license to drive. I’m actually pretty terrified of driving, so although I’ve gotten my permit on a few occasions, I’ve driven seldom and ultimately let them expire. I use public transportation to get to most places, or ask for rides from friends and family. This is pretty annoying for my grandmother, who likes to bring it up every time I see her. This year, I tell her. This year I’ll get my license. But I say that every year.

• I’m a geek.

We go all out for Disney

I watch Supernatural, Doctor Who and Sherlock. I re-read the Harry Potter series in its entirety every summer, and the 8th movie always makes me cry. I also play pokemon on my 3DS, and I’ve been playing that game since it came out for Gameboy Color– I really do gotta catch ’em all. I’m a member of many fandoms, and I’m not afraid to show it (just ask my coworkers– they’ve seen my TARDIS earrings on many occasions). I also love pretty much all things Disney thanks to my wife, who comes from a family of Disney Fanatics (although let’s be honest, I was always a Disney fan). We are currently annual passholders for Disneyland Resort because we love Disney and we don’t have kids so it’s not as expensive.

• I was raised a Christian.

I’m not longer part of the church, but growing up I was a very active churchgoer and I loved Jesus. I asked my parents to let me be baptized when I was eight, and spent a good chunk of free time reading the bible (old and new testament) and taking notes. I would pray in the mornings before I got out of bed and at night before I went to sleep, and many times during the day, just to make sure that Jesus was really getting the message. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I started to think in the back of my mind that Christianity wasn’t for me, and even then I kept that to myself. After I graduated and moved out of my small town, I really began to explore other faiths and found Paganism and everything just evolved from there. my Christian roots still influence how I approach my faith practice– I am still an avid reader and I appreciate using storytelling as a way to teach not just moral lessons but also cultural history and context, and I find prayer and worship incredibly comforting. I also find that singing is an important and fulfilling way to worship, which was something that was always part of Sunday services when I was a kid.