Denial and productivity can go hand in hand

All of the work from my three weeks is starting to come together. One of my supervisors, Michelle, has me writing sections of the report, which is going to be finished on Tuesday. I started with the section on income, and how the people in the survey and in the Welfare Warriors support themselves. My first reaction to the assignment was panic - how on earth could I write such a crucial piece? But then, I realized that I had done the coding for the income data, and transcribed about twenty hours of people talking about income, and looked up federal poverty guidelines, and read through reports on LGBT income as compared to non-LGBT people. I actually knew a good deal about how low-income LGBTGNC people supported themselves, and definitely enough to write five or so paragraphs. Rejuvenated by that knowledge, and a coffee break with some staffers, I worked until the executive director awkwardly insinuated that I should get out so he could lock up and go to his board meeting.

I'm ignoring the fact that this trip is over in four days, and I still have to do all of those things you're supposed to do when you go to New York City, like buy your family presents, and see a Broadway show (which I get to do tomorrow!), and walk through Times Square. On the upside, though, my body is tired from switching living spaces every week/weekend, and I'm excited to relax in Ann Arbor for a couple of days. And then, Oberlin, which seems so familiar and unfamiliar and promising and scary all at the same time. I talked with a friend for awhile a couple days ago about starting up/continuing existing activism on campus surrounding trans issues, and prison issues. It's comforting to know that even though I won't wake up and work from 10-6 on the front lines of the community organizing world, I can still be involved. I'll be home Saturday, but QEJ is going to let me copyedit and revise the report on Sunday. It's not like I'm really leaving then, right?