The View From My Desk

by Donna Solomon-Carter, LGBT HealthLink Social Media & Project Specialist

Making my way through everything new for the past two months has been my “excellent adventure.” I joined the LGBT HealthLink team in June with very little public health experience under my belt. Ok, none. I’ve been involved in the LGBT communities almost from the day I stepped out of the closet; socially, volunteer committees, grant-based programming at our local Pride Center, retail in “the hood”, and now with a very talented and experienced team doing amazing change work in tobacco cessation, cancer care and wellness for our, my, communities.

This week the rest of the HealthLink team is in Atlanta for the CDC’s OSH Kick-Off meeting. There our organization, as well as the other grantees doing the same work with other unique populations, meet to share experiences, education, successes, and more, to support each other and just meet and bond.

As the new Social Media & Project Specialist I get to hold down the fort and wait. I wait at my desk with my mobile phone in one hand and my mouse hovering over my email in the other for the next picture or email or report to come my way. This way I get to do my job (social media-y), and BE THERE with my team. More than that I am experiencing pride and honor to be associated with these people.

Scout, Juan Carlos, and Nicole bring so much experience and brilliance to this project and I just can’t soak it in fast enough. They are patient and kind, direct and instructive, cooperative and did I mention – patient?

So when I see a tweet from one of our Sibling Networks showing their workshop using our webpage in their presentation – I celebrate with the rest of the CenterLink staff by hosting a dance break in the middle of the office. I’m more than co-worker proud – I’m Mama proud!

We have done so much work. We have so much work to do. And I got chosen to be part of this awesome project and team. #LGBTWellness starts with ME.