The 2021-2022 school year is about to begin and we wanted to kick it off by introducing you to our scholars! This year, we had such a hard time choosing between a ton of incredible applicants. Ultimately, the five we went with are doing spectacular things in their communities and making life better for their LGBTQ+ peers.
First up, meet Emmaline Mitchell, who is attending Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Read her essays below:
As an LGBTQ+ Student and Activist in the state of Iowa, a Spirit of Drew Scholarship would help me not only continue my work within my local high schools of creating and funding GSA but it will help me go to college and further my education so I can better myself so I can better improve these areas. A Spirit of Drew Scholarship will also help me expand my work with the work that I have been doing with the Iowa Safe Schools organization to help me create over 3 Gender and Sexuality Alliances within Rural Areas in Iowa and has helped me advocate for change for students within schools in Iowa. My work within Iowa has included working with Iowa Legislators to talk about LGBT+ Student rights within schools and the healthcare settings and why these rights matter to the student that I work for. I believe that a Spirit of Drew Scholarship will help me not only expand my knowledge but will help me better help the kids that I have had the privilege of working for and advocating for the past year of my life through my work with LGBT+ Organization like GSLEN, Iowa Safe School and the resources that I have been given through The Dru Project to better set these kids up for success.
Being an LGBT+ student from the midwest I have found that being a leader of those who are intersectional and those who are "different" isn't well received within these areas. I have had days where I have had to walk to my car with the captain of my school’s football team because I was fearful that I was going to get attacked in my school parking lot at the beginning of my coming out process. Though I have found with the more leadership roles that I have taken on within my community and put myself out into my community through own my own business, begin the school photographer and become president of the 4H clubs and Vice President of Iowa Safe Schools my community has started to ask questions about what I do through my work with Iowa Safe Schools and how my process of creating GSA within our local school building is going. I have found that the harder that I fight for my spot for the leadership roles in my community and school the more my community and classmates start respecting me and the kids that have come out after me. I have tried to set a positive example of what it is to be an LGBT+ person within our community so the students that have come after me don’t have to fight as hard for their spots for leadership within our school and community just because of their identity.
Emmaline's motivation to address LGBTQ rights started in middle school when she came out. She chose to combat the bullies through empathy, and led creation of a Gay-Straight Alliance at East Union High School and she has been a member of the Iowa Safe Schools Student Leadership Council for the past year, and was the student speaker at that organization’s Governors Conference event. Emmaline will be Studying Journalism at Kirkwood College this fall.