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  Interview with Angelique Guerrero

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Angelique Guerrero is a 31 year old Watsonville local, and was born on July 5th in Santa Cruz. She currently works as a vehicle purchasing agent for Pick N Pull Auto Dismantler. All throughout her life she was always an active tomboy, spending her birthdays camping or at the park. She loves playing basketball, and was even in the Watsonville Pajaronian Newspaper multiple times for her athletic accomplishments during high school. She also spent a lot of time in her younger years taking care of her mother, who was unfortunately terminally ill. Her mother, along with the rest of her family, is full of love, through which she received a lot of positive support from them when she decided to come out when she was in high school. Angelique met the love of her life, Rebeca, when Rebeca decided to slide into her DMs’ one day. The two have been inseparable ever since, going on five years now. Angelique is a strong willed and confident individual, who encourages others to love themselves and embrace who they truly are.

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  Interview with Emma Booton

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Emma Booton is a fifty eight year old motorcycle builder and designer. She was born in Birmingham, UK. She has always lived a life of fun and adventure from punk rock concerts to motorcycle journeys. She grew up in the UK to a traditional English, 1960s family with her brothers, her loving and hardworking mother, and a very traditional father whom she lost at a young age. She loves to travel and even explored most, if not all, of the continental United States. When she moved to the United States, she settled in California and found her forever home. Now she lives with her partner Kathy in Marina, living a truly happy and adventurous life, which is what she always wanted when she was struggling to figure out her true self.

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  Interview with Gail Evans

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Gail G. Evans is a former educator. She was the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies for San Jose State University and Dean of Undergraduate Studies at San Francisco State University. She has a BS in Women’s Physical Education from San Jose State, an MS in Women’s Physical Education/Motor Learning/Development and a Ph.D. in Women’s Physical Education Biomechanics from Washington State University.

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  Interview with Gaylord "Smitty" Smith

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Smitty is an 81 year old retired teacher. No matter where he traveled or what job opportunity he sought, Smitty remained dedicated to the pursuit of academia almost all his life. As a young boy he was born and raised in Louisiana. Though, Smitty truly feels that he grew up in New Mexico, where he lived as an adolescent up until he left for university. Smitty traveled to many destinations in his lifetime and has had the opportunity to be involved in education, whether teacher or learning at prestigious schools and universities. He taught at a number of schools, such as the University of Puerto Rico and the private Menlo School; traveling the world while exploring multiple languages and cultures. He is a humble, witty yet casual character who is a delight to share a story or two with.

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  Interview with Kylee Hawthorne

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Kylee Hawthorne is a 7th grade humanities teacher at Bay View Academy in Monterey, CA. She is 28 years of age and grew up in Orange County, CA. Aside from her role as a teacher, she is also a Monterey Peninsula Pride Board member as Education and Outreach Committee Chair. As a member of the committee, her role consists of organizing various community building events. As a teacher, not only is she teaching humanities, but is also the facilitator of the GSA club at her school. She proudly moved to Monterey Bay in July 2018 because of the teaching job and loved the area in general.

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  Interview with Paul Richmond

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Paul Richmond was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1980. Paul moved to Monterey in August 2016 because his husband was hired as a nurse practitioner. Art is his biggest passion and he has used it as a way to find and express his identity. Paul is an LGBTQ activist and co-founder of anti-bullying You Will Rise Project, empowering victims of bullying to create and share artwork about their experiences. Paul is very interested in how to utilize art and various community projects to raise awareness about diversity, marriage equality, trans rights, and other important causes.

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  Interview with Randy Buffon

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Randy Buffon is a man in his late fifties who is married to a woman, and is also attracted to men. He and his wife have been married for over thirty years and share three children. Randy only recently came out to his wife as being attracted to the same sex in 2016. Randy was born in 1962 in Santa Cruz, California, and has moved to several different states throughout his life. He attended and received his undergraduate degree from San Jose State University. Randy and his wife currently live in Monterey County where he works in boat retail as the VP of Planning Replenishment and Merchandise Operations. Since coming out to his wife, she and Randy have become increasingly involved in the LGBT community. In our interview, Randy often discussed his path to self-acceptance.

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  Interview with Rebeca Ortiz Guerrero

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Rebeca Ortiz was born in Watsonville on January 07, 1992. She is currently working for the county in Salinas. She really enjoys her job and the people that she works with and has been working there for years. Rebeca loves to travel and one of her favorite places to go to every year is Disneyland. In her free time, she paints as it helps her to stay busy during her free time. She has been involved with the LGBTQ community and enjoys volunteering with her wife at various different events.

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  Interview with Robert Munoz

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Robert Munoz was born in 1954, in El Campo, Texas. He moved to California when he was 8, moved to Fresno in 1963, and then finally to Salinas in 1989. Robert moved to Salinas to work at a company for 31 years. His dad passed away 7 years ago. He has 2 younger brothers, the youngest is also gay. He has been married for 12 years, being married in May of 2009. He has been involved in Johns XXIII AIDS Ministry. San Francisco is one of the most important places for him. He loved attending Pride parade and also participated in the AIDS walk.

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  Interview with Victor Santana

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Victor Santana is an 18-year-old, first-generation student at Hartnell. The hardest battle yet has been to be open with family about sexuality. The family still has a hard time accepting Victor for who he really is. Having both parents come from a traditional Mexican family, they have implemented the foundation of raising a child the same way they were raised, with stereotypical gender roles. Victor's father had hoped since Victor was born to be able to raise his only son in a near image of himself. The reality is that his father was raised with strict ideas about gender. The hardest moment in Victor’s life is having the courage to come out to the family and share that he doesn’t fit the social norms that they expected of him.

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  Interview with Matt Friday

  California State University, Monterey Bay

  Matt Friday was the founding co-chair of Monterey County Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Task Force; Co-director of Monterey’s first Gay Pride event in 1992 (and co-organizer in several since); Board member of Monterey County American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); Founder, Hate Crimes Emergency Response Team (HCERT); Commissioner, Monterey County Equal Opportunity Advisory Commission; and Co-founder of the Monterey Boy Scouts of America Task Force. Matt has been deeply involved in bringing together and creating LGBTQ+ community in the Monterey Peninsula. Matt’s greatest wish is that everyone take a stand, lend a hand, and be kind to one another.