I’m Nicholas. My pronouns are he/him. I’ve been out for a really long time, but I’m an introvert.  For most of my life, I didn’t have much connection to the LGBTQ community, but lately I’ve been writing a lot about other people’s experiences during this very tense time. All of the anti-LGBTQ backlash and legislation has really made me feel like I have to share people’s stories. I never thought anyone like Our Lives magazine would ask me to share mine! Especially since I don’t have one that’s as interesting as what we read in this publication all the time.

I remember being at the Magic Festival years ago and seeing a big poster with the faces of all kinds of LGBTQ people of color on it. It was people who Our Lives had featured. I was on it, and I remember thinking it was so surreal to see myself with all of these other people who sort of stood for something. Being a person of color in this community (LGBTQ) is not easy. It made me think about coming out of my shell a little bit. But then I didn’t. The pandemic took everything from me except my life. I saw someone I love walk out the door, and all of the things I love doing were gone. So right now, I’m sort of developing a second act, and we’ll see how it goes!