While many craved normalcy in the endless stretch of 2020, I found it difficult to return to a mundane 20-year career in retail. With love and support from my husband, I decided to pivot and pursue what truly brings me joy––writing.

 

Through my blog series, He Played With Dolls, I use humor to share stories of childhood resilience as I fight to maintain my true self against societal and familial pressures. Each essay features a person or angel in disguise—whether it be a family member, friend, or stranger—who showed me kindness and encouraged me to stay true to myself during the most challenging times. 

 

Reflecting on my past, I recognize these individuals and realize I was never alone. I hope that by reading this, marginalized individuals - LGBTQ+ people, people of color, women, kids in hand-me-downs who never get a seat at the lunch table - can look back or around them and recognize the "angels" who are or have supported them in their struggles.