Meet the Point Foundation's Class of 2019

Meet the Class of 2019

Every year, the nonprofit Point Foundation announces its new crop of scholars; the impressive, aspiring LGBTQ students of today and leaders of tomorrow. Point helps pay for the education of these students, people who include every age, race, home country, gender, and gender identity of our wonderfully vibrant community.

For 2019, Point is announcing 16 Point Scholars -- out of 2,100 applicants! -- and 25 recipients of Point's Community College Scholarship Program. Many of these strivers have backgrounds in LGBTQ advocacy and social justice, while some are just brilliant artists or scientists; some have also had to support themselves because of intolerance they faced from their families or communities.

"These LGBTQ students have demonstrated the potential to be the informed and visionary leaders our society needs right now," said Jorge Valencia, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Point Foundation. "Their dedication to making the world around them a better place provides our community with the promise of a better future. Point is grateful to the incredible people and companies whose support relieves the crushing burden of financing education and presents our scholars with a new world of opportunity."

Find out more about Point's scholars -- and how to get involved with the organization -- here.

Andrew Ntim, Yale Law School

Receiving FedEx scholarship

Attending Yale Law School

Inspired by my Ghanaian heritage and experiences of institutional discrimination as a queer low-income person of color, I am committed to using my degree from Yale Law School to build movements for LGBTQIA+, economic, and racial justice through law, policy, and community organizing. At Yale, my education and membership in the "Rebellious Lawyering" collective will inform my future leadership in these movements for justice by teaching me how to bridge the gap between activism and legal practice.

Studying Law

Bianca Nunez, University of Texas, Austin

Receiving Wells Fargo scholarship

Attending University of Texas, Austin

Studying Aerospace Engineering

The aerospace industry is one of the leading industries for modern technological innovations, and one of the most awe-inspiring industries out there, and by becoming an engineer, not only do I get to live my childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, but I also get to help increase the representation of the LGBTQ+ community within STEM. Like many others out there, I want to follow my dreams, and receiving a higher education will not only let me do that, but it will also help me assist others in their own unique journeys.

Danny Egol, Yale School of Management

Attending Yale School of Management

Studying Business

My MBA education at Yale has further refined and reinforced what matters to me: fashioning a world where all identities are valued. Exposure to a business education enables me to more readily detect and address gaps in the perspectives of those who hold power in the world and speak into their listening to effect change. Purposeful exposure behind the proverbial 'curtains' of the business world illuminates where bringing empathy for and understanding of others can catalyze social transformation.

Gabby Sergi, University of California, Hastings College of Law

Attending University of California, Hastings College of Law

Studying Law

My J.D. will help children of incarcerated parents, immigrants, people of color, and LGBT+ folks - all of whom are overrepresented in our legal systems as clients, not service providers. I want to continue serving these vulnerable populations who face the greatest burden of mass incarceration and our criminal justice system, while developing crime prevention programs combating the school-to-prison pipeline.

James Lee, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine

Receiving ViiV Healthcare scholarship

Attending Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine

Studying Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Medical school has allowed me to interact with so many diverse narratives of patients, training me to see healthcare from micro- and macroscopic perspectives. As a result, I know that I have grown immensely over these last few years as an advocate, an educator, a researcher, and a psychiatrist . The journey to excellent mental healthcare for the queer is arduous, but every day actively prepares me for the road ahead.

Kai Huang, University of California, Los Angeles

Attending University of California, Los Angeles

Studying Psychobiology

By completing my BS in Psychobiology at UCLA, I am preparing myself to pursue an MD and specialize in endocrinology. Through this medical field, I will not only contribute to trans and intersex healthcare by providing hormone replacement therapy to individuals, but I will also be visible as a queer and trans person of color who works in healthcare.

Kirin Gupta, Harvard Law School

Receiving Walter M. Decker scholarship

Attending Harvard Law School

Studying International Law, Legal History

I believe that my education will help me re-rout forms of institutional privilege that have been mobilized to exclusionary purpose. I hope to be able to work with and for marginalized folks across the world who have turned to other outlets for resistance and support to leverage those privileges to build a more just and peaceful world.

Kyle Casteel, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Attending Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Studying Policy Studies & Global and International Studies

A lot of my life so far has been about seeking some semblance of balance between the work I do and my own education. Support from the Point Foundation has helped me find the scholar within myself who spurs me on to seek out the things I don't yet know so that I might become a better student, worker, and leader along the path to knowing them.

Elizabeth Elrod, Ohio University, Athens

Attending Ohio University, Athens

Studying Music Therapy

My education will provide me with the tools necessary for becoming a certified music therapist and working with marginalized communities that are often forgotten. This incredibly opportunity has stoked the flames within me to strive to be an advocate and a healer for those who suffer from ostracization because of their identity and/or their battle with substance abuse.

Nolan Golden, University of California, San Diego

Receiving Jeff Ogle & Jeff Sterns scholarship

Attending University of California, San Diego

Studying Anthropology, Gender/Queer Studies and Communications

My education is providing me the opportunity to critically analyze the constraints society places upon us all. If education is the fuel, then I must be the vessel, steaming towards positive change on a local, national, and global level.

Rachel Harwood, University of Washington

Attending University of Washington

Studying Biochemistry and Comparative Religion

Education enables me to cultivate my passions and strive towards a purpose which can lead me to fulfillment and benefit humanity.

Reeves Gift, University of Southern California

Receiving CAA scholarship

Attending University of Southern California

Studying Cinema

I want to take the tools education gives me to make change in the displacement of Black and Indigenous queer people of color. I know nothing will begin unless I use my voice, and nothing will change unless I move.

Tayler Hammond

Attending (undecided)

Studying Criminology

To become a leader, I must always remain a learner. My education will allow me to become consistently more empathetic, confident and curious--qualities that are essential to hold in order to inspire, drive change, and leave a lasting impact on the world.

Timothy Jones II, Stanford University

Receiving Calamus Foundation

Attending Stanford University

Studying Theater and Performance Studies

Studying the intricacies of race, trauma, and performance will provide me with the tools necessary to fight for those who have been shamed, silenced, overlooked, or considered less than in varying social, sexual, and political environments.

Vivienne Cho, University of North Alabama

Receiving Patti Sue Mathis scholarship

Attending University of North Alabama

Studying Music, Education Performance

By getting an education, I will gain the skills to train young musicians to follow their dreams. As a teacher, I will have opportunities to mentor and support LGBTQ youth and help them to be outspoken about discrimination and injustice.

William Campillo Terrazas, University of Texas, El Paso

Receiving Janssen Infectious Diseases scholarship

Attending University of Texas, El Paso

Studying Pharmacy

As an LGBTQ immigrant, I am most concerned about the quality of care available to and received by the communities that I am a part of. Through my education, I seek to increase the representation of LGBTQ and immigrant communities in the pharmaceutical health profession and focus on issues of education, research, and
access to treatment. I seek to use this opportunity to bring cultural competencies into the pharmaceutical profession where practices that create disproportionate burdens for the LGBTQ and immigrant community have not been adequately addressed.

Point Foundation Community College Scholars

Alan Cruz, University of Southern Nevada

Ammo Rayne, Fullerton College

Andreas Copes, Community College of Philadelphia

Ash Tebar, Bronx Community College

Christos Anastasopoulos, Borough of Manhattan Community College

Daniel Trovato, Community College of Baltimore County

Elise Oleksiak, LaGuardia Community College

Emily Greenlee, Diablo Valley College

Gabrielle Zwi, Montgomery College

GiGi Andrews, Grossmont College

Izzy Thomas, Pasadena City College

Jack Jordan, Broward Community College

Jasper Benner, Cosumnes River College

Jasz Cabrera, Grossmont College

Karin Carrillo, Seattle Central Community College

Ken Guzman, Miami Dade College

Luis Verbera, West Valley College

Madison Klementyn, Portland Community College

Mohamad Al Khen, Richland College

Olive McGuire, Pasco-Hernando State College

Rodrigo Mendez, Palm Beach State College

Sophia Jimenez, San Jacinto Community College

Stephen Davis, Malcolm X College