A native of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Vincent Windrow is the beneficiary of a caring and supportive community. Countless people have contributed to his success. In a sense, his success is their success. Having been helped is what inspires him to help people in both local and international communities.

Formerly, Dr. Windrow was a student activist and helped lead the removal of a white supremacy monument from a MTSU building. Years later, he’s a community activist speaking out on a variety of issues on behalf of the marginalized and minoritized. He’s helped establish a 5k to address health and food scarcity concerns, started a free summer academic enrichment camp for neighborhood youth, created a literacy march to encourage reading, and strengthened on-going relationships with several non-profits.

While serving as the director of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs at MTSU, he implemented Safe Zone training, created the “Say it Loud: I’m Black, I’m Proud and I’m Gay” poster series, presented a conference workshop on LGBTQI student retention, and encouraged a student to write about what it was like to be bisexual at MTSU as part of his “____ like me” series in the school’s student newspaper. He also brought the You Shall Live play to campus, which provided perspective on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Black communities.

Recently, he has used his platform to encourage people to get vaccinated, become engaged in the Juvenile Justice Center miscarriage of justice, and fight for all of America’s history to be taught in school.

Dr. Windrow has been married to his wife Stacy for 26 years and has helped raise two wonderful kids – Lorenzo and Jewell.

Dr. Shane A. McCoy (they/them/their; moderator)

Dr. Shane A. McCoy is General Education English Program Coordinator and Lecturer in the Department of English at Middle Tennessee State University where they teach undergraduate courses that focus on first-year composition (ENGL 1010/2020), African American Literature (ENGL 2020), Gay and Lesbian Literature (ENGL 2020), and Queer Theory (WGST 3030). Dr. McCoy’s research interests include instructional scaffolding and curriculum design, feminist affect studies, Africana women’s literature, cognitive literary studies, the sociology of education, and social and emotional learning. Their work has appeared in Radical Teacher, The CEA Critic, The Journal of the African Literature Association, and Writing from Below.

Lily Crawford (she/her/hers)

Lily Crawford is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. Since the Fall of 2018, she has lived in Murfreesboro and is currently studying Industrial/Organizational Psychology at MTSU. Her future plans include using her degree and all the opportunities she has had at MTSU to delve into queer literature to help make the workplace a better environment for everybody.

Nova Dieter (they/them/their)

Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nova Dieter (they/them) has lived in Murfreesboro for the past four years. Nova will be graduating in May with a Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising. Nova explains that they have always found pleasure in empowering others to feel their most confident which has pushed Nova towards a career in retail management to help others express themselves.

Lama Rod Owens (he/him/his)

Lama Rod Owens is a Buddhist minister, author, activist, yoga instructor and authorized Lama in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He is one of the leading voices in a new generation of Buddhist teachers and teaches regularly online and around the world. Lama Rod holds. Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School and is a co-author of Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation and author of the recently published book Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation through Anger.

Evan Rogers (he/him/his)

Evan Rogers is a first-year Graduate student at MTSU currently studying for a Master's in sociology, while also upholding a GTA position. He obtained his Bachelor's in psychology and criminal justice in 2020. He hopes to teach at the university level in the years to come, preferably classes related to LGBTQ+ and Women's studies.

Amie Whittemore (she/her/hers)

Amie Whittemore is the author of the poetry collections Glass Harvest (Autumn House Press), Star-tent: A Triptych (Tolsun Books, 2023), and Nest of Matches (Autumn House, 2024). She was the 2020-2021 Poet Laureate of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow. Her poems have won multiple awards, including a Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Prize, and her poems and prose have appeared in The Gettysburg Review, Nashville Review, Smartish Pace, Pleiades, and elsewhere. She is the Reviews Editor for Southern Indiana Review and teaches English at Middle Tennessee State University.

“Our history was disappearing as quickly as we were making it.” With that realization, Deborah Edel and Joan Nestle co-founded the Lesbian Herstory Archives, the world’s largest collection of materials by and about lesbians. For more than 40 years, through many of the major milestones in LGBTQ+ history, the all-volunteer organization has literally rescued history from the trash. Now the co-founders are in their mid-70s, and the group faces a number of challenges: A transfer of leadership. The rise of digital technology. A renewed call to activism in a politically charged moment. “The Archivettes” is a documentary film that explores how this group came together to combat lesbian invisibility and create “a place that says yes.” (from https://www.thearchivettes.com/about). Learn more about the film on The Archivettes' page and visit the Lesbian Herstory Archives.

Allie Sultan (she/her/hers; moderator)

Allie Sultan is an award-winning independent filmmaker whose work spans narrative, documentary and experimental modes. A graduate of the MFA-Cinema program at San Francisco State University, she has worked as a picture and sound editor with some of the San Francisco Bay area’s finest film companies and organizations – including American Zoetrope, ZAP Zoetrope-Aubry Productions, Berkeley Sound Artists, the Bay Area Video Coalition, and Tippett Studio. Her latest film project, Incognita’s Infamous Adventures, won Best Web Series at the 2021 Orlando Film Festival. She is currently in post-production on a feature documentary about LGBTQ Christians.

Allie is an Associate Professor of Video and Film Production at Middle Tennessee State University, where she teaches film and video production to the next generation of independent filmmakers.

Megan Rossman (she/her/hers; filmmaker)

Megan Rossman is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and assistant professor and chair of communication at Purchase College.

Rossman’s feature-length debut, The Archivettes, premiered at Outfest in 2019 and has screened as an official selection at over 50 film festivals. The Hollywood Reporter called the documentary a “warm tribute to second-wave feminism.” The Queer Review called it “a gift to the future.” The Archivettes, which explores the founding and development of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, has won jury prizes at Stamped Film Festival and the Fargo-Morehead LGBT Film Festival, and audience awards from Reeling Film Festival, Centro Niemeyer LGBTI Festival de Cine and Ocktober Film Fest.

Rossman’s additional films have screened at festivals including DOC NYC and NewFest. Her film Love Letter Rescue Squad won best student documentary in the Emerging Filmmakers Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival American Pavilion in 2017.

Rossman has also worked as a multimedia journalist at The Washington Post and as the director of video at Teach For America. In 2011, she won an Emmy for her video “Unfinished Business: Earth Day, 40 Years Later.” In 2009, Rossman collaborated on “A Mother’s Risk,” which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting.

Krü Maekdo (she/her/hers)

Krü Maekdo (make-do) is a multi-media artist known for her work as an archivist with the Black Lesbian Archives, an ongoing archival herstory project to uplift the voices of Black Lesbians and to educate, preserve and bridge inter-generational gaps between communities. Krü Maekdo is CEO of Maekdo productions, a multi-media production company producing media and event programming serving women’s arts, community and culture in the LGBTQ+ community.

Dr. Amy Beth (she/her/hers)

Dr. Amy Beth is a NY librarian/administrator in higher ed, who also holds advanced degrees in environmental psychology. Narratives of the relationship of people to libraries as spaces and places of meaning over the life course, along with cemeteries as green places for the living, informs her research interests. She has been a volunteer/coordinator/community based archivist with LHA since 1987. Both Jewish and Quaker influence inform her social activism. She is currently engaged in Afghan refugee resettlement efforts. Amy is happiest bicycling, swimming, hiking, eating ice cream, loving up dogs bigger than purses, and singing super loud with music blasting, car windows rolled down, and her adult daughter and nieces on board.

Sarah Calise (she/they)

Sarah Calise is a public historian and archivist dedicated to connecting people with their past and preserving important records through digital, written, and verbal storytelling. She currently cares for political and regional collections at MTSU's Albert Gore Research Center. In 2021, she founded the organization and digital portal called Nashville Queer History, whose mission is to research and share the LGBTQ+ history of Middle Tennessee in hopes of inspiring local activism, education, and inclusion. Her forthcoming book with Vanderbilt University Press, Y'all Come Out Now Y'Hear, will explore stories from Nashville's queer past from the 1920s to the modern day.

Melissa Cyperski, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

Melissa Cyperski, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Cyperski provides mental health services to children, adolescents, and families in an outpatient care setting. In particular, Dr. Cyperski specializes in providing affirmative care to gender diverse youth through psychotherapy and consultation in the interdisciplinary gender clinic at Vanderbilt. She works as an educator and supervisor, training students and community partners in trauma-informed, affirmative mental health practices. Additionally, Dr. Cyperski has published and presented about gender affirming care at the local, state, and national level such as at the U.S. Professional Association for Transgender Health.

Shawn Reilly (they/them/their)

Shawn Reilly, M.Ed. graduated in 2019 with an M.Ed. in Learning and Design from Peabody College, and is a current M.Div. candidate studying prison and carceral studies at the Vanderbilt Divinity School. As an undergraduate, Reilly was instrumental in a successful campaign to gain gender inclusive restrooms, housing, and insurance to support transgender and gender expansive students on campus. They formerly served as the Vanderbilt Office of LGBTQI Life's first student spring break program coordinator, and for two years as a senior mentor with the Oasis Center's Just Us program for LGBTQI youth. Currently, Reilly is the program coordinator for the Trans Buddy program at the Program for LGBTQ Health at Vanderbilt. In this position, Reilly works to train and coordinate peer advocates for transgender patients throughout the hospital. In this role, Reilly also builds and facilitates trainings concerning LGBTQI health, especially in relation to LGBTQI youth, trauma-informed care, legislative advocacy, and K-12 education.

Dr. Patrick McCarthy (he/him/his; moderator)

Dr. Patrick McCarthy, J.D., received his Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from George Mason University and his J.D. from the Nashville School of Law. He is a licensed attorney and a member of the American Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Law Division. Dr. McCarthy is a co-founding Senior Consultant of MTSU’s Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness (COHRE), and has worked with over 80 clients ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to community nonprofits. Dr. McCarthy is also a past recipient of the LGBT Plus College Conference’s Ally in Diversity Award, and MTSU’s LGBT+ Faculty Advocate of the Year Award.

Terry Vo (she/her/hers)

Terry Vo is part of the External Affairs team at Comcast Cable Corporation and manages government affairs, community investments, and partnerships in the Tennessee and Virginia region. She has opened eight computer labs in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, Conexion Americas, Hispanic Family Foundation, Urban League of Middle Tennessee, and Legacy Mission Village and connected over 300,000 Tennesseans to the Internet Essentials Program. She moved to Nashville in 2009 to work at the Consulate-General of Japan and has held leadership roles in a local political campaign and consulting firm.

Terry is very active in the community and serves as the Board President of API Middle Tennessee, Board President of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition as well as President of the Chestnut Hill Neighborhood Association.

She was recently named a Women of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal. She was also named one of Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30, Nashville Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40, recipient of the Japan American Society of Tennessee Sakura Award for Outstanding Leadership, and recipient of the Rising Star Award by the Arkansas Alumni Association. She is a former tnAchieves Mentor and proud alumna of Leadership Middle Tennessee and MyCity Academy. She is the co-founder of the Beautiful Bookworms Book Club, avid domestic and international traveler, and enjoys checking out the local food scene.

Lauren Bland (she/her/hers)

Lauren Bland is a Nashville transplant, born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. She attended the University of Louisville, where she was active on the executive board of the student LGBT organization and the local rugby club. Before coming to Nashville, she worked at a Catholic elementary school in Lexington where she taught preschool and worked with the administration on fundraising, development, and event planning. Lauren accepted the Membership Manager position with the Nashville LGBT Chamber in January 2019. In her time with the Chamber, she has worked to grow certified LGBT-owned businesses, maintain memberships, build relationships with the community, and orchestrate monthly and annual events. She is active with her Neighborhood Association and volunteers at a local dog shelter. She resides in Old Hickory with her wife Danielle and their two rescue dogs, Dylan & Maisy, and their rescue cat Nancy.

Dr. Brian Issac Marshall (he/him/his)

Dr. Brian Issac Marshall, also known as Doctor BIM, is a behavioral and social health researcher and educator. He has almost a decade of experience in HIV program management and development, community health education program implementation, and working with public and private healthcare entities. He is the founder of MashUp! Nashville, a non-profit working to increase the visibility of health inequities and social injustices that impact the well-being of black LGBTQ people. Dr. Marshall has an ongoing relationship with the Nashville Metro Human Relations Commission as a facilitator for the Metro Nashville Police Department Mobile Diversity Seminar. He was appointed by former Nashville Mayor David Briley to the Nashville Regional HIV Planning Council where he serves as Chair of the Needs Assessment Committee. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for Neighborhood Health and Nashville Pride.

In his current role as Senior Program Manager within the Office of Health Equity at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Marshall leads the development of education and training offerings focused on health equity and racial equality for learners, staff, faculty, and others.

He received the 2019 Nashville LGBT Chamber Community Service Excellence in Business Award and was honored with the 2022 Human Rights Campaign (Nashville) Equality Award.

Dr. Marshall earned a Bachelor of Arts in mass media from Clark Atlanta University and Master of Arts in Civic Leadership at Lipscomb University. He earned a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Tara Thomas (she/her/hers)

Tara Thomas is senior manager of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Nissan North America. She was promoted to this position in January 2022. In this role, Thomas is responsible for leading efforts to develop a culture where all employees can be productive, respected and feel safe in their work environments. She leads a team that drives Nissan's diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, while developing partnerships and plans to share the company's DEI commitment with employees, customers and the community.

Thomas began her career with Nissan in 2006 and has since served in various leadership roles. Most recently, she was manager of business intelligence, leading an insourcing effort for data solutions and data governance in aftersales. Prior to that, Thomas served in multiple managerial roles, leading activities in project management and pricing. She was also the lead for DEI strategies for the aftersales division. Prior to Nissan, Thomas spent 12 years as an operations and project manager with General Motors.

A certified pricing professional and project manager, Thomas holds a bachelor of business administration in management information systems from the University of Memphis’ Fogelman College of Business and a master's in business administration from Tennessee State University. She is a native Tennessean, married with two middle school children.

Joel G. Cooper joined Deloitte in 1993 and is a senior manager on the Deloitte data center management team. His duties concentrate on data center asset and finance management where he uses his experience as a technology operations manager with his love of numbers to help manage items related daily financial operations. Joel is very active in the community. He supports Deloitte’s collaboration with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, PENCIL, Junior Achievement, tnAchieves and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville, where he serves on the Advisory Board. Joel also facilitates various development and leadership courses for Deloitte including Business Chemistry.

Dr. William Langston is a psychology professor at Middle Tennessee State University. Dr. Langston’s research explores the psychology of belief. As part of his research program, Dr. Langston is a ghost investigator and has visited some of the most haunted places in the world. Dr. Langston is also the advisor to MT Lambda (MTSU’s all-inclusive LGBT+ student organization) and served on the Provost’s Access and Diversity Advisory Board.

Kayla works to help organize and conduct direct outreach and to advocate for the rights of women, especially transgender women. Kayla’s most recent work is with the #tinyhouseprojectMSH with the goal of developing tiny homes for Black and Brown Trans Women. With the assistance of Jasmine Wright and DKGR Architects, they launched the pilot for the project in 2021. Project details can be found on the MSH website, www.mshmemphis.org. 

Adam Peavy is a Junior at Middle Tennessee State University studying Video and Film Production. He is a transgender male who has released music under his nickname “Turtle” that shares his life experiences including his gender identity journey. He is also the current president of MTSU’s LGBTQ+ and Ally Organization, MT Lambda.

Kathy Halbrooks has been involved as an ally and advocate for almost twenty years. As a straight, cisgender person with no children, she became active as an ally because a bill that would protect employees of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County was introduced to the city council in 2002. As a Metro employee, she was in favor of this bill, but her first step into committed activism came when protestors from Westboro Baptist Church came to Nashville to protest the bill. For the first time, she did something besides being supportive in her heart and mind. She stepped onto the courthouse steps and stood in support of the bill. (It failed, but a bill passed in 2009 that includes protection for both sexual orientation and gender identity for city employees.) Once Kathy started to learn about LGBTQ+ issues, her passion grew. She went from not even knowing anyone LGBTQ+ to having numerous cherished friends who belong to the community. Kathy is Co-Chair of PFLAG Nashville and is South Atlantic Regional Director for PFLAG. She volunteers with the Tennessee Equality Project and works whenever possible to do her part to ensure that someday everyone, regardless of whom they are or whom they love, is treated equally with respect and affirmation. She is immensely grateful to the people she's met along her journey who have taught her about the privileges she was lucky enough to be born with and how to use those privileges to help others.