Secondly, I was invited to help reintroduce a team member who was affirming their gender to their department. It was an absolute joy to see the collaboration from all the stakeholders and how their team welcomed them with open arms. Seeing a person’s growth and change since they affirmed has been remarkable and is the perfect story of how allowing people to be their authentic selves really does create a positive impact. My journey with Spectrum/Proud began during the marriage plebiscite, a time that placed the LGBTQI+ communities under intense scrutiny. The narrative was often harmful and derogatory, particularly from certain media and public spheres.