Interview with Kara

Monika: Today I am going to host Kara, a young comedian, transgender activist, and social media influencer from Los Angeles, California. You can find her on Instagram @karageous. Hello Kara!

Kara: Hello, Monika! Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity. I look forward to sharing with you my journey. 

Monika: Could you say a few words about yourself?

Kara: Gladly! I am a queer, trans, Taiwanese-American activist. I graduated from UCLA in 2016 and am originally from Sugar Land, Texas. When I'm not doing comedy or motivational speaking, I work full-time serving homeless LGBTQ youth.

Monika: What inspired you to share your intimate life moments via social media?

Kara: I endeavor to be the hero I didn't have growing up. As a queer kid living in Texas, I never felt seen. There was a stark lack of visibility, and no one was telling my story. Social media gave me a platform to amplify my voice. There are so many misconceptions about the trans community - a fear that stems from a lack of education or exposure.

Interview with Michelle Enfield

Monika: Today it is my pleasure and honor to interview Michelle Enfield, a Navajo transgender activist and advocate, HIV counselor, and the winner of the 2012 Alexis Rivera Trailblazer Award. Originally from Lukachukai, Arizona, she lives in Los Angeles, California. She has first-hand experience working with homeless youth, and specifically with the Native American population providing HIV education and support. Michelle is a member of the Transgender Service Provider Network (TSPN) and co-chair of the Underrepresented Cultural Communities with the LA Department of Mental Health. Hello Michelle!

Michelle: Hello Monika. Thank you for your time and effort to connect with the many transgender advocates and activists throughout the world.

Monika: Could you say a few words about your career so far?

Michelle: I’ve been in the HIV field, professionally, for over five years, although I’ve been involved in HIV for many more. I was introduced to HIV/AIDS via a story in Reader’s Digest when I was a freshman in high school. At the time, I had a boyfriend whom I was intimate with. After the first time, we had sexual relations, I read the article and got scared of sex. I learned some information on HIV/AIDS through magazines but they didn’t make me an expert, by any means.

Later on, after high school, while still living on the Navajo Reservation, there were a couple of people I knew, close to me, that died from complications of AIDS—but it wasn’t talked about. My friends and I were told by our departed friends’ family that they died of walking pneumonia. Of, course, there was more to those stories, but no one insisted on getting more than the half-truth that was told.