Alejandro Rodriguez, 19, moved to Chicago from Puerto Rico after receiving a scholarship to DePaul University. He is currently a junior studying sociology and was one of the founding members of SPECTRUM, the student-run LGBTQA group, which does diversity workshops to fight homophobia, racism and sexism. In addition to his work with SPECTRUM, Alejandro is the treasurer of the Alliance for Latino Empowerment, the largest student-run organization for Latino students at DePaul. He is also currently on a committee which is writing a proposal to get a LGBTQA Resource Center within the Cultural Center at DePaul. Alejandro was a volunteer for Howard Brown and the Children’s Place Association until beginning current research for MOSAIC, a behavioral study through the psychology department at DePaul which examines identity issues among gay, bisexual and questioning men.
Growing up, Alejandro did not have any role models in the GLBT community and he thinks that one of the most important issues impacting the community is a lack of role models—as well as awareness of people of color.