This #PrideMonth, we’d like to introduce you to 1199er Claudia Martinez, who works at Whitman-Walker Health, an LGBTQ+ community health center in DC.

“I identify as a trans woman, and my pronouns are she/her/hers,” Claudia told us. She shared that she would like to see “more education about pronouns because it means a lot to people and could help end a lot of the discrimination. When I’m not treated well or called by my pronouns, it really hurts me, so it would be a good thing if people could get more education about pronouns and how people identify.”

Now that she works in an environment that respects her identity, “It feels great because back in the day where I used to work, it had a real mental impact for me because they didn’t understand my pronouns and would constantly be misgendering me. People feel safe in an environment where they feel respect. They feel welcome.”

Thank you, Claudia, for sharing your story and for the reminder to create respectful and welcoming environments wherever we work and live.