design & communications for trans & queer advocacy
About
Hello! I'm Jay (they/them), a freelance communications consultant who primarily works with LGBTQ+ advocacy nonprofits and trans- & queer-owned small businesses.
I live in Chicago and work with clients all over the United States.
I live in Chicago and work with clients all over the United States.
I've been involved in trans and queer advocacy in one form or another since co-founding my high school's GSA in 2008.
Before becoming a freelancer, I worked in-house on the communications team at the National Center for Transgender Equality (now Advocates for Trans Equality) from 2016 to 2019, eventually working up to being the Director of Communications. My team led the national response to the first Trump administration's attacks on trans communities. We created the viral #WontBeErased hashtag when a leaked Trump administration memo proposed redefining "sex" in federal law to legally erase trans people, and I ran communications for the Protect Trans Health campaign, which spurred over 20,000 community members to submit public comments to the Trump administration opposing the removal of nondiscrimination protections in the Affordable Care Act.
In 2017 and 2018, I was a volunteer leader on the Yes on 3 ballot campaign in Massachusetts, which won by a 36-point margin to uphold the state's nondiscrimination law protecting trans people. I had—and trained other volunteers to have—candid deep canvassing conversations about trans rights with Boston-area voters.
Prior to my time at NCTE, I was a political appointee in the Obama administration in 2015 and 2016, serving as a press assistant focused on the Affordable Care Act at the Department of Health and Human Services.
I have a B.A. in linguistics with minors in English literature and gender & sexuality studies from Swarthmore College, where I wrote my senior thesis on the origins and current usage of the word 'cisgender'. I grew up in Hong Kong and have also spent significant time in San Francisco, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. I currently live in Chicago with my partner and our two cats, Malt and Hildegard.
Before becoming a freelancer, I worked in-house on the communications team at the National Center for Transgender Equality (now Advocates for Trans Equality) from 2016 to 2019, eventually working up to being the Director of Communications. My team led the national response to the first Trump administration's attacks on trans communities. We created the viral #WontBeErased hashtag when a leaked Trump administration memo proposed redefining "sex" in federal law to legally erase trans people, and I ran communications for the Protect Trans Health campaign, which spurred over 20,000 community members to submit public comments to the Trump administration opposing the removal of nondiscrimination protections in the Affordable Care Act.
In 2017 and 2018, I was a volunteer leader on the Yes on 3 ballot campaign in Massachusetts, which won by a 36-point margin to uphold the state's nondiscrimination law protecting trans people. I had—and trained other volunteers to have—candid deep canvassing conversations about trans rights with Boston-area voters.
Prior to my time at NCTE, I was a political appointee in the Obama administration in 2015 and 2016, serving as a press assistant focused on the Affordable Care Act at the Department of Health and Human Services.
I have a B.A. in linguistics with minors in English literature and gender & sexuality studies from Swarthmore College, where I wrote my senior thesis on the origins and current usage of the word 'cisgender'. I grew up in Hong Kong and have also spent significant time in San Francisco, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. I currently live in Chicago with my partner and our two cats, Malt and Hildegard.
Work
I can help you amplify your work by thoughtfully designing and creating content for websites, graphics, publications, and more—all while staying conscious of the time and budget constraints that nonprofits frequently face.
Websites
I build websites—primarily in Wordpress—with custom functionalities that fit your needs while keeping the backend simple enough for staff to navigate on their own. I'm also experienced in integrating CRMs and donation platforms like EveryAction, Blackbaud Luminate, and Givebutter with your website.
Equality North Carolina
I built a set of three websites for the nation's oldest statewide organization committed to securing rights and protections for the LGBTQ+ community and its affiliates.
Garden State Equality
I built a website for New Jersey's leading LGBTQ+ advocacy and education organization, which also houses Garden State Equality's various projects and campaigns. I also assisted the organization with migrating from NationBuilder to EveryAction and continue to maintain the EveryAction CRM.
Graphic Design
Whether you need an eye-catching Instagram graphic, a 20-page report, or a new logo and style guide, I can help every step of the way.
Content Creation & Strategy
Having served as a one-person communications team for several organizations, I'm familiar with writing social media posts, membership emails and print mailers, press releases, and beyond. I'm also a keen-eyed copy editor.
Clients
