Introducing the COLAGE Scholarship Winners

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admin
– February 22, 2011Posted in: about
In the Fall of 2010, COLAGE awarded four scholarships through the Lee Dubin Memorial Fund. The fund was named for the father of COLAGE founder Ali Nickel-Dubin and, through college scholarships, aims to honor our collective power and celebrate the unique experiences and achievements of our families. Students who are actively working to combat the intersections of racism, homophobia, and/or transphobia/ gender-based discrimination, and increase positive awareness of LGBTQ families are strongly encouraged to apply. Important Notice: COLAGE is unable to award scholarships for the 2011/2012 academic year. We hope to be able to offer our scholarship program again soon. For questions or concerns please contact mark@colage.org.
Elliot Parras, 18, New MexicoI am currently a freshman at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where I am majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications. Here at state, I am a member of the fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha. I hope to eventually move to Southern California, where I hope to become either an event planner or club promoter. I love music, especially Lady GaGa and Justin Timberlake. I also enjoy working out and playing basketball.

My family is extremely diverse and I love it. I have two wonderful moms. Thank you COLAGE for choosing me! It means so much to me and my family.
Lily Care, 18, Oregon
I was always raised in an environment that emphasized love, tolerance, and justice. I was involved in a lot of progressive movements my whole life, by picketing and being involved in politics. When I was around eleven my two mothers were finally granted the right to be legally married. Throughout the entire process I stood outside of Portland City Hall and held my picket sign that read, “I love my mom’S with all my heart.” I got yelled at, cussed at, and honked at, but it was worth it to support them. I plan to keep enlightening people while heading into my freshman year at Western Washington University. I’m going to be majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis in biology, and hopefully I can help the world change for the better.
Samantha Blau, 18, Arizona
Samantha Blau is starting her freshman year at Northern Arizona University where she plans to dual major in Elementary Education and Special Education.  Growing up with a lesbian mother has shown her that discrimination is still a prominent issue in today’s society, and she has fought for equal rights for the LGBTQ community.  She was an active member and the Treasurer of her high school Gay Straight Alliance.

Shana Turner, 30, Louisiana
Shana is a junior at Goddard College, where she is studying Creative Writing with a concentration in race, class and gender studies. She grew up in the Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston, MA with her two brothers, her gay mom, and a vibrant community of friends and extended family. She now lives in New Orleans, LA. with her girlfriend, who is the love of her life! Shana has been involved in community activism and organizing since she was very young. After her younger brother was murdered, she helped to create a grassroots organization run by and for young, working-class women in the inner-city called Reflect & Strengthen, which will soon celebrate its 10-year anniversary! She is currently working on creating and producing a play that tells the story of the fellowship between two young, queer women dealing with life’s blows while they continuously grow and become stronger from their experiences.


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