M. Eliatamby-O’Brien moved to Washington from Canada in 2017, and currently directs the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program at Central Washington University. Their professional work focuses on identifying and sharing how creative narratives and graphic art works by refugees and forced migrants, as well as by LGBTQ+ individuals, help capture overlooked experiences within these communities. They co-direct TransRural Lives, a digital storytelling project focused on the experiences of transgender older adults in rural areas and small towns throughout the Pacific Northwest. They also sit on the Board of Gallery One Visual Arts Center and are a DEI Commissioner for the City of Ellensburg.
When not catching up with work, M. can be found camping or visiting one of Washington’s beautiful lakes, enjoying their all-native garden, overcommitting to DIY projects, working on fundraisers and nonprofit events, spending time with their human and non-human animal friends and family, visiting wineries, and attempting to find new spaces for art.
Favorite Quote: “I can say this with certainty: If your life is being ground up in economic machinery and the burden of oppression is heavy on your back, you hunger for liberation, and so do those around you. Look for our brightly colored banners coming up over the hill of the past and into your present. Listen for our voices– our protest chants drawing nearer. Join us in the front ranks. We are marching towards liberation. -Leslie Feinberg
Favorite Place in the Northwest: Anywhere on or close to the Columbia River (east of The Dalles).