Meet Drew, Rainbow Railroad's Senior Program Officer, Integrated Support.
When Drew came out at 14 in 2004, he didn’t know just how much that lonely moment would shape his future. “I spent the next several years trying to find other people like me, without much success. Though I did well in school and had non-queer friends, it was a lonely time. It's probably why I have an abiding love for Midwest emo music,” he says with a laugh.
That longing for community pushed him into LGBTQI+ activism early. At Brown University, he dove headfirst into organizing: leading the campus LGBTQI+ umbrella group, studying Sociology and Gender & Sexuality Studies, and planning a national conference for more than 400 LGBTQI+ students. “When I toured as a high school student, I saw the rainbow flag flapping outside the campus center. It cemented my desire to go there,” Drew recalls.
His commitment to community building has taken him from Nebraska, where he founded and led the Queer Nebraska Youth Network, to Spain, where he studied Spanish and interned with LGBTQI+ nonprofits, to Harvard, where he completed a joint degree in law and public policy focused on racial justice, immigrants’ rights, and LGBTQI+ liberation.
“I dyed my hair blue, got a nose piercing, and moved to Spain for the better part of a year,” Drew says, smiling. “Por eso lo hablo con bastante fluidez.”
Finding His Place at Rainbow Railroad
After years of working as an immigration attorney for LGBTQI+ asylum seekers, Drew already knew Rainbow Railroad by reputation. “In my previous role, I had come across a number of articles and reports by Rainbow Railroad that I used in country conditions reports for my clients. I've been a longtime fan of the organization ever since, as someone who's seen over and over again through my former clients how transformative escaping a hostile environment can be.”
So when a Chicago-based position opened, it felt like fate. “As someone who speaks Spanish (and is learning Arabic!), understands the (very broken) immigration system in the U.S., and loves working directly with clients and volunteers, I feel right at home in my role and in this organization.”
Today, Drew is Rainbow Railroad’s Senior Program Officer, Integrated Support. His work centers on building bridges between LGBTQI+ newcomers and volunteers: overseeing microgrants, forming Community Support Teams, connecting with local organizations, and speaking at panels about forced displacement.
“My favorite part of my role is that I get to transmute all of the anger, frustration, and dissatisfaction with the status quo that people have into action,” Drew says. “At Rainbow Railroad, we get to take action and mobilize our networks to fight back against the isolation and hopelessness that the current U.S. administration wants us to feel.”
Moments That Matter
The work can be overwhelming. “We've done some back-of-the-napkin math to estimate that there are somewhere around 11 million forcibly displaced LGBTQI+ people in the world today,” Drew notes. “And even though we're getting 12k to 15k requests for help a year just at Rainbow Railroad, that's still just the tip of the iceberg.”
But the moments of connection keep him grounded. “Usually, it's when volunteers or newcomers send me photos of their adventures in the U.S. So many people are experiencing their first Pride celebration, or holding hands with the person they love in broad daylight for the first time ever. To witness someone finally experience safety and security after years of fear, shame, and hiding — there's no price you can put on that.”
Drew also carries a deep perspective on privilege: “For LGBTQI+ people who don't have a history of forced displacement, I just always like to point out that there's only one reason we don't: luck. If we had been born in one of the 60+ countries where queer and trans identity is punishable by law (up to and including the death penalty), we'd be the ones reaching out for help.”
Balance, Joy, and Inspiration
For all his dedication, Drew makes sure to cultivate joy and balance. He’s a competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! duelist (“I travel to tournaments a few times a year”), a newly minted morning CrossFitter (“I used to be such a night owl — my friends couldn’t believe it”), and a connoisseur of Instagram frog memes. “Peach Vibe Celsius and my well-curated algorithms keep me going on the hard days,” he jokes.
But when the work gets heavy, inspiration is never far. “Anyone who has lived through forced displacement,” he says firmly, “but especially people like my colleagues Latoya and Kendra, who have also chosen to dedicate their lives to helping other people make it through that door as well. They bring such a richness of experience, a depth of empathy, and a clarity of purpose to this work that all of us benefit from on a daily basis.”
A Message to Supporters
“Supporters should know that the life-altering work of supporting LGBTQI+ folks who have fled persecution costs money, and we very literally could not do our work without their support,” Drew emphasizes. “The assistance we're able to offer clients through the generous donations of our supporters has an impact that goes far beyond numbers; how do you measure giving someone hope back?”
To policymakers, he shares: "The time for empty rhetoric has long since passed. To former allies who found it politically convenient to drop support for immigrants or for transgender people: we see you, and we will not forget."
And to community leaders, he adds: “All oppression is connected, solidarity is the answer, and they can never hate us as much as we will love one another.”
Every day, Drew and his colleagues transform solidarity into action — but they can’t do it alone. You can help LGBTQI+ newcomers find safety, community, and hope. Donate today or sign up to volunteer to support Rainbow Railroad’s mission.