Please visit our dedicated Queer Safe-Space & community activist hub
at our beautiful BRCSJ HQ NOW open every day of the week!
hosted by delightful volunteers trained to welcome all y’all with the
respect, recognition, & LOVE we all need & deserve!
Peep all our beautiful hosts below…
Drop by our Beautiful BRCSJ Safe-Space &
share a meaningful moment with…
Terry Mcmillian * BRCSJ Intersectional Community Conduit (he/him) fearlessly navigates the intersectional & inclusive space of being Queer & Black, seeking to create a safe & meaningful environment here at BRCSJ HQ & in the greater community. Having persevered over trauma caused by the difficulties of domestic abuse, Terry’s life changed dramatically but it led to him endeavoring to explore the wholeness of his own self & finding the truth of who he is. He now uses his experience to empower others by co-facilitating our new brcsj Interpersonal Anti-Violence Initiative & Support Group. further Having experienced the challenges of feeling disconnected in corporate America, Terry has embraced the mantra that 40 is the new 20, finding new power, purpose, & even more Queer Joy in championing the belief that everyone matters & no one should ever be left behind~ not on a large or small scale, not to a leader of a movement, a worker in an office, a student in a classroom, nor any individual in any community. With a commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for all, he endeavors to carve out Safe-Spaces wherein individuals can find PRIDE in their unique & diverse identities & experiences. For Terry, it means the world to now be of service by inviting others into his extraordinary & ever-evolving journey & you can share a meaningful moment with him when he hosts our BRCSJ Safe-Space (& maybe even catch him gettin’ his groove on as seen in his viral tik tok’s)!
Frank Mahood * BRCSJ In-House Grafik Designer & Safe-Space Host (he/his) was one of the original members of the Gay Alliance of Princeton, representing the university staff in the student organization & attended the First International Gay Rights Conference in Edinburgh Scotland in 1974. He was a founding member of Gay People Princeton, serving on its executive board & as its first Vice-President. His graphic designs were used by GAP, GPP, & the New Jersey Lesbian & Gay Coalition. Frank enjoyed a very successful fifty year career as a graphic artist, typographer, & book designer at several publishers across the country before joining Princeton University Press in 1968 where many of his book designs won awards at regional & national book shows. In retirement he continues to utilize his mad skillz in design & photography for our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice~ designing logos, posters & even T-shirts, as well as serving as one of the Safe-Space volunteers. He is 40 years happily married to Chet Kabara & together they serve as fabulous queer icons for our community.
Ruxandra Barb * BRCSJ Abortion Rights Advocate (she/hers) spent the first part of her life in a violent repressive dictatorship, where women & LGBTQIA+ folx had no agency over their own lives. She personally experienced what this meant in a devastating but ultimately restorative manner which inspired her to do the good works she does now. In that respect, she persevered & then committed her energy & spirit to unlearning that systemic social toxicity & dedicated herself to internalizing the fact that, as humans, we have intrinsic value irrespective of labels & those who try to constrict us with such. Thanks to her experience, wisdom & intuition, some learned & some developed, Ruxandra, now in her third life quarter, embraces with great gusto the old crone feminine archetype, as caring mother to humans, animals & plants. She believes in the radical notion that all sentient beings deserve non-speciesist rights to life, liberty & property, & that all beings are sentient & indeed members of our Beloved BRCSJ Community!
Nick Petruncio * BRCSJ special correspondent (He, Him, His) first became involved with the center after writing a powerful magazine article about our chief activist Robt Martin Seda-Schreiber. In Nick’s journalism career, he had written thousands of newspaper & magazine articles, & this was the first time a story touched him in a way that he wanted to be part of it. He felt the love, acceptance & joy that were palpable within the center’s walls. He grew up in rural Pennsylvania, where there were few, if any, resources for gay folx. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1999 & since then has worked for various publications in New York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania. He won an award for sensitivity in reporting mental health issues. In addition to volunteering at the center, he works full time as an editor for a news website & part time as a contributing writer for “Out In Jersey” magazine. He came out in 2006 when he met his partner, Mike (who also hosts OCCASIONALLY with nick!). He moved to New Jersey in 2005 & loves living near the ocean. He also loves Broadway, traveling & dining out. He currently resides in Red Bank, NJ
Sahana Mathiarasan (she/they) graduated from Emory in 2023 where she studied Anthropology & Public Health. They are currently an EMT & an active volunteer at the Franklin Food Bank. Sahana plans to go to medical school & study Queer health.
Pam Macaulay (she/hers) Fierce & dedicated advocate for all things * pride, inclusivity, acceptance, equality, & love! Pam proudly supports the LGBTQIA+ community & champions equality & diversity in every area of her life. Whether through professional work in corporate compliance & ethics, or through a personal journey of raising 4 beautiful humans, Pam is committed to creating a safe & welcoming space at BRCSJ where everyone feels valued and respected. The door is open, please join us at BRCSJ… for a chat, a laugh, or a cry. Free mom hugs are also available. You will be welcomed with understanding, empathy & acceptance. Let’s continue to celebrate the unique identities & experiences of all!
*la familia Barb*
Isabelle (she/her) is a dedicated psychological researcher with a deep commitment to advancing mental health accessibility & equity. As a queer woman, she strives to bridge gaps in mental health education, ensuring it is available to all, regardless of background or circumstance & through this make the world a more welcoming place for everyone. She hopes to be a kind, compassionate, & empathetic presence at the center for whoever needs support.
Chris (he/him) just wants to proudly be identified as the son of our BRCSJ Abortion Rights Activist & fellow Safe-Space Host Ruxandra (see above)!
KAYLA (SHE/HER) IS A MULTIFACETED WELLNESS PROFESSIONAL PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING SAFE & INCLUSIVE SPACES FOR HEALING & GROWTH. AS THE FOUNDER OF FLOFUSION WELLNESS, KAYLA OFFERS INTEGRATIVE WELLNESS COACHING, PERSONAL TRAINING, ASSISTED STRETCHING, & MINDFULNESS PRACTICES. WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY & CULTURAL HUMILITY, THEY HAVE WORKED EXTENSIVELY IN CRISIS INTERVENTION, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, & WELLNESS EDUCATION. A PROUD MEMBER OF THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY, KAYLA BLENDS THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO EMPOWER OTHERS ON THEIR JOURNEYS TO PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, & MENTAL WELL-BEING.
JEFF SCHNEIDER * BRCSJ PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS (He/him) IS AN INSPIRATIONAL EDUCATOR BY DAY & DEDICATED ATHLETE BY WEEKEND WHOSE WORK HELPS STUDENTS NAVIGATE THEIR COLLEGE OR HIGH SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF KINDNESS IN THOUGHT & DEED IN EQUAL MEASURE. HE IS A FOUNDER & VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SEAN KEHLER FOUNDATION, AN IMPACTFUL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENCOURAGING TEEN SERVICE. JEFF COLLABORATED WITH OUR CENTER’S CHIEF ACTIVIST ROBT MARTIN’S FIRST FORAY INTO SOCIAL JUSTICE & COMMUNITY SERVICE OVER 30 YEARS AGO, THE CREATURES OF AWARENESS THEATRE CO. DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE AIDS CRISIS & FUNDRAISING FOR ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN THAT WORK AS WELL AS HIV TESTING. THE MAJORITY OF THESE DONATIONS WENT TO HYACINTH AIDS FOUNDATION, FOLX WHO WE NOW HAVE THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH HERE AS POWERFUL PARTNERS.
JEFF IS AN AVID HOCKEY PLAYER & FAN, OFTEN SPOTTED AT BAKER RINK WITH PRIDE TAPE & JERSEY TO EMPHASIZE THAT HOCKEY IS OPEN & WELCOMING FOR & TO EVERYONE AS ALL SPORTS SHOULD BE. AS A STALWART ALLY, HIS PRIMARY FOCUS HERE IS DEVELOPING ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS, PARTIES, & HAPPENINGS TO FACILITATE COMMUNITY BONDING & EXPANDING OUR REACH BOTH LOCALLY HERE AT BRCSJ HQ & THROUGHOUT THE NATION. JEFF INVITES & ENCOURAGES ALL Y’ALL TO BRING YOUR IDEAS & YOUR CONNECTIONS, BRING YOUR ORGANIZATIONS & PARTNERS, BRING YOUR FRIENDS & CHOSEN FAM, & SEE WHAT WE CAN CREATE TOGETHER.
& you can often find the whole BRCSJ team hangin’ out
(& if not drop by our office fer a quik hug!)
“The proof that one truly believes is in action”
PLEASE JOIN US AS A SAFE-SPACE HOST at BRCSJ HQ
* LOOKIN’ for fab folx *
BECOME A MEMBER OF OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY
Join us as an angelic troublemaker!