Name:  Mack or Kenz

Gender/Sexuality: genderqueer lesbian 

Pronouns: she/they – I’m my mother and father’s only daughter, so I keep she, to allow them grace. 

Current home: West Virginia

Cultural identity & From: I’m a born and raised Appalachian. Originally from Southern WV (Raleigh County). It’s something about being able to call these mountains home and live freely. That gives it such a special feeling. 

I hail from a larger city in Southern WV, where I learned a lot of the skills I have today. I grew up with my great grandfather, my grandmother (his daughter, my mom’s mom), and my mother all under one roof. My Aunt (my great grandfather’s other daughter) lived next door. Not to mention my grandfather (my mom’s father) and his sisters lived two blocks away. 

So I was surrounded by love and family from the day I arrived. I learned about food preservation (canning) as well as gardening at a young age. We had several garden plots throughout the neighborhood as well as apple trees and grape vines in our backyard.  

Growing up in a black American family, Christianity is one of the biggest influences in my upbringing. My family members have held various positions in the church. My aunts used produce from our garden to feed church members as well as make grape juice for communion. 

So, you can imagine how hard it was for me to come out. I waited until after I went away to college. That was I was in my own space. Most folks aren’t as lucky!

Growing up in a small rural town, everybody knows everyone. And it doesn’t take long to get word out about who has seen who doing what.   I was labeled a tomboy as a child, I felt most comfortable in that role. Maybe because it had the word boy on the end. Haha. I’ve always felt more masculine than feminine. Despite the fact that I’ve been told constantly how beautiful and pretty I am. 

Coming out was a terrifying process for me because I’d seen so many of my peers and friends be rejected and mocked for being who they were.   I’ve seen people be called up in church service to have their gay prayed away. And I simply didn’t want that shame or mockery.   So, I waited until later in life to allow myself to be comfortable with my sexuality.  Which I sometimes feel as if I missed out of so much of the queer experience. I wasn’t as confident or knowledgeable about how to navigate my own gender identity. Not having the words to communicate how I was truly feeling or even having a word to describe who I was left me feeling lost and empty. 

There is a huge need for community and education especially in WV.  Allowing people to have conversations about gender identity and sexual orientation are keys to growth and development as an adult.   I’m constantly evolving and growing into the person I want to be and allow others to have these freedoms as well. 

Interests: My interests, if you haven’t been able to tell, include cooking. I work at an amazing restaurant that has done more than help me expand my culinary skills but allowed me creative freedom to come up with some amazing dishes. I’m currently in culinary arts school and being able to graduate in August is something I’m absolutely striving towards and excited about.

I also have a huge love of music. In my small community we’ve had such greats as Bill Withers, and Marion Meadows not only come out of my hometown but also grace my family home. With Christianity being the foundation I was raised in, joining the church choir was a must.  From singing in the choir, I went on to take lessons to learn piano, and saxophone. 

Today I find myself dj’ing more than anything, you can find me working the playlist in the kitchen or dining room at the restaurant where I work. I love the TouchTunes app, I’ve been known to play a good show at WaffleHouse, and Omelette Shop. Haha. Other than food and music, I love to get out and explore the state. There’s so much to offer here, you could never get tired of learning about. We have some amazing places to swim, hike, and raft/kayak.