Guest Columnists
From the earliest conversations with the Community Cohort, we approached this report with care and intention around a critical question: Whose stories might be missing?
Much of the quantitative data included in this report comes from federal sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and PUMS data. While these datasets are robust, they have important limitations. Many commonly marginalized identities and lived experiences are underrepresented—or entirely absent—because they are not collected. For example, the Census does not gather information about respondents’ gender identity, which means that data about gender-expansive individuals is not available in public Census datasets. These gaps matter.
It was critically important to our project partners and the Community Cohort to intentionally identify perspectives that might be omitted and make a meaningful effort to include them. From that commitment, the Guest Columnist approach was developed.
As potentially omitted perspectives were identified, the project team worked through personal networks and community partnerships to connect with individuals who hold direct knowledge and experience related to those perspectives. In many cases, we sought not only individuals with lived experience, but also individuals with broader community knowledge. For example, rather than inviting only a single parent of a child with special needs to share their story, we reached out to Chris Gentry, Director of The Family Support Network with The Centers for Exceptional Children. Through decades of work with children and families across Forsyth County, she brings insight into the diverse and nuanced realities facing families raising children with special needs. The result is a column that reflects complexity and demonstrates that no community is a monolith.
Each guest columnist was compensated for their contribution and supported by the project team in drafting a piece in the style of a personal essay. Columnists were encouraged to write in their authentic voice, without rigid formatting or stylistic constraints. As a result, the columns vary in tone and approach, reflecting the individuality of each contributor.
By weaving lived experience alongside data, we aim to elevate stories that numbers alone cannot tell. Excerpts and quotes from the guest columns appear throughout the research topic pages, and each guest column is included in its entirety below.
Click on any box below to read that guest column.
Deb Marke
Deb Marke (she/they) is a LGBTQ+ Black woman who lives and works in Forsyth County. Deb was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of marginalized sexual identities.
Anonymous
The author of this piece has chosen to remain anonymous. She is a Latina woman who lives and works in Forsyth County. Her work centers on helping marginalized communities and her perspective comes from walking alongside families whose voices are often unheard and also as a Latina woman shaped by migration, resilience, and the stories of those who came before her. She was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of undocumented women and women who may face language barriers.
Myla Dent
Myla Dent (she/her) is a young Black woman who lives and works in Forsyth County. Myla was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of young women and girls.
Lucia Brisbane
Lucia Brisbane (she/her) is a young Black woman who lives and works in Forsyth County. Lucia was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of young women and girls.
Cat Mizzi-Orrell
Cat Mizzi-Orrell (they/she) is an LGBTQ+ person who lives and works in Forsyth County. They were recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of marginalized sexual identities and Trans / non-binary people, an experience that is largely missing from our data sources.
Chris Gentry
Chris Gentry is the Director of The Family Support Network with The Centers for Exceptional Children. The Family Support Network is dedicated to strengthening families and enhancing the lives of children with special needs, from birth to age 21, in Forsyth, Davie, Davidson, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin Counties. Chris has worked in Forsyth County for the past 22 years. She was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of children with special needs and their families.
Joy Nelson
Joy Nelson (she/her) is the Founder & Executive Director of LEAD Girls NC. Joy was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of students from low-income families.
Sarah Norris
Sarah Norris (she/her) is the CEO of Crossnore Communities for Children. Sarah was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of youth aging out of foster care.
Amaya Martin
Amaya Martin (she/her) is a young LGBTQ+ Black woman who lives and works in Forsyth County. Amaya was recruited as a guest columnist to speak to the experiences of youth and marginalized sexual identities.