2009 POINT SCHOLARS

Noah Exum

Macalester College

Education and History

After living in multiple cities on the west coast, Noah Exum moved to Illinois at age 11. Growing up in a small town that was often homophobic and racially segregated, he found himself becoming increasingly politicized. During his sophomore year of high school, Noah began working to create a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at his high school, to create a safer space for GLBT and questioning students and their allies.

Although he never questioned his sexuality, accepting early on that he was attracted to people of all genders, Noah struggled with depression and alienation in discovering his identity as a feminine female to male transperson. In attending Macalester College, where he is majoring in History and Educational Studies with a minor in American Studies, Noah has discovered an incredibly supportive community.

In addition to his studies, Noah is heavily involved in multiple campus organizations, including Students for a Democratic Society, Queer Union, the Queers of Color Collective and the feminist student organization FIA-STARSA. His activism is primarily based around increasing awareness of the ways that racism, classism, sexism and the LGBT community intersect.