Meet Our Scholars

Jordan 'Jay' Moore grew up in Houston, Texas in a very culturally and ideologically diverse school and community. It wasn't until late in middle school that she found out that being called gay was considered derogatory to some people. The privilege she enjoyed living in a progressive community ended when she moved to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, during her junior year of high school. Jay immediately witnessed the effects of widespread racism, sexism, and homophobia on her fellow minority students. Instead of letting her experiences get her down, she channeled her frustration into changing the system. It started with creating Tahlequah High School's first ever Gay Straight Alliance. Jay also sought change on an academic level, creating a new curriculum for history and health classes that were more inclusive of LGBTQ two-spirited individuals. Her advocacy in school earned Jay recognition, and she was invited to help organize Tahlequah's first ever pride event under the banner of TahlEquality. The event was a massive success and garnered widespread public support from not only figures from Oklahoma, but on a national scale through news outlets like The Huffington Post, MSNBC, and Headline News. TahlEquality has continued to organize events, including a town hall meeting discussing marriage equality in Oklahoma, an equality fun run, and annual pride celebrations. Having enrolled at Oklahoma State University's Honors College Jay is majoring in microbiology and has plans to conduct research on HIV and AIDS.