Storycorps Friday: The Aizumis

By Rea Carey, Task Force Executive Director

As an avid NPR listener, I’ve learned to keep tissues in my car because, on Friday mornings, I listen to Storycorps and, well, I admit it… I often cry. Sometimes out of the joy of the connection of the two people and sometimes because of the struggles they have gone through to make it to that day.

Personal stories are such a powerful link from one person to another. I’ll tell you right now that you’ll want tissues nearby when you listen to this month’s Storycorps, recorded at last year’s Creating Change conference.

Marsha and Aiden Aizumi are old friends of the Task Force and they have touched my heart and inspired me since the moment I met them. We awarded Aiden the Youth Leadership Award at our 2010 Creating Change conference for his work and leadership with PFLAG and the Trevor Project. His mom, Marsha, is a member of PFLAG’s national board for PFLAG and wrote a book about her journey with Aiden throughout his transition.

On the heels of the National Day of Transgender Remembrance and as part of our work around transgender rights, we’re featuring the Aizumis’ story of love, growth, family and activism. They are an inspiration to me personally and I’m so grateful that they’ve continued to bring their experience and their personal story to those who need to hear it.