StandUP Florida
StandUp Want's You To Know!
Stand Up Florida is PROUD To Announce Our Newest Member ( National Young Adult Coordinator) Rodrigo Labbe
My story began just as anyone else, I was given a name. It became apparent that I was to be named after my father and thus Rodrigo Cordova Labbe was my destiny and my right to be. I lived in my country of birth, Brazil, until I grew to the age of four. I travel to the United States with my mother, who was following my elder sisters footsteps. Soon my sisters' home became my new families house and we grew together. Fights were common, but its to be expected under the creation of these new circumstances. I started to have a great school life, but my families every growing fear of me getting humiliated stunted my growth process.
Christian schools were then "the answer" and they were most unaware of how I would feel as I basically started having my own unique style of sexual urges. I did not fall in love, but came close to doing so. He was not that great of a person, but I felt that his heart was just as I. That year was marked by my sixteenth birthday and I grew in emotional knowledge that I was lonely in school. It wasn't until I heard many of my teachers talking about sex that I knew I was different. I had to leave and I did in great hurry. It was my Junior year.
The upcoming year was a time that I took off from the standardized education process help me grow, emotionally. Love was in my mind and in all forms of life my age. I decided the my form of love was just as much joy as anyone else. I told my mother that "I am Gay" and she told the rest of my family. The rest were endless struggle for there understanding. That sparked an idea of chasing my dreams in find acceptance for GLBTQ people.
I start to join groups including Broward College's Gay Straight Alliance. I swiftly became Vice President and did work to create education for the students of BC. I hosted an event called it "Do Ask, Do Tell." It was an amazing event and became the start of my activism career. I left for the National Equality March (NEM) that evening. I was overjoyed to see so many people standing up to fight and I want to join in!
NEM helped me find Stand Up Florida and then I grew to love the people working in the group. Protest after protest showed my support and that made them confident in making my being the Broward Youth Coordinator. My work was open for others to see. I show them my talents and they decided that I was worthy of becoming the National Youth Coordinator. I am truly am honored to be given this position and I thank all at in Stand Up Florida for this opportunity. I keep moving forward and learn more about others, including myself, everyday. The learning process matter in this and every monument. We have to learn how to take the name we were given and Stand Up and Fight Back!!
State Director ( Bryan Arnette )
I grew up in Wilmington, NC a town where people were beaten and hurt for being gay. I went along troubled path getting into trouble left and right with the law and even being accused of things I did not do based on how people felt about me and my sexuality. I served in the US Navy and was discharged honorably in 1998 after being a Cryptologist, but during my service it was figured out I was gay and was beaten and attacked by many of my service members and brothers. I chose to fight and stand for my rights and came out with the proper discharge I deserved. Once leaving the service I moved to California to have some sort of different life. Three years later I moved home to help take care of my father who had fallen ill until when I moved here in 2007. Once moving here to Tampa, I began to volunteer for HRC again and started out as the Volunteer Coordinator, after time I advanced and became the Steering Committee Co Chair and Area Representative for the Tampa Bay Steering Committee until it’s disbandment by DC in November 2009, due to lack of community support. I am here to fight for equality and the rights that I deserve. I am not here to win any popularity contest and not scared to speak my mind at any time. I do hope that my experiences and history can help Stand Up Florida in any way possible.