Bruce Parker II

"Everyday I get better at knowing that it is not a choice to be an activist; rather, it is the only way to hold on to the better parts of my human self. It is the only way I can live and laugh without guilt." - Staceyann Chin Being raised in poverty by a single mother in Pikeville, Kentucky and realizing that I was gay at a young age helped me develop a commitment to making the world a better place. I am proud that I have been able to maintain that sense of responsibility in my educational pursuits and my career. I am the Executive Director of Louisiana Progress and Louisiana Progress Action, non-profit organizations that work to make the state better by organizing and advocating for progressive social change. I also serve as Coalition Manager for Equality Louisiana Coalition, a coalition of LGBT and allied campus, community, and state organizations, that promote full lived and legal equality for LGBT people. I am also pursuing a doctoral degree in Curriculum Theory, with a graduate minor in Women's and Gender Studies, from Louisiana State University. I have published scholarly articles that address multicultural education, professional development for practicing teachers, and pre-service teacher education. My research interests include diversity, social justice, education as activism, and narrative inquiry.