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Introduction

My name is Alexis McLean, I’m a student at Linn-Benton Community College majoring in history. My plan is to transfer from LBCC to a four-year university to finish a bachelors in history and a minor in business. Then I intend to go on to Law School. I enrolled in News Reporting and Writing both because I needed the credits and because I need to become more comfortable with having my voice heard. I’m very close-to-the-chest with my work because I tend towards perfectionism. I’m not a journalism major because I’m determined to become an attorney and because majoring in History allows me to pursue my goals and interests simultaneously. Outside of college I like to read books and spend time with my cats. Last year I got the opportunity to foster several kittens and that was super cool! I hope I get the opportunity to do that again.


I hope this term in News Reporting and Writing helps me to become much more confident speaking to strangers. I am an anxious person, and sometimes go far out of my way to avoid doing so. Given my long-term goals, this is simply something I’m gonna have to get over by any means necessary. In the same vein, I need to get comfortable allowing the public to see what I write. I want to make changes in the world with my voice, so I gotta get good at using it! Better to do it now than in a courtroom. My writing could also always be improved and I can think of no better practice than writing knowing the whole world is gonna see it (or, just whoever reads this blog or The Commuter). By the end I hope to be clearly better than when I started.

My first story is going to be on Finn Johnson’s presentation at Linn Benton Community College on the constitutionality of anti-trans legislation. I want to touch on the impact of anti-trans legislation and how the public can react to reduce the harm done. I’m going to reach out to try an interveiw Jason J. Dorsette who is the Executive Director of Linn-Benton community College’s Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. I also plan on reaching out to interview Angel Dorantes, the Latino Outreach & Retention Manager of Linn-Benton Community College's Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Lastly, I am contacting the event organizer and program coordinator of Linn-Benton Community College’s Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion, Gabriela Esquivel. I was unable to find the phone number or email of Finn Johnson, but hopefully I will be able to get ahold of that information through Gabriela Esquivel.


Five questions I want to ask my interviewees are:

1. What kinds of anti-trans bills are being presented and passed? 2. How are trans people being affected by those bills? 3 .What actions should students and community members take to combat these bills? 4 .Are anti-trans bills constitutional? 5 .What does it mean for a new law to be unconstitutional?


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