Proud to Be: Finding Strength and Authenticity with Ciria

Our "Proud to Be" series continues this week with the inspiring story of Ciria, a mother and advocate who has embraced her truest self while creating a loving and supportive home for her children and a safe space for the students she works with. In her reflections, Ciria shares her journey of identity, the strength she's discovered, and her powerful message of self-acceptance within the LGBTQ+ community.

I'm proud of the strength I've found within me after all these years. No matter what adversities my children and I have faced, I can stand tall and feel proud of the work I’ve done. I’m building the life I always envisioned for us. Our challenges haven't stopped me from creating a home where my kids are seen, heard, and supported in their social-emotional growth and coping skills. And honestly, it doesn’t hurt that I get to live as my truest self in our little family. My daughters know I’m their mom—but they also know, in their own way, that my identity is different from most moms’.

Even as a kid, I knew I didn’t fit into norms. I remember taking school pictures in elementary where the only props were a teddy bear or a basketball. I’ve loved Michael Jordan since I was a toddler, but I wasn’t an athlete. Still, I chose the basketball—not because I played, but because I didn’t want to be forced into the “girl” choice. That moment has stayed with me. Now, I create safe, healthy space—not just for myself, but for others. My kids know that colors, toys, music, none of that has a gender. The students I work with know that I see and honor their families, no matter the label—I call their caregiver(s) their grown-up(s). Personally, I live in a way that feels true to me. I’m 36, still wear space buns, and buy clothes for myself and my kids from any section of the store, because we wear what makes us feel like us.

I've known I was part of the LGBTQ+ community since I was a child, but I’ve never been more in tune with my queerness and nonbinary identity than I am today. It’s okay to give yourself permission to exist in whatever way feels truest to you—if it’s safe. And it’s okay if it takes time to figure out what that looks like. There’s no one right way to be queer. That’s the whole point.

And yes—you can be Christian and queer. I’m both.