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Christopher
Dyer.com |
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More Biographical Information
I was born on May 20, 1970 in Ann Arbor Michigan. My parents moved me to Alexandria Virginia in 1973 and once again to Mt. Pleasant in Washington DC in 1975. Growing up in Mt. Pleasant was a wonderful experience. As a child I was exposed to the vibrant diversity that makes Washington, DC so wonderful. I grew up 10 minutes from Rock Creek Park and remember biking on Beach drive and spending summers on the National Mall. I attended Mount Pleasant Montessori school until 1978 when I entered Annunciation Catholic School. In 1984 I enrolled at Edmund Burke School where I graduated in 1988. Edmund Burke was an enriching experience for me because my teachers gave me wide range to explore ideas and develop a strong sense of civic responsibility. I went to Ithaca College for college. I graduated in 1992 with a B.A. in History. At Ithaca I was heavily involved in student government as well as other campus political groups. I also began the process of coming out in college but didn't completely make it until I graduated. After college, my mother gave me an incredible opportunity and supported me while I volunteered for the Clinton/Gore campaign. One of my more memorable experiences was standing in the bowels of Madison Square Garden the night before Clinton gave his acceptance speech and walking out into the empty hall at 2 in the morning. The campaign provided me with many valuable lessons and after Clinton won, I drifted a bit. From 1992-93 I temped a lot and tried to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. In July 1993, I accepted a position as a Membership Assistant for the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and began my day time career in Association Management. I have worked for a variety of organizations including the American Bar Association, the Association of American Colleges and Universities and my current employer the American Lung Association. In my current position, I am the Manager of Member Services for the Congress of Lung Association Staff which is an internal professional organization for the staff of the American Lung Association, American Thoracic Society and several affiliated Canadian Lung Associations. In August of 1993, I admitted to God, myself and another human being that I had a drinking problem and have been clean and sober for eleven years. This life-changing experience provided the foundation for my "second" career as an activist. One of the ways I keep sober is through service to others. In 1996, I was at a regular meeting of the Twenties Group, an LBGT discussion group in DC, where the topic of what can 20 somethings do for LGBT youth. As a result of this conversation, I got the idea to start a Youth Pride Day for LGBT youth. In April 1997, a group of dedicated volunteers and I launched the first event which drew 900 participants. In its 8th year, the event now draws 2500 youth each year. In 2003, I received the Capital Pride hero award. For a good description about my activism, please read the following profile that appeared in the Washington Blade. I am currently the ANC Commissioner for 2F03 and volunteering with Capital Pride and the DC LBGT Community Center. I am also a proud member of the Logan Circle Citizen's Association. Some of my other interests include international
travel. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to every
continent on this planet except Australia and Antarctica. I also enjoy
singing karaoke appearing in local nightspots as my alter ego Cookie
Buffet. For further information, please e-mail me or read other sections of this site. |