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As a former Minnesota State student, activist Jess Flatequal struggled with coming out.
Now, she has found the perfect fit in her career as the MSU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Center director.
Her love of art and commitment to fighting for LGBT causes has helped strengthen her identity and brought her to the rewarding position she currently has.
"As a student at MSU when I came to school in 1991, I was coming out and didn't understand who I was," Flatequal said. "I had already developed a drinking problem and had depression … I was just in terrible condition. But thanks to the LGBT Center and becoming a part of that world, I survived all that. I survived my coming out."
Flatequal said the LGBT Center was very meaningful to her as a student and she knows it is exactly where she belongs now - helping students who are going through the same situation she had to go through.
"I wanted to help them through basically what can be their darkest times, and I knew I could do that," Flatequal said.
Her marketing and business skills and her ability to run an office contributed to her confidence in filling the position. She said her job combines what she cares about and the skills she has gained in her education and work experience.
She was the first full-time employee hired at the LGBT Center and has worked in the position since 2004. The majority of her work consists of mentoring and advocating students. She works with students who are coming out or straight students struggling with a friend or loved one coming out, helping them find skills and tools to work through it. She also provides leadership to students who are concerned with their careers and post-graduation plans.
Flatequal said the most rewarding part of her job is seeing students overcome sadness and fear to develop into healthy, synthesized people.
She serves as a representative for LGBT topics in the community and does LGBT allied training on campus and throughout the community.
She also plans LGBT events with help from student leaders. The events for Coming Out week, Pride Fest and Eliminate Hate Day are part of the LGBT Center's planned programming. That programming has nearly tripled since Flatequal was employed. The annual drag show, for example, is now the largest one in the state.
"Jessica is the most dynamic and crafty person I know," said Brian Wollum, an LGBT Center graduate assistant.
He said Flatequal produces amazing programs on a limited budget, is the most energetic person on campus and always comes to work with a smile on her face.
"She works tirelessly and often without recognition, and truly cares about students and always puts them first," Wollum said. "She is a true visionary and has the ability to make those visions a reality. I am proud to call her my boss, mentor and friend."
Flatequal, 35, fell in love with art when she was in school. She received her BFA in art at MSU in 1998, then went on to get her Master's degree in 1999.
"I think art can be really political," she said. "I think it's a form of activism when you make art."
Flatequal said art is an outlet for her to observe the world and comment on it through artistic creations. Although she felt like she would someday teach art and planned on being an artist, being practical took precedence and she started to work in marketing, business and sales to make money.
"As I was doing that, my artwork became farther and farther away," she said.
"I have a lot of respect for Jessica as an artist," said Maria Bevacqua, Flatequal's partner of five years. "I know that she's not as actively creating art as she wishes she could be, but her artist identity permeates her whole life."
Bevacqua is the chair of the Women's Studies Department.
"I love that I pretty much live in an art gallery because the house we share is full of original artwork on the walls," she said.
Flatequal said although her hand might not be making art on a canvas, in her heart and spirit, she still feels like an artist. Her artistic persona resonates through her daily LGBT activism and directing the MSU LGBT Center, the second oldest in the country.
"Her LGBT work is fantastic and inspiring," Bevacqua said. "She fights the good fight almost every day that she goes to work. She is committed to the LGBT students, the center and the anti-oppression and activism work that she does and she really knows that she belongs there."
Bevacqua also said Flatequal is a real people person.
"People love Jessica," Bevacqua said. "I have a strong enough sense of myself to know that it's a great thing and not something to be jealous of."
Flatequal and Bevacqua enjoy spending time with the two Shih Tzus, Mabel and Alice, they got from the Shih Tzu Rescue of Minnesota. They are also vegetarians who are very passionate about animal rights.
When she finds spare time, aside from making art, Flatequal participates in other forms of activism. During Election Day this year, she volunteered as an election judge.
"I did my civic duty, but I also got to watch firsthand how easy it is to discourage voters, so it was really important for me to be a watch dog on that," she said.
She volunteers as the co-chair of South Central Minnesota Pride, an organization recently created by Flatequal and Bevacqua.
Flatequal also enjoys watching recorded shows on her DVR and playing her Wii.
"I love playing 'Guitar Hero,'" Flatequal said. "I am quite the Guitar Hero on level medium."
Flatequal said her job may be frustrating and difficult at times, but each day she gets to feel like she truly made a difference in people's lives. At the end of the day, she said she knows she has helped students, changed people's minds about the issue and sparked important dialogue.
"And I did it in a way that was safe for people and hopefully funny and fun, but also deep and meaningful," Flatequal said.
If the day comes when humans live in a world without racism, homophobia or oppression, Flatequal said she will be happy to start looking for other work, but for now, her heart lies in social justice.
"I have the privilege of feeling very proud of my work," she said. "I'm committed to making our campus and community better for everyone, especially those who are marginalized, treated unfairly or disrespected."
"We now have someone who has been on campus for five years and transformed the campus environment simply by being there and being the incredibly outgoing person Jess is," said LGBT graduate assistant Brad Freihoefer. "Jess has served to look after student safety and increase their pride of who they are. Her presence and impact in the LGBT Center and the community has paved the way and made significant strides in LGBT rights regionally and nationally."
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