Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Darrow
Hi Amanda , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been in Utah my whole life. To say it was an experience would be an understatement. As someone who holds multiple underrepresented identities, I never felt like I fit in or was included in school or social situations. I always felt like an outsider. Feeling this way made a big impact on my self-esteem, mental health, and academics. I graduated high school with a 1.7 grade point average. I was seen as someone who was barely skimming by. After high school, I spent 7 years at Salt Lake Community College trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Eventually, I took a Psychology writing class with Senator Karen Kwan, who urged me to write a personal statement and submit it to Westminster College (now Westminster University, a school I never thought I could enter). I did get in. I finished my undergraduate degree in Clinical & Counseling Psychology in 2014. After that, I went on to work in Elementary education. Where I realized all that can be done with Education. After two years, I realized I wanted to return to Westminster and study how certain school environments impact our students. I did my master’s in education and specifically emphasized studying the effects of a heteronormative environment on LGBTQ+ students. After I finished, I planned on going to Oregon to do a doctoral program; while looking into housing options, I was unfortunately hit by a car in a crosswalk, and my trajectory was halted. I had a severe concussion and had to do vestibular therapy to reset my brain, controlling my balance and non-stop vertigo. That set me back for about a year. I then returned to work at the higher education level doing adjunct work at Westminster with a fellow professor who mentored me through my master’s and later helped me build IncludEd United. I then started at the Utah Pride Center as a Director of Youth & Family. What I considered to be one of my dream jobs. I spent many years mentoring youth and their families, navigating their life journeys. I built an additional department around education and ensuring inclusion for our LGBTQ+ students in Utah schools. In November 2022, I accepted a position as a Co-CEO of the Pride Center. I left the Utah Pride Center a few months later to begin IncludEd United. A decision that I value with my whole heart. IncludEd United is dedicated to supporting our underrepresented identities through education, our Utah Educators, and our students, who are looking to be included in a world that can sometimes exclude them from being their authentic selves.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This life and work has been faced with barrier after barrier. It began with not having people who believed in me and what I could do. I felt like I was constantly proving myself and feeling like I had to go above and beyond in my work. As a woman, I had to prove myself, as we women unfortunately have to do, but as a masculine woman, I had to double-prove myself. I am a very personable and will give anyone whatever they need to help them, even if that means I will go without or have to work twice as hard for them to get what they need. All of these barriers can be exhausting and drain my social battery to do a job that requires me to be on my A-game. As a huge Tayor Swift fan, I can say that looking back at all these barriers and where I am now, “I am doing better than I ever was.” We all might think that we can’t overcome those obstacles, but I am here to tell you that we can. You are not alone, connect with us at IncludEd United and we’ve got this together!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am the Executive Director of IncludEd United (www.includedunited.org). We are a non-partisan nonprofit that celebrates underrepresented identities with education. I am often known as someone schools, businesses, community partners, and individuals lean into for training and information on the LGBTQIA+ community, building accessible workspaces for all employees, and unofficially all things Women’s sports.
I would say that something that sets me apart from others is my compassion for everyone that comes into my life. Growing up, I knew what it felt like to be an outsider and as if I didn’t belong. I will go to every end of this earth to ensure people who come into my life never feel that way when they are with me. I named the nonprofit IncludEd United to ensure the main purpose of this work was inclusion. The best way to make sure people feel “IncludEd” is to get to know them and learn about who they are and what things matter to them.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
At IncludEd United, we are constantly looking for volunteers. Whether you want to volunteer for our events or become a long-term volunteer mentor for young adults navigating college, we would love for you to join our volunteer teams. They can email me directly at amandadarrow@includedunited.org to get involved or visit our website at www.includedunited.org.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.includedunited.org
- Instagram: included_united
- Facebook: IncludEd United
