Meet the TQNC Team
What started with just two has grown
to over 700 people participating
What a difference a gay makes.
Meet some of the regulars who make TQNC what it is today.
Gabrielle Waiter
[she/her]
I’m a pan human who loves leaning into her butch side, navigating the wild adventure of parenthood and unschooling/SDE with my vivacious kiddo, and reveling in the joy of being the partner to a freshly minted US citizen.
Housing, immigration, reproductive rights, and Queer liberation issues are causes near and dear to my frosty heart. Despite being a self-proclaimed hermit, I can be found with my hands in many different organizations because I truly love to support people.
A Boston renter since 2012 (Brighton, baby!), I dream of affordable housing to anchor me in this vibrant city for the long haul.
Post-COVID and coming out of a parenting fog, I felt disconnected from the Boston community and called to become more active in civic spaces… enter Matthew Broude. Matthew’s love for the city of Boston and its humans helped feed my fire to get involved.
Before procreating, I hustled in several of Boston's restaurants, fostering a fierce love for the culinary world (ask me about restaurant recommendations in Boston, and be ready for a 40-minute deep dive). Now, my mission is to help build and sustain safe, Queer spaces where individuals are held and supported in all the ways they deserve. In other spaces I’ve frequently felt not “Queer enough” or like somehow I don’t belong but from the first TQNC meeting in Downtown I felt this council is special.
I function as TQNC's volunteer hands for mashing computer keys and coordinating market events, but you'll also find me in the social media universe — slide into our DMs, and you might just cross paths with me.
Cal Brantley
[they/them/she/he/elle (Spanish)]
Hello world! My name is Cal, and I am a writer, creator, jewelry maker, friend, and self-described funky lil guy living in Allston. I am a public health professional with experience in housing advocacy, case management for HIV+ unhoused Bostonians, and sexual health/reproductive justice initiatives. I recently completed my Master’s degree thesis on healthcare (in)accessibility in Massachusetts for undocumented, LGBTQ+ immigrants, and I participate in local/statewide community advisory groups for LGBTQ+ (especially trans) healthcare access and community health worker advocacy communities. I also used to help US permanent residents apply for citizenship by providing Spanish translations.
But, capitalism aside, I think it would be cool to instead be a lizard basking on a warm rock. No thoughts or anxiety, just vibes. I bring that approach to my daily life; I advocate fiercely for what I believe in and those I love, but I also take time to rest and celebrate life as a queer, trans, invisibly disabled person.
Originally from small town Louisiana, I moved to Boston in 2016 to pursue my undergraduate degree at BU, and aside from a short stint for my Master’s in London this past year, I found an unexpected home here. Living in Boston has given me so much freedom to be myself and access resources as a trans person that are unheard of where I come from — but often times, that makes us complacent. My trans and queer siblings back in the South do not have the privilege of sitting quietly with the covert but systemic racism, queer/transphobia, inaccessibility, and classism often found in Boston. Where I come from, these issues smack you in the face, and to live authentically there is to constantly fight for basic human rights.
When I moved to London in fall 2022, I was shocked at the rampant transphobia. Unable to access my HRT abroad and dealing with everything from deadnaming on my residency documents; to blatant transphobic rhetoric on campus (and suspiciously lower grades when I wrote papers about trans issues); to academic, transit, and healthcare strikes across the country, I turned more than ever to mutual aid and international chosen family (read more of my thoughts on trans joy and queerness in this wacky world!). When I moved back to Boston in summer 2023, there was that initial sigh of relief, but also missing my London queer family I’d developed out of necessity. I knew I wanted to form deeper LGBTQ+ community and activist bonds than when I’d lived in Boston before, and that there was work to be done here at home that we often ignore because it “could be worse” — thus, I discovered TQNC.
I mainly have been involved with TQNC’s housing advocacy, organizing and vending at the Queer Artists Markets, and joining TQNC socials to kiki. In my free time, I’m making jewelry for my small queer jewelry business, @calciumandlavender on Instagram; pole dancing; or making art, cooking new recipes, and spending time with friends.
Kate DeBeul
[she/her]
Hello! I am a Chinatown resident, lawyer (proud Suffolk Law alum), and I run an art gallery with my husband, Matt. I am known amongst my friends and neighbors as the one who is always pushing for things to be better — whether it’s repairing sidewalks, advocating for bike infrastructure, community parks and green space, or housing for all income levels. It is through my local neighborhood engagement that I met TQNC co-founder Mathew Broude! I may not be queer myself, but I grew up with queer friends and family members who either never came out or struggled to. Then I went on to study Gender and Women’s Studies in college in combination with my degree in political science and that is where I really started to explore the inequities and illegal discrimination that face non-male and non-heterosexual groups. I care very deeply about these issues and for everyone to be treated equally, with respect, and welcome in our community.
I chose to go to law school because that caring side of me also has a fire to it. I wanted to continue learning and be an advocate. My day job is usually focused around legal compliance and making sure corporations follow the rules — but in my free time I help local groups understand individuals rights and interpretation of the laws. This includes everything from local zoning laws to tenant’s rights. Within TQNC, I advocate for the access to counsel in housing court cases and help tenants understand their rights. I love that this group combines advocacy with being social — it allows us to foster a great community of queer rights advocates that want to push for change while also taking time to relax and have fun together! TQNC is such an amazing community group, I am so lucky to be a part of it!