BRCSJ STAFF

Sara Wasserman, PH.D.* BRCSJ Community Organizer & Queer Educator (She/hers) combines her professional experience as an educator, her lived experience as a Queer woman & loving parent, & her acumen as an activist, to bring a unique voice to our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice. Sara’s loving & empathetic approach to community-building embodies our sacrosanct mission of never speaking for anyone, but instead with everyone.
Sara is a passionate early childhood teacher educator dedicated to creating inclusive pathways for access & equity for all marginalized identities, & especially those in the LGBTQIA community. She channeled her passion for advocacy into earning her Ph.D. in Teacher Education & Teacher Development with direct focus on the intersection of education & transformative leadership & how it can create systemic change. Sara also has a B.A. in Modern Jewish Studies, a B.S, in Psychology, & a M.S. in Early Childhood & Special Education. Her professional experience includes college instructor, pre-school director, early childhood teacher, & educational consultant. 
Sara utilizes her bountiful background knowledge & expansive experience to plan & orchestrate extraordinary events & powerful programs for the edification & enjoyment of our Beloved Community. She continues to challenge herself & everyone around her to work with loving kindness toward equity & equality for all those who visit our BRCSJ HQ & in the greater community as well.

Terry Mcmillian * BRCSJ Intersectional Community Conduit (he/him) fearlessly navigates the intersectional & inclusive space of being Queer & Black, seeking to create a safe & meaningful environment here at BRCSJ HQ & in the greater community. Having experienced the challenges of feeling disconnected in corporate America, Terry has embraced the mantra that 40 is the new 20, finding new power, purpose, & even more Queer Joy in championing the belief that everyone matters & no one should ever be left behind~ not on a large or small scale, not to a leader of a movement, a worker in an office, a student in a classroom, nor any individual in any community. With a commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for all, he endeavors to carve out Safe-Spaces wherein individuals can find PRIDE in their unique & diverse identities & experiences. Having experienced trauma thru the difficulties of domestic abuse, Terry’s life changed dramatically but it led to him endeavoring to explore the wholeness of his own self & finding the truth of who he is. For Terry, it means the world to now be of service by inviting others into his extraordinary & ever-evolving journey & you can share a meaningful moment with him when he hosts our BRCSJ Safe-Space on Saturdays!

Ann John * BRCSJ Queer Youth Advocate (she/hers)
combines her lived experience of being born & raised in Central Jersey to Indian immigrants with her B.A. in Political Science. As the co-founder of both Vassar College’s first club for Queer students of color & Stuart Country Day School’s first safe-space for Asian American students, she follows in James Baldwin’s conviction that “The place in which I'll fit will not exist until I make it”. Ann John is dedicated to creating that impactful opportunity for all to find themselves here at BRCSJ HQ wherein she will continue to support young people (& those young at heart!) in their journey of becoming through planning programs & events that centers the intersection of multiple identities.
In her free time Ann can be found humming choir songs while collaging, journaling, or cross stitching.

Paige Osbourne * BRCSJ Trans Enby Justice Collective Lavender Rose (they/them) is a born performer, intuitive by trade, & a lover & fighter by nature. They spent their early years in suburban New Jersey then discovered themselves as a Queer, solo poly, agender adult in Philadelphia. Paige uses the lessons learned from relationships, grief, being blissfully Queer & wholly alive to inform their self-aware, always honest, & openly communicative style of community outreach. In their off-time, Paige is a practicing witch who reads tarot, makes ritual objects, & loves being bullied by their two black cats & watching objectively bad horror movies.

Porshaé Peel * BRCSJ Safe-Space Hostess with the Mostest (she/they) is a proud native of New Jersey, embracing their Black & Queer identity, alongside their dedication to scientific inquiry through academic pursuit, often found themself navigating spaces where they stand as a unique presence. Porshaé’s paramount belief centers around fostering a safe environment where individuals can flourish & express their authentic selves. In this phase of their journey, their mission is to cultivate inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive & receive unwavering support. It is Porshaé’s earnest aspiration that by facilitating our BRCSJ Safe-Space, they can serve as a beacon of positivity & empowerment in someone's life.

Frank Mahood * BRCSJ In-House Grafik Designer & Safe-Space Host (he/his) was one of the original members of the Gay Alliance of Princeton, representing the university staff in the student organization & attended the First International Gay Rights Conference in Edinburgh Scotland in 1974. He was a founding member of Gay People Princeton, serving on its executive board & as its first Vice-President. His graphic designs were used by GAP, GPP, & the New Jersey Lesbian & Gay Coalition.

Frank enjoyed a very successful fifty year career as a graphic artist, typographer, & book designer at several publishers across the country before joining Princeton University Press in 1968 where many of his book designs won awards at regional & national book shows.
In retirement he continues to utilize his mad skillz in design & photography for our Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice~ designing logos, posters & even T-shirts, as well as serving as one of the Safe-Space volunteers.  He is 40 years happily married to Chet Kabara & together they serve as fabulous queer icons for our community.

ROSE MASCOLL (BRCSJ QUEER YOUTH BRIGADIER)
"THE BRCSJ QUEER YOUTH BRIGADE IS SUCH A WONDERFUL THING FOR BOTH ME PERSONALLY AS A TRANS FEMME NAVIGATING MY PERSONAL JOURNEY BUT ALSO TO ALL OUR LGBTQIA YOUTH WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A SAFE-SPACE TO SHARE THEIR STORIES & TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
I INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US TO HELP THIS PROGRAM GROW FOR THE GREATER COMMUNITY BUT ALSO FOR THEMSELVES TO BECOME A MEMBER OF OUR CHOSEN FAMILY!"

CAROL WATCHLER (BRCSJ COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR) has been in this position since before the Center even opened & comes to us as a true pioneer in social justice education & absolute queer inspiration~
A FORMER NUN WHO TAUGHT SCIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY’S SCHOOLS, SHE LEFT TO JOIN HER LIFE WITH ANOTHER FORMER SISTER IN LOVING MUTUAL SUPPORT OF FEMINIST ACTIVISM & then Thirty seven years a public SCHOOLTEACHER WORKing ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY CONCERNS IN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT & THE GREATER COMMUNITY, CArol is AN EARLY LEADER IN THE MOVEMENT as HER DEDICATION TO SAFE SPACES FOR LGBTQIA folx GOes BACK TO THE START OF THE NEA GLBT CAUCUS IN THE 80’S WHERE SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE CO-CHAIR. now she CONTINUES TO BE INVOLVED IN WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS FOR EDUCATORS & COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ENSURE SAFE & WELCOMING SCHOOLS FOR ALL. A PROUD & STRONG PADDLER ON THE MACHESTIC DRAGONS, the BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR DRAGON BOAT TEAM WHICH ENCOURAGEs & EMPOWERs PEOPLE TO FACE THEIR DRAGONS WITH AN INDOMITABLE SPIRIT, CArol is one of the original chosen mothers to oh-so-many of us as well as the very first Board Member here at our Bayard Rustin CEnter for Social Justice!

Wesley Rowell (BRCSJ Advisor on Divine Intersectionality) is a seminarian at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he is passionate about the intersection of queerness, blackness, gender, spirituality, & social justice. Born & raised in Fayetteville North Carolina, Wesley then for twenty-five years called NYC his home, so another part of his multi-faceted identity is the liminal space between north & south. Wesley trained as a opera singer then spent many years in New York & other places pursuing a professional music career & as a classical musician in predominantly white Eurocentric places, he learned to navigate a terrain that was both subtly & blatantly racist (much like Bayard Rustin his own self!). In NYC, Wesley was an active member of the the famed Middle Collegiate Church, one of the most progressive & politically active congregations in the world, led by Rev Dr Jacqui Lewis & whilst there, he co-founded Queer Black Men in the Middle (QBMM), an organization that fostered the communion between queer Black men & spirituality. In fact, QBMM historically convened the first ever church worship service completely led by openly gay Black men. Wesley serves as full-time Lay Pastoral Associate at trinity church (rignt next door to BRCSJ HQ!) & is a may ‘23 graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary with concentrations in both Black Church Studies, & in Theology, Women & Gender where he won numerous awards & accolades for his preaching & scholarship. As a queer, Black, Christian man, he understands that identities some may think of as contradictory are in fact the very things that make us whole & complete. In his advisory role here at the Center, Wesley not only brings an understanding of the crucial role of intersectionality in today's racial, sexual, political & social landscapes, he has spent a lifetime bringing together people & communities in search of the common good.
We at the BRCSJ see ourselves as "angelic troublemakers" & we teach each other to love ourselves into action. Wesley adds, "In the words of that great theologian RuPaul~ "If you can't love yourself, how the hell you gonna’ love somebody else?”

Akhila Bandlora (BRCSJ campus conduit) is studying Psychology, Sociology, & Neuroscience at Princeton University. Right now, her academic work focuses on trans youth of color & their access to gender affirming care. Oftentimes, academics conduct research without situating the applications of that research in community work, so to rectify this, in her research, Akhila wants to be a student of everyone: professors, doctors, politicians, community organizers, other academics researchers, & most importantly, trans young people who are living this experience. Akhila is so excited to support all the amazing work BRCSJ is doing & also loves huge bodies of water, works as a barista, EMT, & farmer, & often craves lemon bars (in case you visit whilst she is hostin’ our safe-space)!

Marcus Lee (BRCSJ Chief Curator) is a Cotsen Postdoctoral LGBT Studies Fellow in the Department of African American Studies & the Society of Fellows at Princeton University. He earned a B.A. in Sociology at Morehouse College & a Ph.D. in Political Science with a certificate in Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of Chicago. His research concerns 20th century Black political history, social movements, & popular culture as well as the intersection of science & technology.
Marcus will be researching, accumulating, & organizing the first dedicated archive of Bayard Rustin’s good works to preserve his life & legacy both physically at BRCSJ HQ & virtually here on our website. At Princeton, he is pursuing a book project that examines the conditions under which Black gay/lesbian groups attained political “visibility” in the post-civil rights era. He has published work in the Du Bois Review & The Atlantic. Marcus is also an anime nerd, lay historian of R&B music, & amateur dog whisperer.