A few dedicated members of LGBTQ+ and ally communities make the study possible,
but it’s your contributions that will make The PRIDE Study a success!
Full Name: 瑠威 (Louie) 明 (Akira) Blaise Francesco
Gender: Trans Man
Condition:
Autistic Spectrum Condition (In Britain, it’s called a condition, rather than disorder)
Also struggling with Autistic Catatonia
Also Colorblind for most colors
Translator: Between English & Japanese
Ever since he was 5, Louie has been a loyal Seattle Mariners fan. Louie is from Eastern Asia but grew up all over the world—including England, New Zealand, S. Korea, and Canada—but most of his time was spent in Michigan, with brief experience in Kentucky. Louie has been heavily involved in Call To Action (cta-usa.org) on Young Adult Leadership and as a board member for CTA's Vision Council. Louie also worked as with young adult leadership for Dignity USA.
Hanh Nguyen was born and raised in San Jose, California. As the daughter of refugee parents, she experienced disparities in health and privilege which motivate her to pursue a career at the intersection of medicine, public health, and social justice. She attended the University of California Davis where she graduated with a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. She returned to San Jose to work in education, health engagement, and outreach among the community she grew up in. She is now gaining clinical experience while working as a scribe at a hospital and health center. In her free time, she practices yoga, reads, eats, and helps facilitate a community for queer Christians.
Branden Barger is the program coordinator for the UCSF Office of Diversity & Outreach LGBT and Multicultural Resource Centers where he provides program, curriculum, and graphic design assistance in the centers’ efforts to increase visibility and inclusion of marginalized and underrepresented students, staff, and faculty throughout the UCSF health system and its various health professions training programs. Branden holds a Master of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research from the UCSF School of Medicine Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Public Health. Branden partnered with The PRIDE Study as part of his graduate program to examine substance use health disparities and resiliencies among sexual and gender minorities and he continues to support these efforts as a volunteer research assistant with the Sexual and Gender Minority Health Equity Lab in the UCSF School of Nursing Department of Community Health Systems.
The PRIDE Study thanks its former team members for their contributions: