Passion Finds Its Place: GSBA Scholar Kory Honors Their Intersectional Identities Through Data2Insight’s Internship

Kory Higgs (he/they), GSBA Scholar at Arizona State University.

Interviewing from the Car

In the spring of 2023, prospective GSBA scholar Kory Higgs (he/they) was preparing to sell art prints at a local artist market in Tacoma. After arriving to set up their vendor booth, they returned to their car and readied themself for a looming Zoom call: their GSBA Scholarship interview. After finishing a year of college followed by a break for health reasons, they applied for a GSBA Scholarship through the Pride Foundation. “I couldn’t find another place to do the interview, and the reviewers were completely understanding,” Kory remembers. While they were expecting a daunting, formal interview, the panel of GSBA staff and volunteers were instead excited to hear about the vendor fair and Kory’s various passions. “It wasn’t as intimidating as I expected it to be.”

After a successful interview and an official acceptance to the GSBA Scholarship program, Kory began studying Cultural Anthropology at Arizona State University, an entirely virtual program which allowed them to continue living in Tacoma while studying. They have taken a variety of fascinating and eye-opening courses and have especially enjoyed classes focused on research methods and Afro-centric subject areas. This newfound fascination became a passion for research that impacts marginalized communities, especially at the intersections of different identities. Kory identifies as Black, trans, queer, and disabled, and wants to fill in gaps in the research on these communities.

Casual Chat Turned Internship

GSBA’s Scholarship & Education Fund fills in needed financial gaps for LGBTQ+ students, helping them achieve their academic and career goals without financial burden. In addition to financial assistance, the Scholarship program provides non-financial support for the 75+ scholars it supports each year. This wraparound support includes yearly calls with members of the Scholarship team to check in on scholars’ academic experience and future goals.

During one of Kory’s check-ins with Stacy, GSBA Scholarship & Education Director, he expressed interest in a future career path in research for policymakers or organizations making an impact locally. With GSBA members in mind, Stacy connected him with Veronica Smith, owner of data2insight, an equitable research firm. Kory set up a meeting to network and chat about Veronica’s research work and while they discussed Kory’s goals and the need for internship credits to complete his program, Veronica realized that Kory was just who she was looking for. In a fortunate and unexpected turn, she offered him an internship on the spot.

Lived Experience Meets Lived Experience

In Kory’s internship with data2insight, which has now been extended past its original timeline, he has gained valuable experience in data consulting, especially nonprofit program evaluation. These tangible skills will prepare him for a career path in research, and the unique approach of data2insight has given him tools to conduct and support research from an equitable lens.

Working with Veronica has led to a valuable relationship of mutual learning. Along with gaining technical skills, this role has given Kory the space to offer feedback on data2insight’s work based on his lived experience.

“[data2insight] takes into account the history of how data has been collected and analyzed in the past,” Kory highlights. “I have the space to say…‘it seems like we’re missing this group, or it seems like the way that the data is presented is giving this kind of impression or perpetuating a stereotype….’ I feel like my lived experience has been very valued. I can also see how my perspective can help further some of these methods.”

Kory and Veronica sharing findings from the Washington State LGBTQIA+ survey at a Pride event with GSBA.

“[Kory brings] authenticity, curiosity, and care to equitable evaluation and research practice. Their quantitative and qualitative data processing and analysis skills have contributed to our evaluation and research projects. And it is their culturally responsive communication, listening, and facilitation knowledge and skills that are their superpowers. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to work with Kory and to contribute to his professional development.”

– Veronica Smith, data2insight

Passion Finds Its Place

When Kory was looking to get back into school after a gap, they weren’t sure where things would end up, when they would start again, and how they would pay for college. “I kept a passion, and I just wasn’t sure where to place it at the time,” they reflected. “The advice I would give [my past self] is just to keep going. And I did.”

As they prepare to graduate in December, they plan to stay connected with both data2insight as well as the various clients that they have built relationships with, such as Queer Power Alliance and Entre Hermanos. “All the connections that I’ve been able to make…they’re not a one-and-done type of thing.” Kory plans to stay in the data2insight network, and they and Veronica are already discussing what it might look like to continue working together after they graduate.

“Without GSBA, I wouldn’t have been able to gain this experience that a lot of people don’t get to have before graduating… I can actually say that I have work experience in this field before graduating.”