Baltimore, MD

ELIJAH : “ I was kicked out on my seventeenth birthday. My family printed out my Livejournal and were not supportive of who I was. They called the cops on me and I have been taking care of myself ever since.

It was hard to do at that age. A lot of people kept me from being homeless.

My chosen family is made up of Alex and his husband and his mom, my wife Margaret’s family- I LOVE Margaret’s grandmother- the first time I met her she was drinking scotch and eating chocolate chip cookies, I love my gramma, and my friend Eli and his wife. They’ve all given me all the support I needed.”

Transilient: Who do you think has been most formative in you becoming who you are?

“Well, there’s Eli. We’re both Eli’s and we’re both from Alabama. Our friends call him senior and me junior. Eli is my big brother through and through. I know nothing in the world would ever stop him from talking to me. We want to move down to Alabama so we can be closer to him. That relationship gave me everything. He and his wife helped me get on Medicaid and back on testosterone.

My best friend is Alex. I’ve known Alex since I was fifteen. He was my first kiss. I wouldn’t have survived without his help and the help of his mom.

I know what it’s like to need help and to have not gotten what I needed from my family. Margaret and I will always want to have a couch open for anyone who needs it because so many people and kids might need it. ”