Gerry Diaz
He/They
queer and I am an emergency services coordinator.//
I started in meteorology because I wanted to understand storms. Forecasting gave me tools, but it was journalism that taught me the deeper truth: science only matters when it reaches people who need it. Writing about weather was never just about the sky. It was about making sure communities could prepare, could look out for each other, and could feel less alone.
That same thread runs through my work today as an Emergency Services Coordinator in San Francisco. My job is operational and often unseen. I track incidents, write situation updates, and help keep the city steady when things shift. I use my bilingual background so that the information carries across communities, not just to those who already have access.
As queer people, we know safety is something we build together. We know what it means to rely on chosen family, to notice what others overlook, to stay alert, and to create belonging in places that do not always offer it. That perspective is what I carry into every shift.
Being queer and being in STEM are not separate stories. They are one story of care, vigilance, and belonging. And that is the story I live every day.