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Marcelle Y. Cook-Daniels Marcelle Y. Cook-Daniels, age 40, lost his lifelong battle with depression on April 21, 2000. A native of Washington, D.C., where he lived until his 1996 move to Vallejo, California, Marcelle was a computer programmer/analyst who worked for the IRS, the Maryland-National Capitol Park and Planning Commission, and, most recently, Norcal Mutual Insurance Company of San Francisco. At the time of his death, he was actively working toward his M.S. degree in Computer Science at Golden Gate University. A quiet but very dedicated and principled activist, he was known for his work in raising awareness of transgender and Lesbian/Gay issues and for his efforts to promote and support his family values of love, commitment, honesty, openness, and public service. His education and advocacy work included presentations at the 1999 Creating Change conference, the 1998 "Butch-FTM: Building Coalitions Through Dialogue" event, several True Spirit Conferences, and numerous other educational and advocacy events. Interviews and/or photographs of him appear in the "Love Makes A Family" book and tour; Dawn Atkin's book "Looking Queer: Body Image and Identity in Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Communities," and "In The Family" magazine. He was an active supporter of COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) and provided substantial material and volunteer support to the Transgender Aging Network, four True Spirit conferences, and The American Boyz. Marcelle was at heart a family man. He was a devoted son to his mother Marcella Daniels; a passionate supporter of his lifepartner of 17 years, Loree Cook-Daniels; and an outstanding father to his 6-year-old son Kai Cook-Daniels, who calls him, "The Best Lego-Maker in the World." He is also survived by many beloved friends and colleagues. The family suggests that those who wish to honor Marcelle's memory through monetary contributions consider sending them to: The Marcelle Y. Cook-Daniels Memorial Fund (Checks should be made out to COLAGE and accompanied by a note or notation the donation should be earmarked for the Marcelle Y. Cook-Daniels Memorial Fund) A memorial service for Marcelle was held: |
The Independence Myth The truth is, the people to whom we are connected can be any age, any nationality, any gender, any sexual preference. They might fit comfortably in our favorite political organizations, or they might be the guiding lights of a hate group. All of that is irrelevant. What matters is that, in some trivial or extremely important way, their lives touch ours. We are, quite simply, a part of each other.What would happen if we quit buying into the myth of independence and began to see ourselves as integral parts of an immensely complex web of interconnections? If we began to more fully acknowledge the ways in which our lives and actions matter, the ways in which all lives matter, I believe we would change in subtle but profound ways. On a personal level, we would lose some of our fear of growing older or getting ill. We'd find it easier to ask for and offer help. We'd probably be less prone to low self-esteem and depression. Interpersonally, we'd start valuing each other more. We would find it harder to write each other off, to avoid listening, to paint each other as enemies that must be neutralized or destroyed. We'd find it easier to see and build upon the bridges that already connect us. We'd have more patience, more willingness to look at and work toward the long haul.Because in the end, we're all in this together. Always have been. Always will be. [Loree Cook-Daniels is a SOFFA activist, a syndicated columnist, and a freelance writer. She lives in Vallejo, California.] |
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