Michal Duffy, Education & Program Manager for OUT Boulder County
Bio/Intro: I moved to Colorado in May 2017 to be close to my sister’s family; my nephew just finished his freshman year high school. Having grown up in Appalachia and living for several years in Vermont, I am still acclimating to a hot, dry environment. I am a natural organizer and have worked with sustainable agriculture and food systems. I am also a yoga teacher, though I haven’t been teaching much recently as I have been focusing on community engagement through my job and the Community Foundation.
I just graduated from the Boulder County Leadership Fellows program in June, a joint leadership program run by the Boulder Chamber and the Community Foundation. I have an MS in Appropriate Technology and Appropriate Design and a BA in Spanish and Philosophy, so I like to think of myself as well-rounded. I have been actively involved in the queer community since I came out after leaving home.
You can visit me at Boulder Pride on Sept 9, and I’ll be involved in the whole preceding week of activities! Bolder Young Professionals are volunteering at Boulder Pride; join us by signing up here! Also stop by and say hello at Trans Awareness Week activities Nov. 13-20.
I’m offering a Boulder Chamber Hot Deal for a discount off our LGBTQ+101 training: Beyond Binary. Click here to view Hot Deal.
You can reach me at: mduffy@outboulder.org
Hometown: Though I was born in Minnesota, I was raised in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Why is your job awesome? My job is awesome because I get to educate the wider community about LGBTQ+ identities and experiences. I get to be out and proud, and respected for the advocacy work I do with Out Boulder County. I work with inspiring and diverse folks who share their resilience and beauty with our community. I love to be responsive to community needs and balance my focus between more inward-facing community programming and outward-facing education. It’s so meaningful to be a leader in, and a voice for, my community. On a fundamental level, my job is awesome because I can show up authentically as a queer, trans person.
Hobbies: Yoga, gardening, hiking and camping, playing with my pittie-mix, Mabel
Favorite beer? Give me a good IPA and I’m happy
What’s the first song on your pump up playlist? Eve by Eve
Favorite happy hour spot in Boulder: Japango or Rayback Collective
Favorite movie: As a kid, The Bird Cage & Shawshank Redemption. More recently, Kubo and the Two Strings.
If you were 80 years old, what advice would you give your children? Be authentic, use your voice, and go outside. Be respectful. Notice institutionalized power and work toward dismantling oppressive systems.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in life? Trust your intuition and allow things to happen in right timing, don’t rush them.
