Andrew Viñales, a Bronx born Puerto Rican and Dominican, earned his B.A. in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Union College in Schenectady, NY. Much of his academic focus was on Queer Latinidad culminating in his thesis entitled, “Visibly Queer: Reclaiming Dominican and Puerto Rican Identities.” After graduating from Union, Andrew was awarded the Minerva Fellowship in which he had the opportunity to live and work in a small, impoverished community on the coast of Ecuador to promote sustainable development. Upon returning, he became involved in community organizing, participating in the #BlackLivesMatter movement in NYC and visibility of Afro-Latinxs. Andrew grew up around storytellers in his family and religious community. These stories highlighted oppression and survival of being Queer, Afro-Latinx, and the maintenance of the Lukumi/Santeria tradition. Andrew would like to focus his work with the OHMA program on these stories.