About the Author
Tina Fakhrid-Deen is an educator, consultant, freelance writer, and community activist. In 2001 she founded the Chicago chapter of COLAGE, and was its volunteer coordinator for eight years. On behalf of children living in LGBTQ families, Tina has presented for organizations including PFLAG, LadyFest, the Adler School of Psychology, Family Week, COLAGE, and Family Pride Coalition. In 2003, she was honored as one of the Windy City Times’ Top 30 Under 30 LGBTQ activists in the Chicagoland area. Tina’s writing has appeared in anthologies such as Without A Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class, Sometimes Rhythm, Sometimes Blues: Young African-Americans on Love, Relationships, Sex, and the Search for Mr. Right, My Soul to His Spirit: Soulful Expressions From Black Daughters To Their Fathers, and Homegirls Make Some Noise: Hip-Hop Feminism Anthology, and Families Like Mine: Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is. Tina received her undergraduate degree in communications, and holds Masters degrees in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and in creative writing and Black literature from Chicago State University. She resides in Chicago with her husband and six-year old daughter.
COLAGE is a national movement of children, youth, and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer (LGBTQ) parent/s. COLAGE builds community and works toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education, and advocacy.
