Indy Pride Board SPOTLIGHT: Lupe Pedraza
March 25, 2024
At Indy Pride, we believe that our strength lies in our diversity and the collective passion of our community. Behind every successful event, initiative, and milestone, there are dedicated individuals who work to uplift and empower the LGBTQ+ community in Indianapolis.
We’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on the incredible faces behind the Indy Pride Board. Each month, we’ll introduce you to one of our passionate board members, giving you an inside look at their journey, motivations, and vision for a more inclusive future.
- Introduction and Background:
- My name is Lupe Pedraza, pronouns she/her/ella. I was born in Mexico City but have been Indy for the past 18 years. I currently work for the department of Neurology at IU Health as a neuropsychology technician. I am also a research assistant for the IU School of Nursing. I serve on the board for Indy Pride, Latinx Pride, and Canal Squad, a nonprofit organization that focuses on the importance of mental, nutritional, and physical health. We host FREE HITT style workouts every Tuesday at 6:30pm. Check us out on Instagram @canalsquadindy. On me free time, I enjoy traveling, going to concerts, listening to podcasts, and spending time with loved ones.
- Community Involvement:
- I was inspired to become involved with the LGBTQ+ community out of the need to find a community for myself after coming out as bi in 2022. Although I’ve always considered myself a proud ally, I eventually found myself coming to terms with my own sexuality after ending a 10 year relationship and finding myself with the liberty to explore who I truly was. Although I had no previous experience with LGBTQ+ work, I have plenty of experience doing community work with the undocumented community with organizations such as Cosecha Indiana and Alliance for Immigrant Justice at IUPUI (now IU Indianapolis and Purdue Indianapolis).
- Vision for the LGBTQ+ Community:
- My vision for the LGBTQ+ community in Indy is to continue building spaces where we can foster QUEER JOY. I want us to tell our own stories and take control of the narratives being told about our communities not just in Indy, but in the nation and worldwide.
- Personal Interests and Goals:
- Outside of community work, I LOVE to travel. In fact, if I could travel full time, ya’ll would never see me again! Haha! In all seriousness, I am also very interested in mental health. My work in neuropsychology has sparked an interest in pursing higher education, so I see myself going back to school in the new future. I am very excited for all the work I get to do with Indy Pride and Latinx Pride so I plan to stick around as long as it makes since for my life’s path.