I was about eight years old when­­­ I remember my mom taking my younger sister (we're a year and two days apart) and me to an annual Heart Walk in San Diego. We spent the entire day around town with her and her co-workers, enjoying the event and delicious food; it was a fun-filled time. One of her co-workers was named Rodney; he had a big, warm smile and was as energizing as people can come. The day had come to an end and the three of us (my mom, sister, and I) were on our way back to the hotel when she pulled us aside and asked, "Today was fun, right?" Full of energy, we said, "Yeah!"  She then asked, "Did y'all have a good time with Rodney?" Confused, we answered "Of course?" My mom said, "Well you see, Rodney is gay." I asked, "Ok, what does that mean?" After explaining she said, "I tell you this because it's more important to see a person for who they are than to judge them for who they love."  I was eight. 
 
To this day, this experience still is so deeply ingrained in who I am.  Not because I'm lesbian and use she/they pronouns, but because of the amount of compassion and the level of inclusivity and belonging my mom created. She modeled what it looked like to create a safe space for people to be who they are, how they are.
 
During LGBTQ+ History Month, I find it important to share that we don't have to understand the complexities of someone's gender expression, identity, and sexuality (and so much more) to create a safe space; a space that simply allows us to exist as we are, grants us grace to learn who we are and the freedom to express the fluidity and diversity of what that may look like.
 
Leticia Galarza is the Director, Player Development, for the Cal women's basketball team.