I am a political organizer from Central New York. I also mentor people with developmental disabilities as a second job. I support Bernie Sanders for President and am one of the pledged delegates that you hear about in the news.

I grew up in Syracuse, NY but left for college and lived away for many years, from California to Turkey to Florida, only to return when I realized how much of a northeasterner I am. Since then, I've had few opportunities to travel. Central New York has many strengths I had not appreciated before, despite its daunting challenges.

In the last five years, I have participated in a number of social movements, such as the movement against growing wealth inequality. I am concerned with disability rights, worker rights, racial justice, and LGBTQ rights.

This is my first time trying couchsurfing.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I believe each person shows you a glimpse into a different world. I enjoy making friends everywhere, not merely to network but to become another thread in the fabric of a place, even if only for a short time.

Travel should not be in-between two points in your life. It should become a part of your life.

Contemporary society tends to treat us as independent individuals moving through the world in isolation from each other. Our economic system favors homogenization and convenience, so that you can visit any city and now find the same chain restaurants, bars, and hotels catering to individuals without connections to an area. Given this state of things, couchsurfing seems to offer an alternative, a way to move beyond being an isolated visitor to becoming a tiny bit more a part of a community.

Interests

I am a bit of an aesthete. I love being moved by beauty, from the beauty of forests to that of a sublime symphony. Classical music affects me deeply, especially symphonic music of the 19th and 20th century. But I also listen to hip hop, dance music, art rock, folk, Andean pan flute, and pop.

I studied sociocultural anthropology in college and I still love the field.

Whenever I can I dance. International folk dancing is what I have studied most. But I have some basic competence at Latin dancing and some ballroom. I've tried house and would love to get more into it.

I exercise frequently, mostly weight lifting and swimming. It relaxes and rejuvenates me.

I read a great deal of social science, whether anthropology, economics, sociology, or politics. Cultivating an understanding of the social sciences is central to my political work.

• arts
• dancing
• walking
• politics
• classical music
• anthropology
• economics
• philosophy
• forests
• bernie sanders
• weightlifting

Music, Movies, and Books

Symphonies such as Mahler's 9th, Prokofiev's 5th, and Shostakovich's 4th.

Art rock such as Radiohead

Dance music such as house or Balkan folk music

Spanish ballads written by Los Iracundos or Luis Miguel

Books on history, political economy, sociocultural anthropology, policy, such as Debt: the First 5000 Years by David Graeber and Envisioning Real Utopias by Erik Olin Wright.
Speculative and literary fiction, but mostly I read non-fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I first met the monkeys in Durban, South Africa, they were playing with a cat. The cat was playing with them too. Later, I saw them chasing each other around in circles. The two playful species made a good match, one that I would have never expected.

On another occasion, I ate my lunch as about six adult monkeys surrounded me, encroaching ever closer, circling around so a few were behind and few were in front. Eventually, they were too close for comfort so I launched myself to my feet. They backed away a few feat, cautious of me. After a few minutes, they left me alone.

On another occasion, during a storm the monkeys were restless. About thirty of them ran together across the lawn. A few made it up the stairwell into my building. They were chattering and chittering loudly. Monkeys of all sizes from babies to three foot tall adults were agitated by the storm. I don't know if they were seeking shelter. They moved on after a while.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have a wide array of political experiences, from organizing a protest of Donald Trump to speaking with Congresspeople to working on our local Sanders campaign. I am happy to share all of these experiences.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversation - I have an insatiable curiosity and am interested in talking about almost any topic.
Labor - I would be happy to lift and carry and clean for you
Outing companion - Let's explore the city or go to one of your regular stops
Dance partner - I am happy to be a dance partner

I am a good listener. I love to hear others' perspectives on life and the universe, as well as observations about society. I am also open to hearing about your problems. If you seek solace and empathy, I can give it. If you seek advice, I can try to be helpful.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Africa, Turkey, United States