Grey Nebel
University of North Georgia
Grey’s steadfast commitment to inclusion and representation both at the University of North Georgia and in his home county of Gwinnet has generated positive changes for underrepresented individuals and groups. At UNG, he spearheaded a campaign to create the Preferred First Name Policy, which allows all students to identify and be recognized by their preferred name on UNG rosters and email. This policy creates a trans-friendly atmosphere by ensuring all students can choose how their name displays to classmates and faculty without feeling targeted or isolated for their gender or sexual identity. Further, he is both the student representative to the university-wide Gender Studies Council and a certified Safe Zone facilitator. In both roles, Grey actively advocates for the creation of an inclusive and safe atmosphere for all gender and sexual identities at UNG. Within the community, Grey leads in Gwinnett County with his work on the Language Equity Project, which seeks to boost voter information and participation through developing multilingual elections information for Gwinnett County citizens. Grey is committed to co-creating a community that includes and celebrates the diversity of the human experience, and we look forward to seeing his work in the future.
Personal Statement
As a resident of the most diverse county in Georgia, I grew up aware of the faces of systematic oppression; as a linguist, I understand the power of language. It is with this mindset that I approach social justice. I am a firm believer that nobody is free until everybody is free, and, to me, the first step in united liberation is through language connectivity. One such example is with the Language Equity Project, a section of Gwinnett’s government that seeks to use language to expand access to the electoral process. In order to create a more equitable fair voting experience, I work with the Elections division as well as with local organizations that represent minority communities. Together, we promote community engagement, facilitate voter registration, and translate various elections materials. By doing this, we are creating a more diverse sociopolitical future, where language does not impact representation. Through language comes power; through translation comes equality. In order to properly address social causes, I believe that we must address the core of discrimination, which is the stigmatization of language and culture. With this in mind, I plan to focus my career on pushing for progressive policy for transgender Americans.
