AC Dumlao

Students can tell when a speaker has actually been where they are. AC has sat in those seats. AC speaks from the heart about that unconventional path, and audiences leave feeling seen rather than lectured. Their conversational style makes people of every identity and background feel welcome. One attendee shared AC made the session feel “less like a lecture and more like an intimate conversation with a trusted mentor.” AC’s story covers race, gender, sexuality, faith, family, and mental health all at once, which makes them a natural fit for events your multicultural and LGBTQ+ centers. Behind the story is a comprehensive background in trans rights and advocacy: bringing real-world expertise in addition to pathos. They talk candidly about depression, burnout, and therapy, and they show students that caring for themselves is part of the work. AC also meets the moment. They connect what’s happening in politics and policy to everyday life. Audiences are at ease at an AC speaking engagement, whether they’re hearing these ideas for the first time or have lived them for years. AC’s talks are never perfunctory lectures. AC builds a great rapport with students and employees alike. Students who rarely speak up find themselves asking questions, sharing their own stories, and lingering afterward to keep talking. Every talk is customized, in person or virtual. One campus reported that AC’s event “drew the largest crowd of any virtual event that our department has hosted yet.” Above all, AC is creating the representation they wanted to see when they were younger, and they bring that care into every room.