Jordan Lewis is a native Arizonan, who was born to interracial parents, who are lesbians, and she has one younger brother. Jordan, a female member of the LGBT community, is of both white and African American ethnicity. She learned acceptance, and to be open to diversities, and possibilities, at a young age. Although Jordan’s exposure to her white heritage has been more prominent, she is aware of what her skin color says to others, which makes her more conscious of her internalized her self-perceptions.

Jordan is currently a high school student who receives special education services for Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Dyslexia, which is a learning disability. Despite being intellectually gifted, she finds it difficult to display or show knowledge in academics, which she describes as an interesting dichotomy. Jordan’s disabilities have made school more challenging for her to navigate, and these difficulties have influenced her to pursue a career in Special Education, which she describes as a broken system, that teaches students to pass, not necessarily, to succeed.

Jordan is passionate about social justice issues, and LGBT equity is a huge part of her activism. She understand that bias is learned and taught, and continues to engage in activities that allow her to advocate for things that are meaningful to her. Jordan is a good communicator, has great people skills, thinks critically, is empathic, and is an advocate. She knows who she is, and is proud of who she is. Jordan is attracted to people who are independent thinkers, and feels there are far too many people living their lives for others. She is an old soul, who doesn’t require outside validation. Jordan is living for herself, and likes to have her hands in a lot of pies.

Jordan loves any creative pursuit, especially theatre and literature. The books she is most drawn to are classical literature, and more obscure finds, which she calls old gems, and diamonds in the rough. Jordan has served on the Arizona Department of Education Student Advisory Council, was Treasurer of her high school charity club, graduated from Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF), and Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA), and is currently serving as Parliamentarian of the Arizona Youth Leadership Initiatives Alumni Association (AZYLIAA).

Jordan was skeptical about participating in AZYLF in the beginning, and remembers begging her mom to turn the car around on the way, because she felt she didn’t need whatever this AZYLF was going to be. After competing AZYLF, she spent the whole 2-hour car ride home talking about every experience, and how important it was to her. Jordan describes AZYLF as her the first taste of independence, with opportunities to socialize with a community of young people that she had not been involved with outside of a Special Education classroom. This helped to lessen her own internalized discrimination, and was the first time she ever viewed her disabilities as strengths. She now understood People First Language, which helped her to destigmatize disability, in her own mind. Jordan’s favorite quote is, “There is no synonym for cinnamon” from The Dragon Prince, and her words to live by are just about anything Johnny Weir has to say about self-acceptance and self-expression.