Lily Pando is a transgender girl living in Houston. When Lily came out to her mother Nancy, it took some time for the news to sink in and for Nancy to fully understand what being transgender meant. Still, Nancy worked to learn more, and she is now an advocate for transgender people and a strong supporter of her daughter. Lily has become an advisor on the city of Houston’s LGBTQ Advisory Board and hopes to create a safer city for everyone.

“I want a place where kids coming out as trans don’t have to worry about being able to be who they are or love who the love,” Lily said.