How This CNM Employee Brings Authenticity to Every Aspect of Their Work
Chris Armstrong (they/them) describes themselves as a black human with blue hair and queer joy. And when they started working at CNM three years ago, they knew they’d found a strong, supportive community to share their knowledge and joy with.
“My first week at CNM I attended a Safe Zone training, and I knew right then that I’d found my people,” they say. “Since then, I’ve taken every opportunity I can to be with those people and invite others to join us.”
Chris started at CNM as an Employment Advisor with the Department of Workforce & Community Success, where they helped students gain important career skills. This year, Chris transitioned to CNM Ingenuity where they serve as the Senior Program Manager for Healthcare, Cannabis, and Coaching Programs.
Along with their day-to-day work, Chris is an extremely active member of the LBGTQ+ community at CNM. They serve as a Safe Zone Training facilitator, are a member of the LGBTQ+ Advisory Board, help maintain the CNM LGBTQ+ Resource Hub, and recently became a mentor for a handful of queer CNM students.
While this gives Chris a busy schedule, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Working at CNM is really at the intersection of everything that is important to me; community impact, advocacy, queerness, and education,” they say. “It’s a gift to be able to do all of this, and my ability to give back to my community has only deepened since being at CNM.”
This Pride Month, Chris wants to remind folks that Pride is something that should be celebrated year-round.
“For me, Pride means living as my authentic self every day,” they say. “It took me a decade to come into my true self, and now that I’m here, I’m going to use my voice to speak up for those who can’t. I’m proud of my blackness, my queerness, and my body and nothing is going to change that.”
Looking ahead, Chris plans to keep advocating for others and building a safe and welcoming environment for all CNM learners and employees. They also want to remind others that there is no timeline to becoming your true self.
“It’s never too late to become who you truly are,” they say. “Life is a continuous evolution, and you don’t have to be stuck on any one given path, major job. If you can be anything, I encourage you to be curious.”