Hey, I’m Chandler. I’m a queer community builder, mental health advocate, and the founder of For Us, By Us. I started this nonprofit because I wanted to build the kind of space I needed growing up — one that felt honest, affirming, and deeply rooted in care and understanding. I didn’t want another polished organization with buzzwords. I wanted something real. Something soft and strong at the same time. A place where people like me — people who’ve been through it — could come as they are and feel like they finally belong.

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And if you’re anything like me, you’re probably angry at the world right now — at the injustice, the violence, the silence. That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I’m creating this. Because we deserve something better — something built by us.

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I grew up in rural West Virginia, in a place that didn’t make room for queer kids — not emotionally, spiritually, or physically. I was bullied. Isolated. Treated like I was something to be fixed or hidden. It wasn’t just uncomfortable — it was traumatic. My earliest memories were of being bullied. I spent most of my early life feeling like I had to apologize for who I was. I internalized so much shame that I genuinely believed I was unlovable. I started asking myself things like, “Why am I like this? What did I do wrong? Why does my existence seem to upset everyone?” That kind of self-hate doesn’t just show up — it’s passed down. And for a long time, it ruled my life.

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My mental health journey has been anything but linear. I’ve lived with OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, and moments where I truly didn’t know how I was going to keep going. I’ve been in the trenches with fear — fear of being seen, fear of being hurt, fear that I’d never feel safe in my own body. But slowly, through therapy, reflection, community, and love, I started facing those fears instead of running from them. I started learning that my pain didn’t make me weak — it made me powerful. I'm still learning, still healing, but I'm no longer ashamed of where I come from or what I carry. I’m turning it into something that’s meant to reach others who are just trying to make it through. I was once there. I see you.

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Outside of all that, I’m just a person trying to live a full, messy, beautiful life. I'm a spicy little Scorpio. I walk my dog Brandi. I love to journal and read — and I’m usually reading. I eat at least one PB&J every day, usually closer to three (they’re terrible for my gut, but great for my soul). I’m a full-time student studying psychology. I love horror movies and true crime podcasts. I care a lot. I cry sometimes for no reason. I also laugh hard and often. And more than anything, I believe in people — especially the ones who’ve been made to feel like they don’t belong.

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If that’s you too... welcome home.
- Chandler
Founder of For Us, By Us PGH