‘Gender Identity Is a Journey’: Meet This Columbia College Student From Louisville, Kentucky

Damon Duvall, Jr. (CC'25) hails from Louisville, Kentucky.

At the recent Activities Day, University Photographer Eileen Barroso came across Damon and snapped a few photos for our recurring Instagram series #ColumbiaStories. Struck by the buttons on their shirt, Columbia News inquired more about Damon's Columbia experience, why pronouns are important to Damon in honor of International Pronouns Day on Oct. 19, and more. 

What are your pronouns?

He/they

Favorite place in your hometown?

Kart Kountry, the longest go-kart track IN THE WORLD (not an exaggeration, I saw it in the Guinness World Records book in 2011). It’s just a 20-minute drive from my house and home to at least three of my childhood birthday parties.

Favorite place on campus?

I’ve lost soooo many hours to the piano practice rooms in Schapiro this semester. I literally just started teaching myself tho, so if anyone’s reading this and has tips please HMU!

Favorite place in New York City?

The Queens Botanical Garden: 10/10 picnic spot and the chicken sandwich place across the street is unmatched.

Passion?

The summers I’ve spent back home as a camp counselor have shaped my studies at Columbia. These first interactions with the world of childcare inspired me to pursue a major in Psychology, in pursuit of discovering more about the environment’s effect on child development.

What do you wish people understood about personal pronouns and their usage?

Gender identity is a journey. It’s a process of learning what makes me feel at home in my own body, and of self-compassion in the face of dissent. Personal pronouns are often a direct reflection of where a person is on that journey. Many people spend their lives being told by the world exactly who they are; by choosing my own pronouns, and expressing my gender as I see fit, I tell the world to think again.

Quote?

“I’m rooting for, um, everybody Black.” — Issa Rae

Superpower?

Convincing myself that temperature is a state of mind so I can wear tank tops in October.

#ColumbiaStories are photos taken by University Photographer Eileen Barroso as she selects Columbians to photograph across the university. You can find more on Instagram.