Raised by two educators in a small Texas town, Joel grew up within a loving community but with a limited worldview. Moving to Austin at 18 to attend the University of Texas greatly expanded his horizons, which in turn provided him with meaningful interactions and new experiences. But it wasn’t until his mid-20’s, after a series of life-altering hardships, that he sincerely began to consider the impact his life had on the lives and communities with whom he interacted daily. With the idea that empathy is the strongest and most true human emotion, his personal impact on the world around him changed and gave rise to new priorities. Joel’s path eventually led him to VKV, where he hopes to continue to use his personal quest for evolution and understanding as tools to fight for a world devoid of prejudice.