Before he became an accomplished photographer and performance artist, University of Northern Iowa professor Jeffery Byrd struggled with how to safely express his identity in a time and place where being out was dangerous.
His formative experiences growing up in Alabama have shaped a 30-year career in which Byrd, who was one of the founders of UNI’s first gay and lesbian studies course, has been a resource and advocate for UNI students figuring out their own identity. That’s why he was one of the first to join the campus’ Out and Ally Network, a group of faculty and staff who are LGBTQ or allies of the community.