#23 | Connor Shares His Story—Part Three: What He Won’t Forget About His NYU Freshman Year—A Courageous LGBTQ Story

Heather's son Connor has returned to the mic for a three-part series! In this episode, he shares the third part of his story (taking us to the present day) with humor, vulnerability, and the ability to recount what happened then, why, and what he has learned since. 

Connor shares:

• His transition to his freshman year of college - life at NYU and in New York City
• The struggles and triumphs of his freshman year
• The positive AND negative coping strategies he experimented with as he continued his coming out journey
• Lessons learned during COVID and his hopes and plans for the future

**TRIGGER WARNING - Connor shares stories of substance use, so please do not listen if this is a trigger in any way for you**

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

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At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.

If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.

Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in—I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.

More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen explores connection, courage, and community for every concerned parent, mom, or ally navigating fear, grief, and bigotry with hope, resilience, and empathy. Through open-minded education, inclusive parenting guidance, and advocacy for mental health, safety, and a human first approach, we support LGBTQ youth and stand for human rights and social justice. More Human. More Kind. empowers listeners to shift their mindset, embrace activism and allyship, and lead with kindness, healing, and purpose.