About Quill

My name is Aaron, sometimes known as Cuillioc [IPA kʰw̥ɨɬʎɒk], or Quill for short.

Like so many of my generation, I have a kaleidoscopic employment history typical of the "gig economy" - lots of short contracts in lots of different kinds of roles, which have only recently begun to resolve into some kind of pattern. If I could sum up that pattern in a few words, they would be something like "Service, Spirit, Vocal, Efficiency, and Integrity."

In the words of Marilyn Monroe: "I do what I like, and I like what I do!"

When I decided to push my experience into a Self Employed mould, I found that, to the dismay of any business advisor with their salt, I couldn't pare down my professional interests or experience into just one area and focus on Just That. Thus what you see before you, a quadrilateral of four basic sections, which each overlap in some ways.

The common themes can, I believe, be summed up in the Core Values of the United States Air Force are as Follows:

"Integrity First,

Service Before Self,

Excellence in All We Do."

I believe it is impossible to do Good Work - work that is morally and ethically sound, as well as work that is valuable and worthwhile - without a clear set of Values and consistent display of adherence to those values.

I like to be helpful, to care for others, and to be of service to individuals, communities, and to the World at large. Whether I am leading a corporate training programme on Diversity in the Workplace, guiding a grieving family through a funeral, or putting your receipts for the last year on a tidy spreadsheet so you can do your taxes in time, everything I do is aimed to serve some kind of Greater Good and make the world a better, nicer, easier place to live.

And no matter how mundane the task I may currently be engaged in is, I always strive to deliver with the greatest quality and efficiency I can manage.

Characteristics & Lived Experience

I have over 15 years of experience working in the field of EDI (Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity), and I believe a key element of my success has been both my strong Academic background (I hold a degree in Cultural Anthropology, with minors in Human Rights, and Gender Studies) combined with my personal Lived Experience as a person of Diverse Marginalisation. I am articulate and can always speak from my own experience, and can often offer insights from my experience collecting stories from other members of the communities I belong to. Below are just a few of the Protected Characteristics I fulfill.

Age

I am in my mid 30's, born in the late 80's, with traits of both Gen X and Millenial generations.

Disability

I am visually impaired (legally blind, with severe astigmatism), and have been diagnosed with a variety of autoimmune diseases and mental health conditions, and I identify as a "Neurodivergent Triple A Battery" - having Anxiety, ADHD, and Autism.

Gender/Sex + Gender Reassignment Status

I was AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth), but I do not identify as a feminine or female person, preferring terms like "transmasculine" and "genderqueer." My pronouns are he/him and they/them, and while you may pick one or the other, it makes me feel good when people swap between them from time to time when referring to me.

Sexual Orientation

I identify as somewhere on the Asexual spectrum, but bisexual for political reasons, and "gay" or homoromantic in my intimate life.

Marriage & Civil Partnership Status

I am currently Single and have never been married.

Family Status (Pregnancy, Maternity, Paternity, etc)

I have no children, no ability to have children, and no intention of having children, though I am a very capable child caregiver.

Religion & Belief

I mainly identify as a "Methodist Druid" or a "Syncretic Christian Pagan" with a wide interfaith background. My father's family were originally Ashkenazi Jews from Poland, but I was raised Christian, specifically in the United Methodist Church. I became a Lay Minister in the UMC at the age of 16, and later became a local preacher in the UK Methodist Church, in which I still maintain membership and participation. I am also a member of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. I've had several years' relationship with local Hindu temples (especially ISKCON), and regularly visit local masjids and gurudwaras, to maintain ties to the diverse faith backgrounds in my community.

Race & Ethnicity

For the purposes of demographic data collection I identify simply as White; more specifically I'm of English, Irish, Welsh, and Iberian background, while being half ethnically Ashkenazi Jew.

Class, Culture, Politics

I grew up in a Working Class family in the Enlisted portion of the military; later, in my early adulthood, my family transitioned to being more Middle Class when my father became a Commissioned Officer. I am a Dual National, and identify as an Immigrant despite being born with the nationality of the place I live.

I am University Educated, and am politically Left/Liberal/Progressive leaning, but with some Conservative values, which I believes makes me fairly Moderate overall. (I am staunchly anti-monarchist, anti-capitalist, and anti-racist.)