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AT&T Live Proud Winner Michelle David Shares Her Out100 Story

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AT&T Live Proud celebrates LGBT community awareness, empowerment, and pride at this year’s Out100 Gala.

Over the summer, AT&T relaunched their annual Live Proud campaign, a program that celebrates awareness, empowerment and pride for the LGBT community. AT&T asked people to enter the AT&T "This Is Me" sweepstakes by creating a 15-second-or-less video that tells the world how they live proud every day. Four winners were selected and won two tickets each to the Out100 Gala in New York City. These are their stories.

Meet Michelle David:

What was the inspiration behind your video?

I have always been interested in research, and it has been a particularly big part of my life since I started school as an undergraduate. I have done research for classes, for several labs on campus, and for internships. I even use my researcher mindset in life outside of school and work. I live proud everyday as a researcher.

How did you find out about the contest?

I was doing a summer research internship in New York, and some of the other interns and I wanted to check out the PrideFest activities. I saw that the AT&T booth was giving away free t-shirts for people who made a video for the Live Proud contest. Although the contest prize sounded incredible, I never imagined I could actually win. I was just happy with the free t-shirt.

Where do you live and study?

I live in Pullman, WA, and I am a student at Washington State University. I am pursuing a double major in neuroscience and Spanish with a minor in computer science. I am also working in a lab on campus to test the effectiveness of educational games.

What were your first reactions when you learned you won the contest?

I was absolutely shocked! At first I thought someone was trying to scam me. I was waiting for them to say "Okay, now just give us your credit card information, ATM pin, and social security number." But once I saw that it was real, I was ecstatic. I actually jumped out of my chair!

What did you wear to the Out100? Describe your feelings the night of the party.

Deciding what to wear was tricky. I searched Google for pictures from the event last year, and it seemed like many people were wearing dark colors, so I decided to go with a black dress. The night of the party I felt a lot of anxious excitement. I had no idea what to expect beforehand, so that definitely made me feel nervous. After we arrived, most of the nervousness melted away and I just felt incredibly fortunate to be there.

Did you chat with anyone particularly interesting that night?

I got the chance to meet J. Alexander and we got to take a picture together. I've never met anyone famous before, so it was really exciting! I tried to be cool, but after I walked away my legs were shaking!

Do you think this year was especially important for the LGBT community? Why?

This was absolutely an important year for the LGBT community. The Supreme Court ruling that made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states was an amazing and historic step toward equality. This ruling would not have happened without the voices of inspiring and influential people, such as those at the Out100 event.

Who did you bring with you?

I brought my sister, Danielle, with me.

If you could choose three words to describe the night, what would they be?

Inspiring, empowering, unforgettable.

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