About Samy Galvez
Samy Galvez was born to a loving Mormon family in Guatemala City, Guatemala. However, being raised in an ultra-conservative society, he was constantly exposed to homophobia in school and other day-to-day situations. Despite this constant stress, Samy excelled in high school and was honored by the Guatemalan President as one of the Top Five Scholars of the Nation, winning the National Science Olympics in Physics and Math, becoming the Student Body President and graduating as the valedictorian.
After spending a semester at Brigham Young University (BYU), Samy served a Latter-day Saints mission in San Francisco California from 2009-2011. It was at that time that he found ways to both accept himself as a gay man and to lead an enriching spiritual life. After returning to BYU, Samy started working on his major in Neuroscience and preparing to go to medical school. As part of his preparation for medical school, Samy has served in service organizations, volunteered in hospitals, and helped interpret in rural clinics in his native Guatemala.
After deciding to become involved in LGBTQ activism at BYU, Samy became president of USGA –the only LGBTQ group for BYU students. He has spoken to Utah political leaders as part of the effort to pass the Utah anti-discrimination bill, and he has traveled to Mexico to speak to other LGBTQ Mormons about finding a balance between sexuality and spirituality. ~Courtesy of PointFoundation.org.
About USGA
USGA is an unofficial group of Brigham Young University students, faculty and guests who wish to strengthen families and the BYU community by providing a place for open, respectful discussions on the topic of same-gender attraction. We also invite LDS Institute students from across the Wasatch front.
USGA is a safe place for all, not an appropriate forum for angry, vulgar, or profane remarks of any kind, nor for expressions of antagonism against any person or organization. In order to foster an environment of respect and understanding, we ask all participants to be mindful of USGA’s political neutrality, and we also ask all participants to be respectful of BYU, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the beliefs and experiences of others. Above all, we support BYU students in upholding the Honor Code, and invite guests to do so as well while in attendance of USGA events.
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