Dan is a kind, progressive educator. He and his twin brother, Teddy, were born on January 1st, 1947 in Los Angeles, California. Dan’s early memories are happy ones. Dan, Teddy and Bobbi, their sister, enjoyed the company of many outspoken and passionate adults. Dan recalls growing up with a politically diverse family, with his parents, aunts and uncles favoring various leftist political parties. The interesting discussions his relatives had at family gatherings inspired Dan to pursue a career in education, social work and political science.

Dan attended UC Berkeley for his undergraduate studies and completed his master’s degree and PhD in political science at the University of Wisconsin. He worked in Washington for one year as a political scientist and then spent many years as a college lecturer. He lectured at Long Beach City College, Long Beach State, Arizona State University, Texas Tech University, San Diego State University and more. By educating youths in political science and social work, Dan sought to inspire social change. He loved teaching and hearing the opinions of his many students. While teaching and lecturing, Dan worked with several causes, including human rights, AIDS research, gay rights and more.

The 70’s and 80’s saw many LGBTQ concerns brought into the spotlight. In 1978, Harvey Milk was inaugurated as the first openly gay man elected to political office in California. That same year, inspired by Harvey Milk, Gilbert Baker designed and stitched together the first rainbow flag. The first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights took place in 1979, drawing an estimated 100,000 individuals out to participate. In 1982, Wisconsin became the first state to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. That same year, the CDC first used the term “AIDS” and congressional hearings were held to push for research on the subject to help the thousands of individuals already known to have this condition. Dan and his partner of eight years worked together to support these types of causes. They sought to push for gay and lesbian rights. Their goal was to see AIDS research progress toward a cure. These issues were their passion and driving force toward seeking social and political change.

Through the years, Dan had many opportunities to travel and learn about cultures in various parts of the world. He spent much time in Europe, visiting universities along the way. Dan would also visit theaters wherever he went. Czechoslovakia was a favorite destination, with a rich culture and beautiful sites to see. When home, Dan enjoyed watching movies of all sorts and going out to hike. Dan has lived such a full, passionate life. Today, we still see determination and conviction in Dan’s eyes. We appreciate hearing his thoughts and look forward to more interesting and thoughtful conversations with Dan each day.