Your Name: ben Brandley
Pronouns: ben/ben’s
Please introduce yourself: Who are you and what are your research/teaching/activist interests?
I’m ben, originally from northern Utah, did my MA at the University of New Mexico and then joined ASU with the 2020 Cohort. Most of my research interests lie in critical religion and critical queer intercultural communication, with an emphasis on asexual and aromantic (ace and aro) spectrum identity, belonging, and relationalities.
What are you passionate about?
Basketball and caring for my kith/kin.
What does transformation mean to you?
Doing my best to share my privileges in micro and macro level ways.
What do you value most about the Transformation Project?
The praxis of community engagement. It’s easy to get that lost during PhD program but having projects that help the ASU community is great.
How has the Transformation Project supported you and your work in the past?
The walk-and-talks have been helpful in me connecting with folks while enjoying the outdoors. I was privileged to receive a seed grant for my research on ace identity.
In what ways do you want to transform the future?
I want classrooms, cultures, and selves that are free from the damaging effects of allonormativity.
What is your favorite dessert (and can you share a recipe for it)?
Bread pudding from Golden Corral. IDK how they pulled it off, but it’s so good.