Follower Fridays is a series of profiles highlighting members of Gaysian Third Space to showcase the diversity of gaysians in the Community. This week’s featured member is @tritaniumwhite.



Who are you?

Hi, I’m Tom. I’m an upcoming medical student, graphic & web designer, long distance cyclist, pupper lover, charcoal based artist, espresso enthusiast, biochemical researcher and nonprofit organizer.

Where are you from?

I grew up in Houston, TX. I came to Austin, TX for college and I absolutely adore this city. As a black sheep liberal city in a sea of conservative Texas, Austin holds a college town feel in a small centralized metropolis. It was a perfect city to grow and discover oneself. I’m moving back to Houston right now to start professional school there in the Fall. I’m down right sadden with having to leave the best city in Texas, but also excited to discover a city that I have yet to explore.

What do you do?

I’ve been a graphic designer for about 3 years now at my university. I’ve built websites, customized logos, designed branding and probably screwed up all the coding of everything I touched. But that really started out as a hobby. I graduated with BS Human Biology from the University of Texas at Austin and in a few days, I’ll be starting an MD program in Houston.

What are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about the human element of healing, particularly with cancer, because of my mother. Last year, I partnered with a cancer fighting organization and cycled about 6000 mi. We raised funds and grants for specialized research, various support organizations and resources for the needy. It was currently the most difficult thing I have done in my life, and my first time having surgery after a harsh crash, but the experience was worth it.



What is your dream job (real or fantasy)?

My fantasy job is being one of those traveling food critic on the Food Network, just eating and traveling and then telling people how great it is…



My actual (current) job goals is to be a pediatrician who can utilize art to comfort children, address mental health and stress, and ultimately affect their quality of treatment and/or life. I read this one particular case where a pediatrician developed a game to ease children into MRI or CAT scan machines. I’ve never been scanned myself so I was told that the procedures could last up to hours where children are forced to stay still or be immobilized while metallic sounds are screeching from a giant metal machine. Instead, the pediatrician team dressed the machine and the room into a pirate ship theme and enticed their patients Peter Pan style to be “very quiet so the bad pirate captain won’t get you”. It’s the simple things that can make someone’s experience better.

If you could change the world with one idea, what would it be?

At first I thought about the US healthcare system. The highly commercialized and capitalized pharmaceutical and insurance companies, the harsh supremacy culture of healthcare training, the socioeconomic determinant of health and class privilege, and the business of monetarily incentivized medicine. I wish I could change that, honestly, but that change has to come from a governing body. That brought me to a broader perspective. The change that would address not only healthcare inequalities but significant culture and well-being of the community from liberties to rights would more directly stem from government. I believe our government should be more truly representative–by race, by gender, by class etc. What I see instead is a heavily privileged group controlling the country in their particular interests and the interests of their privileged supporters.