Robin McGehee, College of Sequoias Communications Professor who isn’t your normal college professor is a civil rights activist.

McGehee, grew up in Jackson, Mississippi where she faced discrimination for being gay.

“Growing up, I always knew I was gay from five years old, I kind of knew that about myself,” She said, “There’s lots of discrimination that’s openly spread, especially around racial issues.”

Mississippi has always been a state where the fight for racial equality and civil rights has always been an issue.

“I knew people that couldn’t hide their color if they were treated the way that I saw them being treated, that I just needed to be quiet about who I was,” she added.

She attended college in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and studied Pre-Law as an undergrad little did she know she would fall in love with her communication and public speaking class.

“My instructor was kind of like a mentor he kept saying, you know, you can always go to law school. I think, you know, you really like this subject. You should go get your master’s in communication. And he’s really the one that pushed me in that direction.”

As soon as McGehee received her four year degree in communication that’s when she decided to go to California and pursue her masters in communications.

McGehee knew she was going to go to California one day and she did.

“In Mississippi, they talk about that in California, that’s where all the fruits and nuts live, I knew what they were saying and they said fruits that they were talking about gay people. So I kept saying, you know, I’m going to go to California one day” she stated.

McGehee applied to UCLA but unfortunately she didn’t get accepted to UCLA due to not having enough credits in a foriegn language.

“I couldn’t get accepted there. In Mississippi they don’t make you get foreign language requirements. Not surprising because it is so discriminatory” she expressed.

With the favors against her, McGehee decided to attend Fresno State, where she got accepted. She was now living in California where she was fascinated with everything about the state.

“I loved rock music growing up, heavy metal hair bands. Yeah, and Prince and they all talked about California and different songs, so a part of that was an element of it. But also, I knew just I couldn’t be honest about who I really was living in Mississippi.”

McGehee wishes she would have done more back in Mississippi.

“Looking back on it, I regret it because I also know that there’s change that needs to happen in Mississippi to believe that I could have been active in trying to change that type of environment.”

Moving to California was a blessing in disguise. McGehee met her wife and they both have children.

“I believe God’s hand was pushing me to California. Like everything happens for a reason” she revealed.

In 1999, McGehee started teaching at the College of Sequoias Campus as a Public Speaking and Communications professor. Her favorite part of teaching is meeting students.

“I love the connection, that’s one of the things I miss in, you know, we don’t get to hang out after classes over and talk and ask questions and get to know each other. But I also really love the subject that I like to see students get excited and engaged and inspired about something” she revealed.

McGehee began protesting in the 2000’s. She started protesting against her state flag back in Mississippi which was the rebel flag. Here in California she started her activism really started because of her son Sebastian.

“He was at a Catholic elementary school and I was the president of the PTA. They saw me on the news speaking out against Prop eight, which was a proposition that was saying that marriage should only be between a man and woman in California” she explained.

McGehee was kicked out of the PTA. That’s what led McGehee to organize for marriage equality. She didn’t want her kids to look at themselves any less as they were.

McGehee stated, “Our family is no different, we have the same issues and can have the same highs and lows of any other family. It’s just a different type of makeup.”

She has organized many events like: Marriage Equality, Women’s Rights, Environmental Justice, Black Lives Matter and many other events. She looks up to her parents and to the activists that have inspired her along the way. Like Cleve Jones whom she also organized events with.

McGehee is not as active as protesting or as activist; she is now focused on being a mom, a wife and a college professor.

In her freetime she is either kayaking or on a boat. Her favorite vacation spot is Hawaii. When it’s cold she wishes it was summer. She also enjoys the cold from inside with a cozy fireplace.