DeShanna Neal

DeShanna Neal was born in Wilmington General and have been a lifelong resident of the city of Wilmington. They credit their love for justice and education on their parents: their father, a Vietnam veteran, and their mother, an office assistant for over 30 years. They became part of the first generation of city kids to be bussed to choice school, and thrived in the Brandywine School District. They graduated from Concord High School (go Raiders!) in 2000, and went on to became the first in their family to receive a Masters degree. During this time, they also became a mother to my four children, Trinity, Lucien, Hyperion, and Thane. They started their fight for trans rights after their daughter Trinity was denied gender affirming care through Medicaid and after winning that fight, went on to speak out for the rights of all LGBTQ+ people, racial injustice, and social reform. They wrote a (now banned) children’s book titled My Rainbow, started their state’s first Drag Queen Story Hour, brought the first ever LGBTQ Youth Pride Festival to New Castle County, and founded Intersections of Pride Foundation.