One of Us Gets Promoted. One of Us Gets a Cell.

I just hit a career milestone. Andry Hernández Romero is imprisoned without trial. We’re both gay Latino men. This is America in 2025.

The email landed in my inbox. “Congratulations,” it said. “You’ve been promoted.”

I exhaled. I smiled. I let myself feel it—finally. I knew it was coming, but the email confirmed it. It wasn’t a fluke. This was happening.

It was a brigh…