Donna Troka The Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative is pleased to introduce its February Real Woman, Donna Troka, a yoga practitioner who grew up in the Midwestern town of Morton Grove, Illinois. Morton Grove is known as the first city in the U.S. to outlaw handguns--in 1981. Donna received her Bachelor's degree in English at University of Illinois in 1995, her M.A. in Women's Studies from Ohio State University in 1998, and completed her PhD in American Studies at Emory in 2007. She is still there, serving as an Emory Campus Life Administrator and teaching American Studies. Donna calls Atlanta home, with her partner of 7 years, Jes. She also claims as family their parents, along with an older sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews who live in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Donna practices yoga because it gives her serenity. In addition to her yoga practice, she is drawn to multi-issue politics, women's and children's issues, and the complexity of identity-class, race, gender, and sexual orientation. Donna identifies herself as genderqueer.

Donna's life rule is to treat people the way she wants to be treated; to give respect and to give back for what she has been given in life.

In closing, Real Woman features Donna's answers to nine questions adapted from the well-known Proust Questionnaire:

1. What is your idea of happiness?
   Being surrounded by people and animals I love
   
   
2. What quality do you most admire in a person?
   Honesty and self-confidence
   
   
3. Who are your heroes in real life?
   Toni Morrison and Gloria Anzaldua
   
   
4. What is it that you most dislike?
   Dishonesty
   
   
5. What natural gift would you most like to possess?
   The ability to sell myself; self-confidence
   
   
6. What is your favorite occupation?
   Teaching
   
   
7. What is your favorite exercise?
   Yoga
   
   
8. What is your favorite color?
   Blue
   
   
9. How would you like your tombstone to read?
   She did good