My friend and former student, Anthony Veasna So, died unexpectedly this Tuesday. He was a mordant, brittle, hilarious, sensitive writer and I am heartbroken over his death.

His partner, Alex Torres, was also a student of mine, and I am asking for your help to make this horrible time less burdensome for Alex.

As a couple, they were wonderful, and their shared sweetness, silliness, and intelligence will remain with me forever. I met them at the start of their romance— when they were undergraduate students in my Victorian Sex class at Stanford, and I was so grateful to have a chance to get to know them both beyond the classroom in the last year.

Please give what you can to help Alex. Anthony’s friends will also be organising a charitable giving to honour the commitments Anthony held dear.