Physics World Stories Podcast · Physics World

Queer Quest: a quantum-inspired journey of self-discovery

·45 min·4 clips

Jessica Esquivel shares the heavy weight of being among just 150 Black women with a physics PhD.

This episode of Physics World Stories features hosts Jessica and Emily Esquivel discussing their creation, QueerQuest, a 2025 Chicago event recognized by UNESCO as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Jessica is a particle physicist and Emily is a licensed clinical professional counselor, both co-founders of Oyenova Enterprises, which aims to build community through innovative social initiatives. They developed QueerQuest to address the lack of holistic support for marginalized individuals in STEAM and mental health fields, sparked by conversations during the COVID-19 pandemic about the toll of academia on well-being. The event centered Black, brown, and queer identities, blending quantum mechanics concepts like superposition and entanglement with mental health practices as a framework for liberation. QueerQuest featured a "multiverse" space with a mobile planetarium, a resource village with partners like Adler Planetarium and Chicago Therapy Collective, and a rest lounge with hammocks and biofeedback pods. Programming included keynote talks from physicist Desiree Whitmore and psychologist Dr. Raquel Martin, plus parallel sessions pairing scientists and therapists. A local Black queer-owned chef provided breakfast, aiming to build community around food, and days began with grounding ceremonies like yoga or intention setting. One profound insight was that many Black women in physics described depression after a PhD as a norm, not an anomaly, with Jessica noting she is one of only 150 Black women with a physics PhD. The sisters shared that a physicist and therapist sibling pair said QueerQuest gave them a shared language, improving their relationship and cross-disciplinary work. In a session on decolonizing science, a therapist describing how observing anxious thoughts can quiet them led a scientist to exclaim it mirrored the quantum observer effect, a moment that gave Jessica chills. The hosts revealed that major corporations declined to sponsor the event, so it was community-built by Chicago small businesses and volunteers. They described the challenge of hosting in a tense climate, with the venue near an ICE camp and increased immigration enforcement, making the creation of a sanctuary where people felt safe enough to sleep publicly deeply meaningful. Emily explained liberation as feeling free from oppressive systems, having agency to build new ones, while Jessica noted that in white-dominated spaces, they face pushback for using quantum mechanics as a mirror for queerness. The videographer’s final interview questions showed he had absorbed the event’s quantum themes, demonstrating successful science communication. The tone is conversational, reflective, and passionate, blending personal narrative with community advocacy. The style is educational but intimate, emphasizing lived experience over abstract theory. This episode would resonate with listeners interested in science communication, social justice in STEM, mental health advocacy, or community organizing. It might appeal less to those seeking a purely technical discussion of quantum physics, as it focuses on human experience and systemic critique.

As heard by us

Quantum science, queer community, and resilience are held together in a careful, grounded conversation.

QueerQuest follows Jessica and Emily Esquivel as they frame Oyenova as more than a science story: it is also about community, counseling, and the strain of building something public in Chicago.

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Why you'd press play

You want a quantum-story episode grounded in a tense Chicago backdrop and the people trying to build resilience there.

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