It’s long been the case that a majority of LGBTQrepresentation in the media, shows, and movies is largely white and male. Even when it isn’t, accurate representation of people who identify as non-binary and transgender seems to be lacking. Even worse than how little representation there is, transgender characters are also not often played by transgender people themselves. Fortunately, there’s one show that’s hitting the scene and looking to change that — the new NBC drama Rise, which premiered on March 13, features actor Ellie Desautels.

Ellie is a a non-binary, trans-masculine actor who plays the main character, Michael, a transgender high school student. Following the premiere of the new show, GLAAD’s director of transgender media and representation, Nick Adams, sat down with Ellie to talk about Rise and transgender representation. Read more via Teen Vogue