As a child, I realized that being First Nations wasn't ideal. Like many Indigenous people, having to navigate through life carrying the weight of my experiences with racism, poverty, violence, abuse, abandonment, and witnessing addictions felt impossible and unfair. I became a young adult uneducated on how to work through anxiety and PTSD, and I didn't know how to recognize what I am going through in these terms or how to make the connection between my parent's experiences and mine.
I have found that when I rely on genuine curiosity to challenge racist ideas, humility to compliment my personal growth, and platinum empathy to model how I expect to be treated, I have a chance at reclaiming my story.
Even though I’ve learned to focus on body positivity and loving my body, it’s still a touchy topic for me to discuss openly. And when it comes to dating, or talking to someone I’m really digging, I can’t stand an ounce of rejection because of my size.
https://youtu.be/IR_T8jEP_E0 This video was inspired by the words of James Baldwin and the famous debate he participated in at Cambridge University in the 60’s. In that debate, James Baldwin spoke of ‘the mill’ that people of color are exposed to from the time they are children through their adulthood. As I listened to that part … Continue reading Dear White People, If I’m Being Honest
Fair warning, light spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own discretion. I performed my Asian American duty by heading out to the big screen in support of the opening weekend of “Crazy Rich Asians” and this is the story of how I went from “Crazy Rich Asians” cynic to stunned. Leading up to it, I was … Continue reading Asian Americans Are Allowed to Celebrate ‘Crazy Rich Asians’
Pride is almost the most liberating, joyful and meaningful event I’ve had the chance to witness in my young queer life. Over the course of the weekend, I caught glimpses of some of the deepest expressions of truth and love I’d ever born witness to. I found myself witnessing all of these beautiful interactions of … Continue reading Alone and Slightly Closeted at Pride
No matter how long I’ve been out of the performing world, I’m always sure to be home for the annual Tony Awards. In my childhood home, traditional media award shows weren’t likely to make appearances. Mom often despised the extravagance and patriarchal overtones of the pre-show red carpet. But, the featured performances of Tony-nominated shows … Continue reading What Theater Did for a Fat Girl like Me
A Woman's Hands Some days in this world there are women who find themselves in need of a mother, a sister, a friend. Desiring a safe place to turn to A gentle hand to hold As the liquid courage coursing under skin Falls from their eyes No amount of soap can erase the dirt No … Continue reading A Woman’s Hands
Coming into graduate school this past August, I had high expectations of my peers and my program. My graduate program is ranked number seven in the nation and is well known in my area for producing some of the best counselors around. As a group of future counselors and current counselor educators, it seemed reasonable … Continue reading Your Transphobia Isn’t My Burden to Bear
As a black man living in America, I believe I can speak for many others like myself when I say that some of us aren’t great at dating or relationships. Many of us grow into adulthood with a lot of baggage from our youth. Unfortunately, many of us are not equipped with the proper tools … Continue reading Why Dating a Black Man Can Be Difficult
