Like every gender non-conforming child, I knew from a young age that I was not the same as my same-sex peers. I was born assigned male at birth (AMAB), and growing up I struggled with reconciling my gender identity internally. I was never comfortable in all-male spaces, such as bathrooms, locker rooms, and ESPECIALLY hotel rooms on out-of-town field trips (those often ended in sleepless nights). For a long time, similar to other AMAB transfeminine people, I attributed these feelings to being gay. I felt like the title of a “gay man” allowed me to explore my gender freely, and finally experience gender fluidity in an uninhibited fashion. However, I was quickly reminded that all-male spaces are the same regardless if they are heterosexually or homosexually oriented, and I could not feel seen because… I am simply not a man. No matter how much I tried to feel represented by gay maleness, I felt like I was continuously compensating for my femininity by overemphasizing or sexualizing my body, in a way that felt like I had to sacrifice my authenticity as a human being and market my gender. After many periods of insecurity and depression, I knew something had to give. Through the guidance of transgender friends who have been in my shoes, I accepted the reality that was always the most fearful to recognize- I am trans. Yet the very night that I accepted myself as non-binary, my nightmares ceased, and every day since has been a blessing in the journey of unlimited and boundless self-discovery. As a result, however, my familial relationships suffered. Following my first year being out, and my exploration of gender fluidity through both bodily and stylistic changes, my parents withdrew their financial support of my college as they believe it is “radicalizing” me. Thankfully, my newfound confidence has allowed me to achieve many milestones on my own, including a temporary position at the ACLU of Florida, where I help organize young Latino students like myself to vote locally and fight against disenfranchisement and suppression. This has allowed me to keep my head above the water for the time being, but my contract expires this year, and I am concerned about the future of my housing and education. At times, I question my decision to come out, and wonder if I would’ve been better off keeping it a secret- but the joy and peace that I feel now is priceless, and I would not give it up for the world. I am currently studying to attain a bachelor’s in Global & Sociocultural Studies with a focus on Sociology, and I also hope to attain certificates in both Queer Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. I have always loved history and the complexities of our society, but I have also learned how sociology plays out in my own lived experience. Furthermore, broadening my studies to include queer concepts has also deepened my self-understanding of how societal institutions interact to shape the ideas around gender that have long dominated my conscious and subconscious thinking. Through research that examines the intersection between queerness, gender performance, and the mixed-race ethnic groups of Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in my mother country of the Dominican Republic. I know my contributions as a brown gender non-conforming person can help rewrite the narrative around Afro-Latino queerness that has often been produced from a white cisgender perspective. By doing so, I hope to uplift brown queer experiences and give them their deserving place and dignity within academia, furthering the battle for equality and recognition for all queer peoples around the globe.