For many years, I was aware that I was part of the LGBTQ+. And though I was not necessarily hiding it, my pride for it wasn't really there. It was difficult to navigate a world that keeps telling you that you're wrong, even though it feels like it's the only right thing. Besides my journey to self-acceptance, some previous challenges still arise. I still struggle to wear my identity with pride. Especially with my not-so-supporting family. It's hard to say if they will ever fully accept me, but I'm definitely not going to let that stop me from going on in life. I've come a long way, and I'm proud. Although sometimes I can't look at my father in the eyes, I at least have my close friends that support me. I'm currently a member of UNITY at my university. It is an organization that helps spread awareness about queer students and help them have a safer academic environment. We are currently advocating for an all-inclusive bathroom in the common area of our school. I hope that we continue to do more positive work around campus to keep bettering the community for queer students like myself.

Since I was younger, music has been another extension of me. It has brought some escape to the harsh reality I live in daily. It keeps me from giving up everything I fight for. Performing or creating music allows me to express myself. It gives me the motivation I need to keep moving forward and makes me hopeful for a better future. A future where queer artists don't have to worry about the negative consequences of creating art and being proud of themselves. Whether it's dancing to music, listening to music, or performing a piece, music inspires me to keep pushing. Because music is my passion and gives me purpose. My only hope is that I successfully finish my music degree in the upcoming years so I can share my love for music with my community and give a voice to young queer voices. And hopefully, create an inclusive classroom where my future students feel free to be themselves with music, just like it does to me.

My song of choice is Song for Justice by Kim Andre Arnesen. I performed this piece with my university's choir a few months ago. This song opened up a magical rabbit hole of truly powerful songs that I believe need to be shared. This songs talk about social justice and how it affects people all around. I made sure to include several genres so a lot more people have a chance to enjoy the playlist.