From a young age, I felt wrong in my body, struggling with the expectations of living as a girl. Although I begrudgingly conformed to standards for most of my childhood, it took me until 2018 to start questioning my gender expression and identity. For a year I felt lost and confused in my body, until I couldn’t take it any more. I came out weeks before I turned twelve, requesting to be called Lee and to be recognized as the boy I was. The fear that had built up in me left me ultimately shocked when my family accepted me with open arms. My medical transition began shortly after I came out. I started puberty blockers in May 2020, followed by testosterone injections in July 2023. Concurrently, my family and I began researching top surgery, connecting with a doctor at Albany Med. After my first consultation, my family and I were optimistic about scheduling the surgery for mid-February, assuming the insurance would approve it. Initially, CDPHP declined my surgery, claiming that I hadn't been taking testosterone long enough to qualify for top surgery. However, I knew my rights and asked my mother to fight for me. We filled out dozens of appeals, fighting for my right to health care. The surgery date was pushed back many times, eventually landing in April. My surgeon told us that we would need to reschedule for summer if my insurance hadn't decided by the first week of April. I lost hope, fearing I wouldn't be able to get the weight off my chest that had been paining me for years. We weren't told until a week before my surgery that I would be able to have it done. As soon as I was told the news, I was overjoyed. I celebrated, cheered, and told everyone I knew. The surgery eventually passed, leaving me comfortable in my skin. It gave me freedom to explore the queer community, falling in love with drag. I began working behind the scenes with local drag queens at cafe brunches, learning the art from them. They taught me how to be unapologetically queer. I was given opportunities to perform, which I wouldn't accept until February of 2025, marking my drag debut. As soon the music began, all of my fears melted away. I knew who I was meant to be. My debut led me to organize a charity dinner show at a teahouse in Troy, New York, booking three trans queens to perform. The weeks flew by, with the event surpassing my expectations. As I began hosting the show in front of a sold-out room, I realized this was all because of my efforts. Everyone who came here came for fun, and to raise money for charity. The show ended up as a complete success, raising over $300 for Trans Lifeline. Backstage I was surrounded by the same support that I craved. I knew where I belonged. I know that I get to write my own future, and the first step of that is attending the Fashion Institute of Technology. With their top-class education and my drag styles, I know that I can use my fashion and art for the good of the LGBTQ+ community. Nothing can stop my goals, not even a price tag on my education. I will stop at nothing to get where I need to be to support my community. A scholarship of any size gets me closer to my dream and can help me give support back to the community that has stood behind me for years.

I have always stood out. As a child, I was never a part of any big groups. I was always the weird art kid on the outside, face buried in a sketchbook. My younger years were especially rough. I was scared to socialize with my peers, especially as a young transgender person. I might have hung out with one or two people, but my best friends were always my drawings. I always kept myself afloat through my creativity. Whenever I was scared, I managed to escape to the blank spaces of my sketchbook. My drawings all followed a similar formula. They contained one or two people, striking poses, and showcasing unique and interesting outfits. Now, given I that was raised by artistic parents, and I loved the arts, I obviously wanted a career in some field of art. I just didn’t know how I could turn my art into a full time job. It wasn’t until I discovered my passion for drag that I realized I loved fashion. I used my art as a self expression, and as soon as I realized that the art of drag could be my personal expression I became motivated to create outfits and designs that embodied my experience as a queer person. Watching RuPaul’s Drag Race only motivated me further. I would watch what the themes were for the week, and try to design my own looks. I wanted to see how I could blur the lines between male and female, and to push the boundaries for what would be considered normal. Designers such as Windowsen or BadBinchTongTong called out to me with their unorthodox and irregular designs. I finally saw people like me; people who didn’t care what people thought about them, and made what they wanted to see. Seeing unique individuals made me realize that I don’t need to fit in. My place had always been in my sketchbook, creating what I wanted when I wanted. I create because I want to be remembered. I refuse to create work that is going to be forgotten. I won’t stop creating until I know my art will outlive me. Receiving this scholarship will help me reach my goals of graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, one of the most competitive fashion design school. My education through FIT will elevate my artwork, and give me the opportunity to spread the art of fashion on a larger scale than anything I could have accomplished on my own. I will be taught by the best in the industry, and my work will exponentially improve. My work isn't perfect now, but it has potential for the future. With the right help, my art will be remembered for years to come.