Anonymous or Name Withheld

I’m currently in my second year of a Bachelor of Youth Work & Youth Studies at RMIT.

I am a first-generation Australian born Chinese. My parents came to Australia in search for a better life and worked hard to provide for me and my brother. This has allowed me to be openly queer, explore my gender identity, and given me all the opportunities they never had. I aspire to be a youth worker and want to work with LGBTIQ+ and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) young people.

Growing up as a minority I struggled with my identity as well as other hardships and would not be where I am today without the support and love from my communities. In high school I had a counsellor who was a queer man and he guided me through a difficult time in my life and I looked up to him as a queer elder. He is my inspiration for why I am studying to be a youth worker, so I can give back what I was given to the future generations of LGBTIQ+ young people.

I would like to thank The Pinnacle Foundation for welcoming to the Pinnacle Family and the City of Melbourne for funding my scholarship.