After years of being bullied for having an accent and coming from the United States by kids in my neighborhood and peers at a Korean elementary school, my parents transferred me to an American K-12 institution. Socializing in the new American environment was more pleasant than my previous experiences. Yet in high school, as I was slowly realizing my own sexual identity, I feared that I might become a victim of bullying again. Instead of hiding, I actively participated in …show more content…
to attend Mount Holyoke College. Although I was more comfortable with myself, others’ biases and intolerance against me did not wane. I became the target of racially-charged, homophobic cyber attacks in my junior year. In response, I took my experience as an opportunity to engage in conversations with others. I facilitated several Taboo! sessions, a community dialogue series that engages members to talk about sensitive subjects, about racial and sexual identity, coming out experiences, and creating a more inclusive campus. After many sexual and racial minority students shared their experiences of discriminatory practices from the campus public safety officers during one of the Taboo! sessions, several students and I petitioned and successfully persuaded the public safety department to hire more sexual minority and female