My Truest Self..

"The only real way to live in an unfree world, is to live so free, so unapologetically yourself, that even your simple existence is an act of rebellion." -Albert Camus

These words are a testament of my life today.

On Monday October 12th, we celebrated International Coming Out Day.

There is so much power in the word "WE". The world, my community, my family, and most importantly I, at 26 years old, was fortunate enough to participate. Today I am free. Completely free. Existing in a world that's calls for conformity and fears change and individuality. I understand that this is a privilege. That this is growth in the most beautiful way possible. I know that today I exist as my truest self. It's a very proud and happy time in my life to date. I am grateful.

I'm grateful for my sister Ashia for teaching me to "trust the process". I am grateful for valiant and brave heroes like Bryant Basketball Coach Chris Burns. For network television producers that take necessary risks and choose to normalize homosexuality, disability and non-comformative lifestyles in the light of normative media. I'm grateful for Stanislaus Soccer for giving me positions of leadership and influence at such impressionable times in my life. For teaching me that my existence mattered, that what I had to say was important and that I was selling myself short by not being who I was supposed to be. Most importantly I'm grateful for my family, chosen and blood (Ohana), for always loving me. This is my life now...The real one. The right way.