I felt I was always alone and excluded by my peers during my college years. Growing up, I was more expressive and artistic than my peers, and I felt increasingly alienated moving into my teens. I tried to find friends actively, but when the exclusion grew, my emotions were suppressed, and I felt numb. I isolated myself more and more until I felt there was no reason to continue. See how a summer scholarship in Chinese helped me to come out of my isolation and loneliness. Going to China and seeing a larger world allowed my perspective to grow. Learn how I started to express myself even more creatively and how this helped me vent my emotions and connect with people that valued my talents. Finding my “tribe” of other creatives and seeking spaces that allow me to be who I am helped me accept myself and heal my self-worth. Today I am using my creative talents to challenge and push my society forward in embracing more diversity.