I'm From Driftwood
The stories on I’m From Driftwood send a simple but powerful message to LGBTQIA+ people everywhere: You are not alone. I’m From Driftwood combats isolation and creates empathy to build a more understanding and accepting world. These are our stories, told in our own voices.
Latest Asian-Pacific Islander Stories
From Bi Erasure to “Flaming Bisexual”: Bi Asian Mom Learns the Value of Visibility.
Hi, I’m Ivy Le from Dallas, Texas. I thought everybody was bisexual. My family immigrated from Vietnam, so I actually grew up in two really conservative cultures; Vietnamese ...
Out of the Closet, Into the Mayor’s Office. Todd Gloria’s Coming Out Journey Gives Hope to Others
Hi, my name is Todd Gloria, and I was born and raised in San Diego. I’m a third-generation San Diegan and I now serve as the mayor of my hometown. I was probably about four...
Music to His Ears: Competitive Karaoke Helps Gay Man Find the Confidence to Come Out & Help Others
My name is Vu Doan. I am from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Grew up in a very conservative Vietnamese, Buddhist household. So I had girlfriends and was very much focused on school as ...
Gay Man Pushes Back Against Mother’s Anti-Gay Vitriol and Their Relationship Thrives as a Result.
Hi, I’m Kai Ambakad from Fullerton, California. I was 19 and I was going to do errands and just have a good day with my mom. So we went out on a Sunday and we were shopping f...
After Coming Out to Filipino Immigrant Parents, Gay Man Learns to Stop Seeking Approval From Others.
I’m Justin Senense, and I’m from Abilene, Texas. I was raised under three pillars. I would say for a Filipino family, it was always food, then it was family, and then i...
From Texas to Taiwan, Gay Man Overcomes Fear By Coming Out Again and Again
Hi, I’m Leon Yuan. I grew up in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. As a teenager growing up in Taiwan, I always knew I was gay. My biggest fear at the time was that if I were to come out to ...
Queer Woman Honors Friend’s Life By Coming Out And Living Fearlessly.
My name is Jina and I’m from Marietta, Georgia. When I was growing up in Marietta, which is this majority white conservative suburb of Atlanta, I was very much an outsider. I als...
“If My Personality Is Multifaceted, Why Can’t My Experiences Be?” Queer South Asian Embraces How He Doesn’t Fit Perfectly Anywhere.
Hi, I’m Darshan Shah. I’m from Lake Mary, Florida. It was my sophomore year at the University of Florida. New to coming out, just kind of came out to my closest group of friend...
After Series of Incidents, How One Person Learned to Stop “Letting It Go” & Start “Naming My Needs.”
My name is Christian Luu. I’m from Dallas, Texas. And before the pandemic, maybe four or five months, I was working at a pretty large national chain restaurant. Servers tend to b...
After a Nearly Fatal Bout with Depression, Gay Man Learns to “Smile for Yourself” And Live Authentically.
I’m David. I’m from Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Back when I was in high school, I was watching this YouTube video of this YouTuber. He was gay at the time. When I saw his video...
Gay Man Learns to Accept Himself After Reaching Low Point. “No Matter What Happens Now, I’m Comfortable With Who I Am.”
My name is John. I’m from Salt Lake City, Utah. One of the first times I encountered anything to do with LGBT+ issues was when I was 10. I was watching the news with my mother, a...
Gay Man Works Through The Trauma Of Sexual Assault. “I Am A Lot Happier Now That I’ve Done This Work.”
My name is Nicholas and I’m from Orange County, California. So when I was 14, or sophomore year of high school, whichever came first, I came out to my mom first off as a bisexual...
Unfortunately, this is all the stories we have in the Asian-Pacific Islander category.
