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

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“Um, But…Why?” Nonbinary Person Navigates Questions After Coming Out

by Aria Renee Curameng

“Um, But…Why?” Nonbinary Person Navigates Questions After Coming Out

 I’m Aria Renee Curameng and I’m from Fort Washington, Maryland.  Back in, I want to say 2021, I went out with a friend of mine and we constantly went to piano bars....

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Chosen Family Saved Me: Bisexual Woman Finds Saving Grace During Pandemic

by Ambika

Chosen Family Saved Me: Bisexual Woman Finds Saving Grace During Pandemic

My name is Ambika Nair. I am from Plainsboro, New Jersey.  I grew up in a conservative South Asian family. I only really realized that I was bisexual once I graduated high school....

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Queer Sikh Man Uses Visibility and Experience in Healthcare to Help and Empower Others.

by Sundeep Singh Boparai

Queer Sikh Man Uses Visibility and Experience in Healthcare to Help and Empower Others.

My name is Sundeep Singh Boparai. My pronouns are he, him, his, and I’m from Queens, New York.  I was a senior in undergrad and my mom was actually making lunch for me. And ...

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From Bi Erasure to “Flaming Bisexual”: Bi Asian Mom Learns the Value of Visibility.

by Ivy Le

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 ...

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Out of the Closet, Into the Mayor’s Office. Todd Gloria’s Coming Out Journey Gives Hope to Others

by Todd Gloria

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...

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Music to His Ears: Competitive Karaoke Helps Gay Man Find the Confidence to Come Out & Help Others

by Vu Doan

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 ...

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Gay Man Pushes Back Against Mother’s Anti-Gay Vitriol and Their Relationship Thrives as a Result.

by Kai Ambakad

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...

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Justin, a gay Filipino man sits for interview in a kitchen. He is smiling with a blue tshirt and a microphone clipped to his collar.

by Justin Senense

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...

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Leon Yuan Headshot

by Leon Yuan

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 ...

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Queer Woman Honors Friend’s Life By Coming Out And Living Fearlessly.

by Jina

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...

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“If My Personality Is Multifaceted, Why Can’t My Experiences Be?” Queer South Asian Embraces How He Doesn’t Fit Perfectly Anywhere.

by Darshan Shah

“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...

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After Series of Incidents, How One Person Learned to Stop “Letting It Go” & Start “Naming My Needs.”

by Christian Luu

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...

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Unfortunately, this is all the stories we have in the Asian-Pacific Islander category.

I’m From Driftwood is producing new stories on an ongoing basis. Want to help us find more stories Asian-Pacific Islander stories? Let us know!