If you know me, you know I self-identify as a gay Mexican man, but more specifically, as a gay Mexican immigrant. Since 2006, at the sweet age of 20, I have had the opportunity of engaging in great life-forming experiences. From taking a gap year from university to work at Walt Disney World, work and travel in the United States and Mexico with a group of 100 international volunteers, and immigrating to Canada, where I lived in Edmonton, Calgary, and now, Halifax.

My year in Florida has been by far the most impactful experience of my life. Being away from home for the first time allowed me to understand and accept a part of myself that until then, I considered to be shameful. Disney is the place where I first said, “I’m gay,” the place where I found a group of people who loved me exactly for who I am, and the place where I first fell in love. Unfortunately, when I came out to my parents, after coming back from Florida, they made it clear they would never be accepting of this part of my identity. It was back then, 15 years ago that I made the decision to live my life for me, even when it meant having to say goodbye to friends and family and leave everything and everyone I had grown up with.

In the last fifteen years, I’ve experienced tremendous joy and happiness, and I have achieved things I would never have considered possible, but I have also been riddled with the guilt of running away and leaving my family behind, with periods of extreme loneliness and anxiety that have made me wonder if this was the right choice. Moving so often has also made me feel unable to set roots and feel like I belong. However, almost every day I am reminded that no matter where I am, or how often I move, or how many people think I am less than or unworthy for being gay, I have an amazing group of people, a LARGE group of people, in my corner. To all of you, today I want to say THANK YOU!

Thank you for accepting me and loving me as I am, for seeing the best in me when I can only see the worst, for reminding me that I am loyal, caring, smart, but most importantly for reminding me I am worthy. Thank you for the laughs, the dances, the trips, the Christmases and Thanksgivings, the paddle boarding, camping, road trips, for being there on the moments where I’ve been at my best but also being a shoulder to cry on when things get tough, for reminding me that it will get better, that the sadness will pass.

Thank you, for calling me out when I am in the wrong and for celebrating me when I succeed. For putting up with my moody, needy self and for giving me a hug when I need one (I ALWAYS need a hug). For knowing what makes me happy, for indulging me with my Disney obsession, for going on weekend adventures, for knowing that I will never say no to a baked good, especially if it is an almond croissant! Thank you to those who share with me being part of this community, and for those who have pushed themselves to learn and become great allies. But most of all, thank you for making this gay, Mexican, immigrant feel at home, no matter the location. I am lucky to have you, I am lucky you’ve welcomed me into your lives. I am lucky that, no matter if it’s been an hour or a few years since we last talked, our paths crossed. I wouldn’t be who I am without you. Every day you push me to be better. I love you.