Teddy felt isolated after coming out. All that changed when they found community and explored opportunities for their artistic expression.

For Teddy, school was difficult, especially after coming out as a trans-identified person. Their intersecting racial identity made it harder for them to find and define affirming community connections.

Through their struggle, they made a critical decision to reach out to community groups, where they felt they might find supportive spaces to claim. That is when they joined the Trans Youth Mentorship Program (TYMP) at The 519. Through the program, they participated in planning events like the Trans Film Fest.

In 2018, Teddy joined Animazing, a stop-motion animation camp at The 519. This program offered them an opportunity to hone their skills as an illustrator and to find powerful ways to express their emotions and ideas.

“I want to utilize this medium to express the challenges I am going through as a young trans-identified person – experiences that other queer and trans youth can relate to.”

Teddy’s experiences with the community make them value how small acts can have a lasting positive impact on someone’s life. They want to be there for other youth who are struggling to find safe spaces where they could be themselves.