As an adopted Asian LGBTQ woman, I often question the notion of identity and its impact in my life. Having been adopted at a very young age by a French family who moved to Chicoutimi, I grew up speaking French and have spent most of my life in the province of Quebec. I feel entirely Québecoise, but I am often not perceived as such because of my physical traits. To this date, people still compliment my French! Interestingly enough, I experienced something similar but in reverse when I returned to my birth country. While I physically look Korean, I was not perceived as one, because of my cultural upbringing and my accent when speaking the language. This paradox resulted in me feeling like I belong to both environments while not belonging to either. Even though I grew up in a non-Asian family, I have still been associated with the model minority concept in various situations. Many in my personal and professional circles expected me to be less outspoken, sometimes going as far as even praising me and “my people” when I would tactfully handle a situation. However, this has had the opposite effect: I have felt encouraged to fully embrace who I am (including how outspoken I can be!), to offer a listening ear to marginalized individuals and to encourage those around me to speak up when facing discrimination. I believe that speaking up and standing united against all forms of prejudice and discrimination is the way to move forward. It may not change overnight, but I sincerely believe that each effort matters. I have come to accept how layered and nuanced my personal story and identity can be, and to embrace diversity under all its forms. What I love about Montreal is that it is filled with people whose story is unique, nuanced and layered in different ways. My hope for the future is that we can come together as a society and that we can all feel like we truly belong, regardless of where we come from, whom we love or who we are.