photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

photo by Kevin Truong

Bond, in his own words “”As a gay man in New York City, the biggest challenge I continually face is my own mind. Like many others, I carry the emotional scars that stem from a childhood of feeling like an outsider. In my case, not only for being gay, but also for being an Asian American in a predominantly Caucasian society. After going through college and living in New York City for more than 5 years, I have learned to accept and embrace both my sexuality and race. I’ve also come to realize that what I viewed as my personal weaknesses, were also the same things that pushed me and motivated me to succeed both academically and professionally. However, the scars do remain. In a city like New York, it’s very easy to have feelings of inadequacy by constantly comparing myself and my achievements to that of others; and using that as a benchmark for my own personal success. This sense of competition can make those scars glaringly visible. I have recognized this over the years and continually strive to improve by finding happiness within myself – independent of external validation. In the life journey of discovering myself in all facets, I have to say that I’m not quite where I want to be just yet; but I can say I’ve come a long way and will continue to push forward.”