TJ is a Melbourne-based YouTuber and content creator whose YouTube channel TJ is all about capturing “Melbourne like you’ve never seen it — raw, loud, and straight from the streets.”

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With roots that run deep and diverse, TJ was born in Vietnam. He arrived in Australia as a tiny two-week-old boat person, spending time as a refugee in Indonesia before calling Flemington and St. Albans home. A proud dad and self-proclaimed “normal bloke” who’s lived through tough times (think heroin-era streets and personal hardships), TJ was ditched by his 25-year corporate grind and now he’s a full-time YouTuber grinding solo on @TJ_OFFICIAL_MELB, where he’s finding his groove as a part journalistic, part documentary-style storyteller.

With nearly 20K subs and a mission to inspire hope amid Australia’s social challenges, TJ’s all about community, raw truths, and proving anyone can pivot to their passion.

Episode Highlights Include:

* From Boat Baby to YouTube Boss: TJ’s Epic Origin Story – We kicked off with TJ’s wild ride from fleeing Vietnam as a newborn refugee to growing up in Melbourne’s gritty suburbs like Flemington and St. Albans. He spills on his “hard but blessed” life, ditching the corporate soul-suck after a surprise firing, and going all-in on YouTube just 11 months ago.

* Evolving the Channel: From Vlogs to Heart-Hitting Docs – TJ dishes on his YouTube glow-up, starting with gaming and car content before pivoting to raw suburb walks and storytelling. We geek out on his documentary style (think Current Affair meets street grit), dodging hate as a “Spanian wannabe,” and building a community through real talk on Melbourne’s hidden gems and struggles. TJ brings value, hooks, emotion and a polished-without-being-too-polished vibe, often trying out his cuts on his partner for feedback.

* Shining Light on Melbourne’s Real Issues: Homelessness, Drugs, and Hope – Things get real as TJ opens up about documenting Australia’s homelessness crisis, drug woes in spots like St. Kilda and Footscray, and why mainstream media’s dropping the ball. With his community-first lens, he shares stories of pain, progress, and inspiration – from collabing with locals to calling for better government action.

* COVID’s Lasting Echoes: A Stain on Trust and a Spark for Change – TJ gets candid about how COVID flipped his world, torching his trust in mainstream media and exposing society’s fractures. He calls it a “stain” that polarised opinions and trapped people without a voice, leading to repercussions like rising unrest and describes is as one of his darkest periods that nearly took his life.

You can learn more about TJ and his exploits via his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@TJ_OFFICIAL_MELB

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