Trigger Warning: depression, suicide, anxiety, trauma, abuse. Today, we're joined by a true powerhouse and inspiration: Alyy Patel. A trailblazing LGBTQ+ scholar, activist, writer, and influencer, Alyy has pioneered Canadian research on queer South Asian women's issues. Alyy is gay, gender-fluid, and Indo-African Gujarati. Throughout their career, Alyy has accomplished so many firsts for South Asian women, including being the first South Asian speaker at Toronto's Dyke March. Oh, and did we mention they're only 25? We sit down with Alyy to pull back the curtain and find out what goes into being a true trailblazer. Alyy gets candid with us about their struggles with mental health and abuse, and how it led them to dive deeper into activism. We learn all about Alyy's thriving non-profit organization — the Queer South Asian Women's Network — and how it's creating a safe space for queer Indian women around the world. Most of all, we talk about the complex relationship between South Asian culture and queerness. And how all of us (with the help of leaders like Alyy) can continue to foster openness and inclusion. Want to join the Queer South Asian Network? Follow @QSAWnetwork and learn more at www.qsawnetwork.com. Keep up with Alyy @alyypatel or www.alyypatel.com.

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