Devin is an online peer educator with YouthResource.

Hey, my name is Devin and I am a 22 year old college student. I reside in New York, born and raised on Long Island. My academic focus is on Sociology with double minors in Latina Studies and Africana Studies.

I am person of many cultures and proud of my Latinidad. My parents are from El Salvador, a humble country in the heart of Central America. I identify with my native roots, the Mayan and Pipil civilizations, and also with the African ancestry that historical textbooks and ignorant numbers overlook ever existing in El Salvador. I have always been very conscious of the internalized racism that affects the interaction between many communities of color, especially since we need to work together to make an impact.

Recognizing the intersection between ethnicity, sex/gender, sexual orientation and religion has been something I've been forced to see. In the Latino and Black communities, the church holds heavy influence. Needless to say, many people of color end up being homophobic or transphobic because religion often creates a hostile environment for LGBTQ people. Although these identities are seen as independent, they eventually intertwine.

When these multiple identities are jumbled together and a teenager is involved, a huge dilemma arises. Teenage life holds enough challenges dealing with school, parents, siblings, changing bodies, sexuality, gender identity and relationships so things like racism and homophobia at play can make it a hell of a lot harder. I know from experience. As someone who might fall under the bisexual umbrella but rejected the label, as someone who once questioned his gender identity but realized the complexity and fluidity of male and female, as someone who now understands himself to be a two-spirited male, I commend the strength of teens who deal with these issues.