My second year living in Seattle has been one of exciting changes. In June, I graduated with my Master of Social Work in Administration and Policy Practice from the University of Washington, which felt like a big end to my 19 consecutive years of education (you can imagine I was feeling ready to be done!). Also in June, I submitted my Masters thesis/passion project on peer respite centers, which are peer-run alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization, and sent the research out for future publication in a research journal. My parents and sister travelled to Seattle to celebrate and visit the stunning Orcas Island, which was a blast. I took the rest of the summer to decompress and take a few adventurous trips to a rural Washington farm, Portland and Chicago. In the fall, I started my first post-grad job as a mental health counselor and care coordinator at a Seattle-area middle school and high school with a majority queer and trans student body. Despite my research and policy focus in school, I am finding that directly supporting youth mental health in a school setting feels fulfilling and natural for me right now. There are certainly very difficult days doing this work within broken systems and a lack of resources, and I'm grateful to have a strong network of support from friends and family to get me through. I am also proud to have come out as non-binary this year. Having the privilege to express my authentic self in a safe and affirming community both at work and in my personal life has meant the world, and I'm dreaming of a future where this is the norm for all. Thank you as always to MVYouth and to my Vineyard roots for providing me with the support and resources to get me here!