KHIA

PHOTO BY RANDY BACON

KHIA

“Friendly Next Door Neighbor”

I’m that friendly next door neighbor that you can go to if you need a friend, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to laugh with. I like to be treated with respect. I want people to look out for one another to make this world a better place. I am happy when I meet other people just like me and we start to build friendships. Other happy moments in my life are basically simple things like going out to eat with my family, cookouts at my Uncle’s house on holidays.

Graduating high school was a happy moment, there were some not so happy moments on that journey. For me, it got a lot worse in middle school because kids are really quick to judge. I was laughed at, bullied & put down. Kids would make fun of the little things...how I look, my weight, my height, and the things I love.

People don’t always understand a person who is different. Looking back on those moments, I did not let the negativity get me down. The advice I would give to other people is to forget what the haters think. What's more important is how you feel about yourself. Don’t be afraid to be different because different is originality too.

You only live once, so live life to the fullest, do all of the things you want to do. Don’t be afraid to be yourself because there are the people that won’t accept you and there are the people that will accept you. You need to accept the people that will accept you.