It is a difficult road to feel proud of who you are when the outside world draws a dark picture of you. The road to who I am begins by understanding who I am as an Aboriginal person. The road improves as I discover the gifts of being Two Spirit. And the road continues as I brave the path of healing away alcohol.

Coming out of the closet is a big deal, and I was proud of myself when I broke down in tears to tell my friends I was gay in grade 9. What I didn't realize was that if you're a queer Danish-Guyanese-Chinese-hyphens-up-the-wazoo-Canadian man, that's not the last time in your life you're going to come out. Let me tell you stories about guessing if it's safe to come out at work, wondering how to fit in at Cariwest when you're the whitest person in the parade, and pretending not to speak Chinese when it's more fun to eavesdrop.

In late 2010/early 2011, Tunisians took to the streets in a prolonged campaign of civil disobedience to demand political and economic reforms. Many protestors were killed or injured. However, the dramatic wave of protests, now known as the Tunisian Revolution, succeeded in ousting long-time President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, and became an inspiration for similar movements in the region. I lived through it all. My story is about my participation in the Tunisian Revolution and how the experience has changed me, and my country.

A young girl from India sets out on unanticipated journey to a new land. Thousands of miles away from home, this novice finds her life change in ways unexpected. This story is about the girl's journey, her experiences and the changes she undergoes to adjust to a new culture. Breaking barriers between the East and the West in search of a new life, the girl adds humorous tone to pleasant and unpleasant events alike. A story that most immigrants can relate to.

When I decided to wear the hijab (headscarf) in 2011 as a symbol of my new found faith, I found it came with a lot of new opportunities and challenges. Growing up in Canada I was taught that this country was the land of opportunity, a land that my parents left everything back home in India for. As I began to see changes in the way people interacted with me, I began to question the reason behind their behavior. I was the same woman, just with a scarf tied around my head and neck, yet people treated me differently. After the incidents of 9/11, many began to see my scarf as a symbol of oppression and terror. I am here to show you that is not true, and that being a visible Muslim woman is more than just a scarf.

My family emigrated illegally from communist Czechoslovakia to Canada in 1981 when I was 7 years old. In the process, we spent several months as refugees in Europe. My memory of being a refugee and my experience of living in a communist state are quite different from what comes to my mind when I encounter these concepts in popular culture. The journey, over which I had very little control, has influenced my life in subtle and profound ways.

I began to go blind at the age of four. Since then, life has been interesting journey, full of good, bad, surprising and always educational experiences. My story is a series of anecdotes about how vision loss has shaped my experiences with education, family, society, and culture. I will be relating situations that I have encountered and exploring the various perceptions that accompany them. It will be an open discussion where I will share my story and answer any questions readers may have about living with vision loss.

My journey began in a Bor Dinka village and traditional farming community in South Sudan. When I was a young boy, I was caught in the middle of the Sudanese war and, at 15, I was recruited as a child soldier, becoming the first generation of the "Lost Boys of Sudan." During my periodic participation in the South Sudanese frontlines, I was shot, seriously injured and captured as a prisoner of war. Prior to my arrival in Edmonton, I lived in Ethiopian refugee camps, a madrassa in Khartoum, and in Cairo, where I assisted the diplomatic crew of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement Chapter for the Middle East and North Africa Egypt-Cairo. I would like to share my story and offer my insights into South Sudanese culture, politics, and history.

Miranda Jimmy is a Cree woman still discovering her heritage. As a child of alcoholic parents and with a father fitting many of the common Aboriginal stereotypes, her mission is to educate and change people's perceptions of what a "real" Aboriginal person is.