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I'm a third-year business analytics student and international student at U²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù and I'm passionate about entrepreneurship, intersectional identity, and building communities that support diverse founders. Everything I do connects to my intersectionality and positionality as a queer individual, person of colour, and immigrant. These aren't boxes that limit me; they're the foundation of my advocacy work.

When I arrived in Canada, I thought my career path was straightforward: corporate work or consulting. My first job as a marketing intern at a startup changed everything. I discovered the magic of watching ideas grow, the energy of small yet dynamic teams, and how meaningful work feels when you're building something from the ground up.

This summer, I conducted PURE research on supporting intersectional entrepreneurs in ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù's innovation ecosystem through a longitudinal cohort study. Working with Professor Chad Saunders and Innovate ²»Á¼Ñо¿Ëù, I interviewed entrepreneurs who identify as women, people of color, immigrants, Indigenous people, and other marginalized identities. What surprised me most? One entrepreneur told me that in decades of running several ventures, this was the first time someone asked not just for feedback, but what they would change and create impact.

People have a lot to say; they just maybe have not yet had the opportunity to say it. We were really driven to engage participants in a way that could actually effect change, not just to create a report. More than anything, this research showed me that impact starts with listening. It’s a lesson I’ll carry into every space I enter — as a researcher, an entrepreneur, and a community builder.