‘I’m from Driftwood’ is a collection of stories that aims to help lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people learn more about their community, straight people learn more about their neighbours and everyone learn more about themselves through the power of storytelling and story-sharing.

The below video is Kayleigh Salstrand‘s story. After participating in San Francisco’s Dyke March as a young child with her extended family, Kayleigh gained the courage and confidence to come out.

The experience proved to be eye-opening and valuable for young Kayleigh. Not only did she witness members of the LGBTQ community openly and proudly expressing the queer side of who they are, but she got the chance to interact with LGBTQ adults, after only being exposed to straight adults.

I saw members of queer communities who are having an awesome time, who are adults – because I had just seen straight adults, otherwise – living awesome, exciting lives. It was important because my family saw me in this environment and it was going to be okay for me to come out with my family, and tell them I was a lesbian, and that I was going to keep being a lesbian.

Kayleigh Salstrand

This is Kayleigh’s true LGBTQ story: