Zed shares that he grew up in a community where he experienced people asking if he was a boy or a girl. He said he was part of the Taoist community for many years and then stopped participating when he learned they did not embrace his queer identity. He said that for change to happen, it starts with educating oneself and learning the history of oppression. He believes in Asian thriving by bringing in the warrior spirit.
Zed is a proud Canadian of Chinese and Norwegian heritage. He was born on Vancouver Island in the Comox Valley and grew up in largely white-dominated spaces. His formative years as a teen included being an active member of a Taoist religion community which helped shape much of his values until he found out they did not condone his queer identity. He was fortunate enough to have wonderful support within the arts community and participated in Indigenous healing ceremonies. Zed shares his colourful story of being a non-conformist, growing up with a Chinese Canadian parent with mental illness, and finding his own identity as a psychology scholar.
