Actor, author and activist Maulik Pancholy hosts powerful #HRCTwitterTakeover for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

1/ Hey, Twitter! It’s @MaulikPancholy. I’m an actor, author and activist here today for a very important #HRCTwitterTakeover. I’m talking about my own experiences as a gay Asian Pacific Islander American and the critical need to create welcoming spaces for LGBTQ youth. pic.twitter.com/XdLcIaOhmG
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

2/ May is Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As an Indian American, LGBTQ man and the proud son of immigrants, #APAHM really hits home. I’m thrilled to talk about the ways my identities shape who I am. —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/yHbrN5aqME pic.twitter.com/oBmaNiORe1
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

3/Growing up in a pretty conservative town wasn’t always easy. I was sometimes made to feel like I was “weird” & there were times when I actually felt unsafe for being who I am. Sometimes as an adult I still feel unsafe.—@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/QL8YTYJtxZ
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

4/ And it's no different for kids today. LGBTQ young people experience elevated levels of stress & often don’t have support from their family or school. Many people of color like me face unique challenges. —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/FvMkvTRu3Q
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

5/ According to @HRC’s LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islander Youth Report, of the LGBTQ API youth surveyed…

��Only 19% can “definitely” be themselves at home
��Only 29% can “definitely” be themselves in school#APAHM
—@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/ADn8shVxCT
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

6/ Which is heartbreaking because everyone’s identity is so special. We need to build inclusive spaces where youth can be themselves. Coming out and living authentically can be a tough journey but we can make it easier. —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/UHma7kE1Ch
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

7/ That’s why I co-founded @ActToChange to fight bullying and ensure that all youth feel supported and accepted in their identities. We are all one big community -- we need to have each others’ backs. —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/NzNfExhOFH
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

8/ For things to get better, we need to also address representation. 97% of API youth say racism affects their lives. And even now, there are still so many harmful portrayals of marginalized people in the media. #APAHM —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/43fE5nZEwv
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

9/ It’s a pretty straight, white-dominated world. If I had seen a gay brown person on TV or in a book when I was in middle school, it would have made me feel less scared and alone. But we’re working to get there. —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/G4bkbmMD7A
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

10/ Together, we can address the shame, fear and hopelessness LGBTQ youth feel in their day-to-day lives by building safe spaces -- especially for LGBTQ Asian Pacific Islander young people. #APAHM —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/1XvxFoiA7U
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

11/ When I was a kid, I was sometimes made to feel bad for being Indian, for being gay, for being scrawny or for wanting to take tap dancing classes. I remember how it feels to be “different” or “weird.” —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/mFI9dhzYO8
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

12/ But some of the things that I was made to feel bad for are what make me unique -- and what I most love about myself today. And today I'm proud to live openly and authentically as myself. —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover https://t.co/fw4Nim27cu
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

13/ I drew on my own experiences to write my debut novel, THE BEST AT IT, which comes out in October. It is a hilarious and heartfelt middle grade book about a gay Indian American boy coming into his own. https://t.co/SGuP9A6v8b
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019

14/14 Embracing my Indian American identity, owning my sexuality and being out have brought me incredible happiness. Please know you are not alone in your journey. ��'�� . —@MaulikPancholy #HRCTwitterTakeover pic.twitter.com/KNGsknywNt
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2019