Xuan-Yen (XY) Cao (she/they) reflects on their journey as a person of Vietnamese descent and the layered experience of identity, belonging and intersectionality.

They speak about the role of community, the impact of larger systems on personal life, and the importance of advocating for yourself while making sense of who you are.

This episode is a thoughtful conversation about fluid identity, empathy, self-compassion, and the beauty and complexity of growing between worlds.

Episode hosted and recorded by Forouz Salari (she/her) in Feb. 2026 - edited & mixed by Miranda Ramnarayan (she/her).

Guest Bio:

Xuan-Yen (XY) Cao (she/they) is a psychotherapist, community engagement facilitator and emerging artist in Ontario, Canada, who is deeply passionate about forging connections among individuals and communities through relational and multi-disciplinary approaches: https://www.xuanyencao.com/

Their lived experience and work with racialized, queer, newcomer and neurodivergent individuals informs their practice and deep commitment to fostering mental and emotional well-being with an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens.