Ambitious and defiant. Creative and compassionate. Proud and progressive.
I’m Tony Hu, a fourth year medical student at Queen’s University. Before coming to Queen’s, I studied chemistry as a member of Innis College in the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto. I use he/him or they/them gender pronouns. I split my time on the lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe and the lands of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat, and Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation.
One of my greatest strengths is my diverse interests. Indeed, in the existentialist tradition of “existence precedes essence,” I believe it is up to us, individually, to create meaning in our lives. This has given me an open mind when it comes to being exposed to and challenged by new things.
Although no simple task, I have narrowed my myriad interests into five key areas or pillars. These five pillars: equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), social and economic justice, climate action, education, and human health, represent the most pressing issues of our time. As such, these five pillars are pivotal in creating a better future.
Note that these five pillars do not represent five disparate issues. Rather, they interweave and enmesh together to form a single wicked problem.
My earliest exposure to these issues began long ago, but it was not until June 2020 that I transformed my thoughts into action. In the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd protests, the Black Lives Matter movement, Pride Month, and National Indigenous Heritage Month, I reflected on my identity as a queer Chinese Canadian youth living next to community housing in a multigenerational home with first-generation immigrant parents. This was a breaking point in understanding my privilege and lived experiences that reestablished my commitment to advocating for underserved communities.
My top 5 strengths (based on the CliftonStrengths assessment) are ideation, competition, empathy, individualization, and learner.
I love to connect with others so please reach out. Thanks for stopping by!