Hostion Ho: “People need safe spaces more than once a year”

“Watch and you’ll see / someday I’ll be / part of your world.”

These lyrics from Disney’s The Little Mermaid have captivated audiences around the world several generations over. For Hostion Ho, they mean something more than the movie suggests.

“‘Part of your world’ is a beautiful song. It’s a classic and it has such a queer message,” says the Master of Arts in Intercultural and International Communication alum and co-owner of Ricecake Events, an event organisation with a mandate to showcase the diverse talent of the queer Asian community through the creation of safe spaces.

That’s why he selected the song to be part of his line up of performances at Royal Roads University’s Pride Social on campus July 5.

The annual Pride event, hosted by RRU Proud and the Diversity Action Group, includes games, prizes, face-painting, a photo booth, entertainment and more, says Kyla McLeod, student services director.

“We’re thrilled Hostion will be joining us for this fantastic event for our internal Royal Roads community,” McLeod says. It's truly inspiring to see the incredible talents our alumni bring back to us, as they continue to uplift and enrich our celebrations."

While RRU has welcomed students and alumni speakers in the past, this will be the first time an alum entertainer performs at the event, making this an extra special celebration, McLeod adds.

Ho says it's also a particularly special occasion for him, highlighting his journey since his time at Royal Roads ended in 2017.

Ho says when he first came to Canada in 2015 to study at Royal Roads, he hadn’t yet fully embraced his identity.

“I was still unsure of my Asianness and my queerness,” he says. “I had never found a space where I can be fully Asian and queer without any hesitation or reservation.”

After graduating, Ho became involved with Ricecake Events and soon became an owner. Finding his place at Ricecake changed everything. It gave him the opportunity to experience a safe space for the first time, and it allowed him the chance to create that safety within himself, he says.

“Through many obstacles and learning and unlearnings, and also, being in many safe spaces, I realized all these reservations are my own demons. And I’d like to say I slayed them all,” he says. “Now I know how to be unapologetically Asian and queer.”

Like Ricecake, Ho is passionate about “creating spaces for the queer-Asian community to showcase, represent, make noise and take up space,” he says – something that is more important than ever.

“People need safe spaces more than once a year,” he says. 

Ho says these spaces are not negotiable because they allow people the chance to find their authentic selves so they can reach their true potential – something he says he’s now able to do for himself.

“For me to share a piece of me, share what I’ve learned, how I’ve grown after many years – when Royal Roads invited me to the stage, it was a huge honour. This feels like a full-circle moment,” he says. “I now feel empowered to emulate that safe space in my own head to know that I’m here and I’m queer.”

See our Pride page for more Pride events, info and resources.

Interested in learning more about our Master of Arts in Intercultural and International Communication or program? Visit the program pages or request more information.