Hi, my name is Cuong. I'm 21 and finishing my BA in astrophysics and physics at UC, Berkeley. This summer, I have the opportunity to march at the Bluecoats as a colorguard performer — which would be my final chance to compete in DCI (age-out year).

I am asking for your help to make my dream a reality.

I began colorguard during my sophomore year of high school and remember clearly the day I was introduced to DCI through Bluecoat's 2016 production. The minute the show began I could not take my eyes off the screen and it didn’t take me long to know that I wanted to be part of the Bluecoats. However, coming from a low-income background where opportunities were scarce, the idea of being part of something so grand seemed like a pipe dream.

High school was one of the most tumultuous periods of my life: from family challenges to mental health to coming out, I lacked self-esteem and confidence. I was lost and did not feel a real sense of identity or purpose.

The marching arts and colorguard helped me cope and overcome these struggles. Among my motivators, Bluecoats gave me a reason to keep pushing forward and strive to be the best version of myself. The sport gave me a second home and a community of support that I could have never anticipated.

As such, I want to march my last season with the Bluecoats to give back to the community that provided me so much warmth and love. I want to use my energy and passion to inspire the next generation of performers. I especially want to support and motivate others like me who need a reason to keep being persistent and tenacious. To provide a reason to keep persevering toward their goals regardless of how daunting the task may seem. I want to age-out as part of the group of performers I looked up to when I was younger with a renewed perspective.

As a college student paying for everything myself, I would like to ask for your support for the following costs and fees:

Any donations are greatly appreciated and would bring me closer to achieving this goal. If you aren’t able to donate at this time, please share this with anyone in the community. Thank you!