We’re delighted to announce that the winner of our Ethnic Community Researcher Award at the 2026 Te Auaha Pito Mata Emerging Researcher Awards is Taylor Le Cui.
Taylor won the award for his community-based research titled, ‘For Queer migration, heteronormativity and the ‘ethnic closet’: Chinese queer international students’ intersectional experience in New Zealand.’ It’s now available to read in Community Research’s open-access database here!
Taylor’s research brings forward the lived experiences of queer Chinese international students, highlighting the heteronormative microaggressions, tokenism, and structural exclusion many face in New Zealand. “These research interests are shaped by my own experience and identities,” said Taylor. “I was born and raised in China, and I’m a first-generation immigrant in New Zealand. I have lived here for almost nine years, first as an international doctoral student, then as a migrant worker, and now as a resident.”
At the heart of the piece is a deep engagement that centres voices often rendered invisible. For Taylor, the work highlights “how their journeys are shaped by the intersectionality of sexuality, ethnicity, and migration status.”
Taylor’s research findings generate knowledge that is key to help improve inclusion in tertiary education. This strengths-based research highlights resilience, intersectional identity, and community knowledge.