Don't let appearances fool you — Zane Phillips has books and looks.
In remarks delivered May 30 at the Graduation Celebration for Point Foundation, The Comeback, Mid-Century Modern, and Fire Island star shared how his passion for education and the LGBTQ+ community became an integral part of his personal mission.
As he shared at the Los Angeles event, back when Phillips lived in New York, “busting (his) ass every day, running the pavement, going to auditions, I actually worked as a tutor, which you wouldn’t expect. I look dumb as hell.” The room burst into laughter at the unexpected punchline, a welcome bit of levity.
Phillips shared with the crowd why he intimately knew that education mattered. “I grew up in a community in which coming out was not an option for me. It wasn't until I moved away for college that I came to understand myself in a very real way. I got to meet new people, explore new perspectives, and most importantly, I was just granted the freedom to be myself.”
"After graduation, it became immediately apparent that a passion for education and for this community would be an integral part of my own personal mission statement." - Zane Phillips.
Photo courtesy of Point Foundation
This journey of self-discovery is a familiar experience for many queer and trans people, where going off to college can offer a first chance at living authentically. The Point Foundation, the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ+ students, helps make this dream come true; the nonprofit supports the educational aspirations of its scholars, helping them become impactful leaders in their lives, careers, and communities.
Michelle Visage of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame — who is a supporter of Point Foundation and “proud mother of a trans-masc, nonbinary child" — also spoke on the power of authenticity at the graduation event and how it leads to connection and community. “There were moments in my life where I felt like I had to continuously prove that I belonged. Like I had to edit myself to fit into spaces that were never built for me," she said.
"Every single time that I tried to shrink, I felt it. That disconnect, that loneliness. But the second I chose authenticity — messy, loud, unapologetic authenticity — I found my people. I found my community, and that changed everything."
“Connection and community will save you when everything else falls apart" - Michelle Visage.
Photo courtesy of Point Foundation
As for navigating education in the age of AI, Phillips said that queer culture has something to teach the world. What he learned as a tutor is that “the students who showed the best results and seemed to be enjoying themselves the most were the people who were passionate about learning. They were passionate about the process.”
He acknowledged the challenge facing education at a time when “having ChatGPT in your pocket at all times” is the norm. “We — students and leaders alike — have a phenomenal challenge. We have to inspire others to love the process, and I think queer people have pretty good experience with that.” Phillips continued, “Queer culture is built on friction…on not going along with the grain…on finding your way in a world that is not built for you.”
The LGBTQ+ community’s existence reminds of the ability to do hard work, defy norms, and find our own way in a world that is not built for us, he stressed. “It is the joy in spite of the challenge, and that joy comes from community.”
About Point Foundation
Point Foundation staff at the Point Foundation Graduation Celebration, May 30th at The London West Hollywood.
Photo courtesy of Point Foundation
For nearly 25 years, Point Foundation has worked to ensure that LGBTQ+ and ally students have the opportunity to pursue their educational aspirations, realize their potential, and become the next generation of leaders creating change in their careers and communities.
Founded in 2001 with a single class of just eight scholars, Point has grown into the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization supporting LGBTQ+ and ally students. This past academic year, Point awarded more than 1,000 scholarships and awards to students across the country. For the upcoming academic year, Point will reach a historic milestone: awarding a record 1,250 scholarships and awards to students pursuing their dreams through a wide range of educational pathways.
The breadth of Point’s scholarship programs reflects the diversity of aspirations among the LGBTQ+ and ally students it serves.
Here are just three of the students receiving Point scholarships and awards for the coming academic year:
Cam is pursuing an MBA with a focus on building the strategic and financial skills needed to strengthen mission-driven organizations. His academic interests are rooted in educational equity and the belief that stronger systems can expand opportunity for students who have been historically underserved. In the near term, Cam hopes to work in impact consulting, with a long-term aspiration to lead a national organization focused on improving educational access and outcomes.
Swetha is pursuing graduate study in emerging media design and development, with academic interests that connect storytelling, technology, education, and community-building. She hopes to pursue doctoral study in communication and examine how participatory and immersive media can create more inclusive spaces for learning and belonging. Her long-term aspirations include work in museum education or academic research, designing experiences that make complex ideas accessible and meaningful to broader audiences.
Yanery is studying business administration. Her academic interests center on how strong organizational systems, sustainable funding models, and effective leadership can expand the reach of community-based work. She hopes to use her business education to help strengthen advocacy organizations and public institutions, bringing together policy, resources, and community impact to create lasting change.
As Point approaches its 25th anniversary, the organization continues to demonstrate what is possible when LGBTQ+ and ally students are provided not only financial support, but also mentorship, leadership development, and a community that believes in their ability to shape the future — one student at a time. As Phillips noted during the celebration, “it is a pivotal time to build that chain” and to support LGBTQ+ and ally leadership “across every industry and every level."
Learn more about the Point Foundation and how to support it at pointfoundation.org.
Zane Phillips speaks at the Point Foundation Graduation Celebration
Michelle Visage speaks at the Point Foundation Graduation Celebration
