My STory

What do you do when everything you're searching for doesn't exist? You create it.

I spent years asking questions no one around me could answer. How do you navigate the world as a masculine-of-center woman of color? Where do you find your people when you don't fit society's neat little boxes? How do you access the mentorship, resources, and community you desperately need when they simply aren't there?

I'm Kathleen Short (K.Short), and I was that first-generation Filipino-American kid in West Phoenix who had everything but still felt like I belonged nowhere. Elementary school labeled me the "tomboy." Middle school whispered "gay girl." High school reduced me to "Asian chick." College? All of that plus masculine-presenting on a predominantly white campus.

Seven years and countless career pivots later—from radio host meeting celebrities to creative community builder, from substitute teacher to youth mentor—I had my revelation. The platform I needed wasn't hiding somewhere waiting to be discovered. It didn't exist. Period.

So I built it.

Introducing TomboInternational

The mentorship and mastermind collective the masculine-of-center community has been waiting for. This isn't just representation (though we're doing that too). This is about connecting young leaders with seasoned mentors, sharing resources that actually understand our lived experiences, and building the organized community we've never had.

Because when you can't find your tribe, sometimes you have to create the map for others to find theirs.

Ready to stop searching and start building? Let's connect.