East Mec High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, anointed its first transgender homecoming king when senior Blake Brockington was crowned on Friday night.

"Throughout my life I haven't always been treated equally as a male, so I've always wanted this and everybody has told me I couldn't do it," said Brockington. "[They say] ‘you are a girl,' even though I've always identified myself as a male."

Brockington beat out 13 other  students vying for the honor by collecting the most money for his chosen charity, Mothering Across Continents. He currently lives with a foster family because his parents disapprove of his transition.

Brockington plans on mentoring younger trans youths in the future: "They can be themselves regardless of what anybody else says," he explains. "Even though you go through some things and have some negative encounters in your life, anything is possible. You can do anything you set your heart to."

Check out the video of the crowning, below.