art
hatsuye Volume 2 | May 2020
Fanohge Chamorro Put I Tano’ta p 12
Not your model minorityp 8
STOP BEING RACIST! International Students Respond to Covid-19
p 20
The annual of Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies at W&M
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Publisher...........Francis Tanglao Aguas Editor in Chief................Jamelah Jacob Copy & Design Editor.......Catie Nguyen Assistant Copy Editors............Rayna Yu Woojin Yoon Staff Writers...............Emma Shainwald Kathryn Yang Zeta Atoigue
CONTENTS From the Director..............................2 From the Editor..................................3 Senior Essays....................................4 Not Your Model Minority....................8 Stop Being Racist!..........................12 Poetry & Purposeful Silence..........14 Prof. Ferrão Wins Fulbright............16 APIAlumni...................................17 Kelsey & Benming..........................18 Fanohge Chamorro.........................20 Why I Majored..................................22 Freeman Fellowship.......................24 Scenes from APIA..........................26
Francis Tanglao Aguas, Director R. Benedito Ferrao, PhD Monika Gosin, PhD Tomoko Hamada, PhD Jenny Kahn, PhD Hiroshi Kitamura, PhD Claire Pamment, PhD Joanna Schug, PhD Stephen Sheehi, PhD Deenesh Sohoni, PhD Chinua Akimaro Thelwell, PhD Lynn Weiss, PhD Andrea Wright, PhD 2 Art & Hatsuye
cover photo by Catie Nguyen
From the Founding Director
Embolden, Equip, and Empower: Fifteen Years of APIA Resilience
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ince the earliest days of APIA-W&M, our community has always been resilient amidst adversity. Our curriculum emboldens, equips, and empowers students to thrive and succeed in making their mark on the world. This is exactly what the founding alumni modeled when they collaborated with faculty in establishing the program. Their tenacity and courage to exercise their agency as we taught them, paved the way for the Class of 2020 to experience all four years of their university life as majors of William & Mary’s Program in Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies. The faculty of APIA joins me in congratulating Patrick Canteros, Maggie Chu, David Fernandez, and Emma Shainwald, aka the 4-4s,on their graduation and ascent into the world that awaits their contribution. All 4-4s have exhibited excellence in academic performance, service, activism, and leadership--the hallmarks of APIA majors. APIA-W&M blossomed because of their enthusiasm, indefatigable work ethic, dedication and unbridled commitment to leaving APIA stronger and energized. As they depart to pursue their dreams, they leave us with the best gift we could ask for, 20 students led by the Class of 2021: Luigi Almirante, Marcus Bengzon, Athena Benton, Jamelah Jacob, and Zoe Marquez who will graduate as the largest cohort APIA has so far assembled. The 4-4’s groundbreaking experience became more historic by virtue of the COVID-19 pandemic that required all of us at William & Mary to adapt and be flexible. We took the quarantine as an opportunity rather than a hindrance. The expansion of online teaching allowed us to recruit and hire APIA Professors from other locations bypassing the lack of APIA professors in our area. We were also able to offer long sought Art courses such as Intro to Art and Activism and Asian Bodies & Visual Arts taught by our newest Adjunct Instructor, Professor Roberto Jamora. Professor Gem Daus of the University of Maryland also joins our program and is set to teach Pandemics, Paranoia and Public Health. 2020 marks another milestone for APIA, as I hand off the directorship of the program with confidence and full faith in the leadership of Professor Deenesh Sohoni after fifteen years of leadership. I want to thank my colleagues, especially Professors R. Benedito Ferrao, Stephen Sheehi, Deenesh Sohoni, and Chinua Thelwell for their constant solidarity and support. The partnership and support of the Han Zhang and Jinlan Liu Foundation have been a constant source of strength for our program’s stability. To the nearly 50 APIA majors and minors, as I often say, your collaboration is my dream come true because I dedicated myself to the creation of our program for you, but it was also your joining the cause that made every second of my fifteen years at William & Mary time well spent. With that, we move on to the next phase of our growth and development as an academic family. Not a single one of us can envision the new realities brought forth by the pandemic or whatever global event awaits us. While all that is uncertain, there is one constant, that our APIA family will continue to exhibit a habit of heart and mind that shows that changing the world begins with caring for and strengthening our communities. That is the true praxis of an Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies education.
From the Editor
APIA’s 4-4s Ready to Take Flight
Patrick Canteros, Maggie Chu, David Fernandez, and Emma Shainwald reflect on their time at W&M BY JAMELAH JACOB ‘23, APIA major Editor in Chief
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rom being student leaders and proud APIA majors to being simply housemates and good friends, Patrick Canteros, Maggie Chu, David Fernandez, and Emma Shainwald are the first four students to complete their four year college residency as APIA majors in fall 2016, earning them the moniker “4-4s” from APIA director Professor Tanglao-Aguas.
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Since they entered William & Mary, they have left lasting impressions and legacies in their own ways. In this section, David, Maggie, Patrick, and Emma offer their reflections on their time at William & Mary. This May, they start the next chapter of their lives the same way they joined APIA four years ago--together.
Photos courtesy of Maggie Chu and David Fernandez.
As has been the tradition in APIA, we dedicate this issue of Art & Hatsuye to our graduating seniors. I have had the absolute pleasure knowing Patrick, Maggie, David, and Emma during my three years at William & Mary. They have inspired me endlessly, and I feel so lucky to call them my role models and dear friends. Patty, Mags, David, and Emma, this one’s for you.
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David de Leon Fernandez BA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies BBA, Business Analytics 2020 Cypher Award President, Filipino American Student Association 2019-2020 Thesis, “The Construction of a New Filipino National Identity: How State-Sponsored Labor Brokerage Changed the Philippines”
Photos Courtesy of David Fernandez.
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Finding Where I Fit
here’s a multitude of worries in a William & Mary student’s life while on campus -- academics, clubs, and their own well-being to name a few. I struggled with all of these, where I often felt like I was going from one thing to another without thinking about myself or the consequences it would have on me. However, the three factors that kept me afloat were the following: knowing I was studying something that I loved, the community I built the last three years, and my family. It has been a journey stumbling upon the APIA major. It existed without me knowing about it, and it helped me understand my positionality in the horribly flawed United States. Ever since I arrived at William & Mary I asked myself, “Where do I fit into all of this?” APIA helped me understand not only myself but the larger context of what
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it meant to be Asian American. As a transnational individual, the most difficult thing for me is forming bonds to a land, but I felt that I finally accomplished that in the United States.
The community I have built the last three years took more than simply knowing a person by name. Nurturing those relationships has been one of the most rewarding parts of my time here at W&M. The best relationships, of course, came from the Filipino American Student Association. Without this club, I don’t think I could have navigated college the same way. It was my constant pillar that I knew I could look to when all else seemed out of order. Another cherished community I’ve had a pleasure to be a part of is the APIA program. This group of people, I believe, are the ones that have shaped the way I think and the ones
Photo by Catie Nguyen.
that, I believe, think the most alike to me. No other major, in my opinion, has the strong student-faculty connection that APIA does. Lastly, where would I be without my family? Thinking about my family during the school year usually made me sad. I mostly only got to see them once a year, never being able to see how much I was enjoying my time at William & Mary. I always wanted to share some big moments with my family such as FASA Culture Nights, college traditions, and simple walks around campus. However, I know that they will be able to see all of those accomplishments whenever graduation happens (thank you, COVID-19). Thank you, APIA, thank you, friends, and finally thank you to my family. Let’s end capitalism together <3 and make a more equitable world!
Senior Essay
Margaret Amira Chu BA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies BA, History 2019 Freeman Intern Fellow in Singapore Co-Director, Asian American Student Initiative, 2019 Thesis, “Gidra: Defining a New Asian America from ‘99-’01”
Photos Courtesy of Maggie Chu.
Rooted in Care, Our Community Blossomed
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heavily believe in the idea that relationships and community is what will drive social change. I am so lucky that I was able to have the nourishment to grow from my peers and professors in APIA. I want to become what those people were for me and build an Asian American community that is based in support and care for one another.
to follow. I think it’s beautiful and intentional that the unofficial logo of APIA is a lotus. A lotus will flower from the swamp despite any adversity. Similarly, the program and I have grown so much together since I arrived as a freshman. The liminality that plagued me my entire life evolved into a strength in understanding the complexity of the systems that we exist in.
Over the last four years I have learned so much about what “care” looks like. It’s creating spaces for people to express themselves-- buying a meal for someone, being a shoulder to cry on when things get bad, or even just sending a text message to see if they’re alright. While selfsoothing and self-care is imperative, community care is what gets people out the door.
I want to see APIA continue to grow and care for one another. I want to keep the institutional history of the program alive so future students know the legacy they are following. The program at William & Mary has been built off of 10+ years of students and professors working together and is based in 50+ years of the movement for ethnic studies. The activism that has led us to where we are now has always been because we care about the community, and that is how we will continue to grow.
When you put care into a community, growth is sure SPRING 2020
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John Patrick Palicte Cantero BA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies, Phi Beta Kappa BBA, Business Analytics 2020 Art Matsu Prize for Excellence in Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies Co-Director, Asian American Student Initiative, 2017-2019 2018 Freeman Intern Fellow in Hong Kong Thesis, “A Theater for the Nation to Come - Expressions of Ilustrado Nationalism and Architectural Memory”
Photos Courtesy of Patrick Canteros.
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s
Photos by Catie Nguyen.
Clamoring for My Ontological Reality
first encountered APIA in a dusty lecture room, tucked in the corner of Washington Hall. FASA, the Filipino American Student Association, had invited Professor Aguas to speak on Filipino history. Naturally, I arrived late. As I found a seat in the back, Professor Aguas stood center stage. All eyes were fixed on him as he powerfully wove the stories of our Filipino ancestors to a room filled by their diaspora. Manila galleons, Magellan, Lapu-Lapu, stories I vaguely, but already, knew. Then, he asked us about our surnames, making the point about how each, he said, were picked from a book and, thus, assigned. Suddenly, everyone around me had questions. All clamored for a history so evidently held from us. I was stunned silent. In the back, I sat
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in wonder of this new knowledge of my story.
This would not be the last but certainly the first moment where I truly understood the power of story. Entering college, I knew the potential of my future, how I would will myself in the next four years to become a doctor or lawyer. Little then did I know about the strength of my past. Today, I can trace all my accomplishments and all my endeavors to that very moment, when I stopped focusing on, “Who could I be?” and began to ask myself “Who am I?”. From that moment on, APIA offered me a simple but powerful gift. APIA told me that my story
mattered, that my history was worthy of research, and that someone of my background can and will be a leader. Majoring in APIA dared me to believe in the potential of a community that many have often wished away. It was a risk that I can proudly say was worth taking. So as I look forward to my time after William & Mary, I am proud to include APIA as part, and parcel, to that story. And wherever I go next, I think Filipino national hero Jose Rizal said it best, “Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makarating sa paroroonan.” One cannot arrive at their destination without looking back to where they’ve come from.
Senior Essay
Emma Anne Shainwald BA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies, with Honors 2020 Ernestine Jackson Award for Cross-Cultural Understanding 2018 Freeman Intern Fellow in Shanghai Co-Director, Asian American Student Initiative, 2018-2019 Honors Thesis, “Subgroup Diversity in Higher Education: A Case Study for Asian American Recruitment”
Photos Courtesy of Emma Shainwald.
The Power of Intentionality and Intersections
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y first year on campus, I joined the Asian American Student Initiative and was quickly thrown into the world of activism and politics. I immediately learned to associate AASI with the black t-shirts that plastered “ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER AMERICA” in bold letters with the iconic lotus stamped on the front pocket. Soon enough, I was incredibly excited to finally become a proud owner of this shirt and it wasn’t long before it became worn from consistent use. The shirt became a staple of our presence as a politicized APIA community, one refusing to be a model minority. It cycled through my laundry cycles constantly as it
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made its way through Black Lives Matter protests, meetings with President R*vely to discuss the demands of #BuiltOnOurBacks, DACA walkouts and so much more. It wasn’t just a shirt sharing our connection to the APIA Studies program. It was a statement that declared that just here to support, but our solidarity is organized. After a long legacy of fighting for an established APIA program, one which started long before I even stepped foot on campus, we finally achieved our goal in 2019. My love for the program comes from its intentionality, where self design majors were crafted
carefully for each student and each declaration was precisely numbered and documented. The program became a family where upperclassmen and professors became mentors to new students. Taking APIA Studies classes meant I could learn about myself and contextualize my experiences as a part of something outside of myself. APIA Studies taught me that we don’t study it to learn about APIAs alone or to feed an interest, although it may start that way. We study it because it gives us the APIA experience as a lens to understand a deeper history of resistance for all communities. Art & Hatsuye 7
NOTyour model min BY KATHRYN YANG ‘23, RAYNA YU ‘23 Staff Writer, Asssitant Copy Editor
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irst coined in 1966 by sociologist William Petersen, the term “model minority” solidified a prevailing stereotype of Asians as industrious, law-abiding, and collectively successful. In effect, the stereotype homogenizes the wide diversity of APIA experiences and places a wedge between APIAs and other minorities, Quan Chau (‘21) on the set of Ruddigore as Robin Oakapple, otherwise known as the infamous Sir Ruthven especially African Murgatroyd. As a coward bewitched by a family curse, Robin must cleverly come to terms with his fate, even if that Americans. By placing means momentarily choking his servant. Photo courtesy of Quan Chau. one marginalized community above the “[Cheer] taught me not to really care what other people think...There’s more other, the stereotype falsely minimizes to cheer, and there’s more to me.” ― Abby Gaddi ‘21 the role of race in characterizing the experience of minorities in America. In this column, we showcase the diversity shoulders (after all, she just came from breadth of Abby’s commitment to cheer. of the APIA community at William & the gym), it was hard to imagine Abby “We’re required to do more events than Mary. We are Not Your Model Minority. as anyone but… Abby: a confident people realize— we’re at Convocation, Abby Gaddi, ‘21 “In high school, we had to wear our uniforms on Fridays. So think people looking at you, people talking about you, ‘why are you wearing that,’ why are you lalala…” As a cheerleader of seven years, Abby Gaddi is all too familiar with the stunts, sass, and stereotypes of cheerleading. Looking at Abby with her calm demeanor and beautifully toned 8 Art & Hatsuye
cheerleader with an exuberant love for the boyband BTS. But, I quickly learned of her formative experience with her unconventional high school cheer team. “In high school, we got a lot of hate from people who’ve never really seen what we do, because all they had seen were the sideline cheers — we’re just yelling things and we’re not doing our full performance.” From practice to performance to philanthropy, I was shocked by the
we’re here during Orientation.” “[Cheer] taught me not to really care what other people think...There’s more to cheer, and there’s more to me. I only appreciate the people who take the time to learn about cheer and learn about me too.” Suddenly, Abby’s sureness and collected demeanor made sense to me.
STAND Out!
ority Quan Chau, ‘21 When I first met Quan, he was singing, tapping, twirling through enchanted curses and a heartfelt love story in the production Ruddigore. While I waited for my interview with him, I half-expected Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd to saunter before me. At 7 pm, instead of a bewitched gentleman with a wicked accent, a smiling guy with gray sweatpants and nerd-ish glasses seated himself across the table.
Abby Gaddi (‘21) performs during the halftime show at the CAA tournament. The Tribe had a historic season with the best regular-season win total since 1950. Photo by Catie Nguyen.
antagonists.” One of his favorite roles is Willmore from The Rover, which Quan describes as, “basically the f**kboy character.” I was impressed by the psychological heavy lifting he does to bring his roles to life, even for an irredeemable character like Willmore. “The reason why I felt the need to humanize him, is because if the actor doesn’t believe— if I don’t believe— that what I’m doing is right, no one will.”
Williams, Quan noted that he sees “processes within cells, within biology, as choreography. One thing leads to another thing, leads to another thing. It’s like the steps will naturally have to follow in this way.”
Although Quan lives outside the realm of expectations, he is still coming to terms with the inherently discriminatory world of performance arts. Quan hopes “HI! I’m Quan! Nice to meet to perform in Asia. “[I want to] you!” I was taken aback. With experience performance where such an unassuming people see me for who appearance, how “[I want to] experience performance where people see I am, and don’t have the could he express so me for who I am, and don’t have the filter of like, oh filter of like, oh he’s an much enthusiasm to a he’s an Asian performer, before seeing who I am as the Asian performer, before stranger? character.” ― Quan Chau ‘21 seeing who I am as the character.” Quan has a history of subverting Even Quan’s choice of majors TJ Song , ‘23 expectations, in both his theatrical surprised me. “The theater is for career and personal aspirations. me, the biology is for my parents.” It’s easy to understand why As a natural storyteller, Quan Even though his majors seemed TJ is well-liked. Everyone knows loves complexity. “I like playing disparate, Quan has managed to him, and everyone has some funny characters and telling stories contextualize both of his interests. story involving him. Two hundred that are really nuanced. I guess Inspired by his professor, Phoebe words hardly begins to capture the easiest way to put it is…
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Isabella DiFulvio (‘23) enjoys a sunny day hiking with her dog. Photo courtesy of Isabella DiFulvio.
words hardly begins to capture his character, but if I had to start somewhere, it would be with his vibrant personality. TJ makes it a point to win everyone’s affections, and he does that by making them laugh. During our interview, he regaled me with a story about getting caught in a riptide during a school-sponsored dim sum trip. “I was just like, I don’t want to call out for help. I’m still fine. I’m not drowning yet.” There’s a lot more to TJ than his charm. He’s a prospective business major who still makes time for his eclectic hobbies. Not only does he take part in dance performances, he also has an interest in the spiritual, including tarot readings and astrology. “I don’t believe in a higher being,” he stated, “but sometimes
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“There’s this expectation of, oh, you’re going to grow up and find a Chinese wife.” ― TJ Song ‘23 it’s nice to imagine. That’s what astrology and divination are for me.” TJ’s sunny disposition belies his resilience. As a gay Asian-American with flamboyant mannerisms, he struggled with alienation from a young age, feeling pigeonholed into his identity and unable to relate to his white counterparts. Recently, he came out to his parents. “They haven’t completely accepted it, I think. There’s this expectation of, oh, you’re going to grow up and find a Chinese wife.” Still, he remains optimistic, expressing his excitement in the rise of Chinese-American activism. As I ended the interview, we made
plans to meet at a local bar’s queer night. You can always count on TJ for a good time. Isabella DiFulvio, ‘23 When Isabella joined the main Chinese-American cultural organization on campus, she found herself missing something. Though she enjoyed the events and formed friendships with the members, she wanted more. “As I’ve joined the club longer, I realized that a lot of them aren’t politically active,” she told me. She wasn’t content being in a “just for fun” club - she wanted to be in a community that stood for the underprivileged.
STAND Out!
Isabella’s identity is “kind queer Asian people, my girlfriend issues via newsletter. “Not saying of complicated” by her own is one of them. But it’s different anything is the same as not admission. “I’m adopted from and its harder being queer and supporting it,” she declared. China,” she stated, “but my mom Asian, because we didn’t know it is Chinese and my dad is white. was possible.” Isabella is also the incoming But I don’t Co-Director of live with AASI for 2020“That’s what I think we need to do a better job with, is pulling in people my dad.” from the middle. It’s not too political, if you think about it, in essence it’s 2021, and she She grew wants to help our existence we’re talking about.” ― Isabella DiFulvio ‘23 up thinking activism gain she was her traction among parents’ biological daughter. “After the general student population. I was told that I was adopted, the In her quest to become “That’s what I think we need to confusion I felt thinking I was politically involved, Isabella joined do a better job with, is pulling in mixed-race went away. It just FASA, the Filipino American people from the middle. It’s not proves that race is a total social student organization. She noted too political, if you think about it, construct.” their support for undocumented in essence it’s our existence we’re immigrants, as members attended talking about.” She’s also been openly queer the Undocutribe vigil, and spread for years. “Of course I’ve met other awareness about immigrant
TJ Song (‘23) takes center stage for a traditional Chinese fan dance performance. Photo courtesy of TJ Song.
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STOP BEING RACIST! International Students Respond to Covid-19
BY ZETA ATOIGUE ‘23, APIA major, WOOJIN YOON ‘23 Staff Writer, Copy Editor
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n March 19, 2020 the W&M community received an email informing students that they would have to evacuate immediately after spring break. Just before the shut down, Zeta Atoigue and Woojin Yoon interviewed Chinese international students and premed students regarding the Covid-19 scenario.
ZETA ATOIGUE: How have you been affected by this emotionally, physically, or mentally? MIN XIAO: These kinds of stories and news always made me feel sorrow for her, for all Chinese people, and sometimes for all human beings.
[The both of us had no experience when it came to dealing with the Coronavirus since it had not hit the states yet. But reading their responses made us scared and worried. We didn’t know what would happen if the virus spread to
the U.S., and now that it has, it’s strange to comprehend that we’ll be in the same position the interviewees were weeks ago.]
I could also see some good news in social media, which affected my emotions positively. For example, many doctors and nurses from different provinces petitioned to work in hospitals in Wuhan, which was very dangerous to themselves. Besides, two temporary hospitals in Wuhan were only built in a week. How incredible it was! ...But I also felt contradictory. We all know that we should not let the virus defeat us, but it’s just too hard to prevent unnecessary sacrifice; and even though we know some sacrifice is needed, none of us want our own parents and friends to be the heroes… . LISA XU : I have been affected by this emotionally. Even though I am not experiencing it myself, my family, my relatives, my friends, and other Chinese people are experiencing it right now. Facial masks are in short right now, so it is nearly impossible for everyone to get a mask; people in Wuhan cannot get daily necessities (i.e. food and medicine). 12 Art & Hatsuye
There has been a rise in anti-Asian sentiments since the coronavirus outbreak began. In response to this, the Asian American Student Initiative (AASI) launched a week-long initiative educating the student body on the recent growing racism and xenophobia in the United States. Artwork by Kathy Qin (‘23).
SPEAK OUT! WOOJIN YOON: What do you wish people knew about this pandemic?
ZA: How has the coronavirus affected/ influenced the medical community?
MIN XIAO: Trump said people should not overstate the seriousness of the virus, and what I want to say is don’t understate it! The reason for why Wuhan’s epidemic is so severe is that Wuhan’s governors didn’t believe in the doctor who first found this weird, prevalent virus. They didn’t apply any measures at the beginning… .
PRE-MED STUDENT: How the Coronavirus has exposed a lot of weaknesses within the medical community, how we as Americans really don’t prepare for these things, even though every, like, 5-10 years — I’d say even 2-4 years — there’s a new virus affecting the community. Also I think it shows the cracks in our medical system, how we let things slip through by price gouging the price to get tested for the Coronavirus is $3000; how are low income families ever going to want to get tested, let alone even afford to get tested? And I just really feel like we are not taking the precautions, especially with this administration in office like other countries have been taking.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT #3: Wearing surgical masks is very crucial for both healthy, normal people and carriers in order to prevent the transmission of the epidemic. [Looking back, the both of us realized how many warning signs were in place when the virus spread in China. Even more, the students’ experiences should have been enough for us to take into consideration how dangerous this disease was. And yet, the country didn’t prepare enough.] WY: How do you feel about people joking about the virus?
[We didn’t know that the prices for the tests were so high. In a situation like this, we expected that the government would provide enough tests for everyone due to how deadly the virus was. After hearing this, it showed how unprepared the country would be for the next couple of months. ]
MIN XIAO: I may also laugh about it if it’s just a simple joke or a meme, but I don’t want to see any joke about racism, like calling the virus “Chinese virus,” etc. They make me feel uncomfortable… .
ZA: As seen on the media, many Asian Americans have been targeted/harassed by the public. Have you witnessed any cases of racism/xenophobic tendencies on campus?
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT #3: I think they do not realize how serious the situation is.
PRE-MED STUDENT: I think I’ve actually had a situation open to my eyes [and remind me] to be way more careful about your wording. I was in the public restroom. I knew everyone in the public restroom, and I was just, like, “Wash your hands; you’ve seen what’s on the news lately,” but you never know how someones going to perceive what you just said. So I had to actually clarify with an individual what I meant by that, and it was truly out of everyone’s benefit; it had not xenophobic or racial tendency,
[In the beginning, the virus did not seem that serious to us. I mean, we were making jokes about WWIII in the beginning of the year. This was no different. It’s startling to see how our jokes would soon be our reality.]
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but she took that as so...so I feel like you really need to have — when speaking on such a sensitive matter, somethings that’s affected people — [remember that as] someone who, as an American, has no connection outside of America, really can’t empathize with someone who does have connections outside of America, who is battling with... you have no idea what theyre going through. As a population, we need to keep that in mind with our wording, and when we are promoting sanitation, we just need to give recommendations, but that’s it; keep it at that and don’t go any farther. [Who would’ve known that this miscommunication would soon be prevalent throughout the country in a more intense way. Nowadays, it’s a worry for the both of us to go out in public because we are both Asian. And being Asian during this time means being a target to any racist/xenophobic attack.] ZA: Would you like to add anything else about your experience? PRE-MED STUDENT: There’s no infrastructure in place to handle something like this, something this aggressive. LISA XU: Virus is not a reason for racism. It is important to be aware of the virus, and more importantly, not to panic. [Lisa is right. Virus is not a reason for racism and it seems that many people have forgotten that. These testimonies show how dangerous the virus was before it became a global pandemic. Now, it shows how dangerous the people are with their actions. This interview helped the both of us reflect on everything that has happened since then and we realize that there are so many more problems derived from systematic racism once the country is under attack. ]
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Professor Pineda teaching his Poetry First Collections class, laughing in response to a studen’ts poem. Photo by Catie Nguyen 14 Art & Hatsuye
Faculty Focus
Poetry and Purposeful Silence With Professor Jon Pineda
BY JAMELAH JACOB ‘23, APIA major Editor in Chief
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s students trickle into the classroom, breathless after their strenuous climb to the third floor of Tucker, Professor Jon Pineda awaits them at the end of the table, scribbling on a notepad. The six students pull out their laptops and notebooks, silently waiting for the workshop to begin. Professor Pineda strikes a conversation with his class about books that they’ve read recently, which quickly turns into a fullfledged discussion on authors’ new works and their accolades. Sometimes, he talks about funny encounters with authors that his students only know by the contents of their books. But for Professor Pineda, these writers are dear friends and sources of inspiration. While his students chuckle in awe, Professor Pineda tells every story, smiling. After joining the Creative Writing Program in August 2018, Professor Pineda immediately knew he made the right decision after connecting with a classroom of students. His favorite thing about teaching at William & Mary is leading workshop classes with his students, without considering their writing as student’s work. Here, he’s simply “in a room of poets.” Two years after his arrival, Professor Pineda now sits as the director of the growing Creative Writing Program, where he teaches classes on poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction. A seasoned writer, Professor Pineda began his career as a poet with his first collection, Birthmark, which is largely about his mestizo and half Filipino
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background. Professor Pineda says that this identity has helped him navigate his journey as a writer, as it has continued to be present in his following collections: The Translator’s Diary and Little Anodynes. Each collection has won various awards, such as the 2007 Green Rose Prize for Poetry and 2016 Library Virginia Literary Award for Poetry, which he won again most recently in November 2019 with his novel Let’s No One Get Hurt. His other publications include the novel Apology and his single memoir Sleep in Me, which touch on similar topics and themes of identity. “There are opportunities for scholarship,” Professor Pineda said, “as it relates to critical reading of work by writers of color, about whose work is humanizing a culture for perhaps a mainstream American readership.” Professor Pineda’s memoir Sleep in Me was included in Professor Tanglao-Aguas’ APIA 444 Filipino American & Diaspora Studies in the 2019 spring semester, where students in the class did a close reading of the text and analyzed the main character’s biracial Filipino American identity. Professor Pineda remains humble about this honor, stating that it feels amazing to be part of an Asian American literature syllabi, because he himself desired works that spoke about being mestizo when he was starting out as a writer. “The acceptance of my work to where it would be taught and be offered on Asian American syllabi
just lets me know that I’m on the path, that I haven’t veered away from it,” he said. “I had always written and published with the hope that I would connect with readers, and especially that I would connect with a reader who perhaps didn’t find the support and the voice until they had read my book--or something like that. It’s humbling.” Professor Pineda hopes to continue this important conversation about Asian American literature. Since the publication of his novel Let’s No One Get Hurt in 2018, he’s been working on new projects, including several poems and a nonfiction piece about his father’s childhood in the Philippines. Additionally, Professor Pineda is close to completing a draft of his new novel. “If this [novel] finds its way into the world, it’s hands down going to be the most experimental thing I’ve ever written,” he enthusiastically stated. Back in the workshop, another student finishes reading through their poem. Professor Pineda sits through the subsequent lull in the room, letting every word resonate. Then, the poets get to work and the magic begins In these classes, Professor Pineda learns from his students just as much as he hopes they learn from him. “Even if it’s quiet, even if it’s silence that we’re living within, it’s still purposeful silence and purposeful discussion,” he said. “That’s my favorite thing.” Art & Hatsuye 15
Professor R. Benedito Ferrão Wins Prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Excellence Research Award BY NATHAN WARTER, W&M News
Photos courtesy of Francis Tanglao Aguas.
R
. Benedito Ferrão recently arrived in Goa, India, to embark on a new stage in his career as a writer and scholar. Ferrão, an assistant professor of English and Asian & Pacific Islander American studies (APIA) at William & Mary, is in Goa conducting research as part of a prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Research Award he recently received in the field of literature. Ferrão is exploring the representation of Goan diasporic figures in contemporary fiction while at the Xavier Center of Historical Research in Goa as part of a book project on the subject. The U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced Ferrão’s award via press release in September, 2019. “Fulbright announced a press release just for him,” said Francis Tanglao-Aguas, a founding director and professor of APIA studies at W&M. “Professor Ferrão receiving the Fulbright Excellence Award confirms the excellence and promise that we all know lives in him. As his work is recognized, so too is William & Mary’s 16 Art & Hatsuye
APIA studies. It puts us on the map.” Before coming to William & Mary as a Mellon Faculty Fellow in 2014, Ferrão taught at UCLA and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani) Goa. This past summer, he served as a visiting assistant professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul. He is still in the early stages of his teaching career, making this Fulbright Award even more remarkable. “Bene is in his third year as an assistant professor, so he’s not tenured yet,” said Suzanne Raitt, English department chair and chancellor professor of English at W&M. “To get an award like this at this stage of your career is pretty unusual. It’s great for Bene, and it’s great for us because we get more visibility internationally. And Bene gets some research time to prepare for tenure and to get ready to publish, even more than he would have done otherwise. So even though we miss him, it’s a win-win situation.” His time in Goa allows him to revisit the Xavier Center of Historical Research where he began doing his research. “My book project looks at several works of fiction that connect South Asia, Africa and the West through the displacement
of Goan characters,” Ferrão said. “Goa was once the capital of the Portuguese empire in the East, making it one of the longest held European colonies in history (1510-1961). Ferrão’s education and career have taken him all over the world. He completed his Ph.D. at Birkbeck College, University of London, where he was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. As an Endeavour Postdoctoral Fellow at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, he researched literary representations of African slavery in the Indian Ocean world. An internationally published writer, Ferrão’s work appears in Outlook India, Media Diversified, The Good Men Project and Mizna, among other publications and websites. “He’s very much in demand internationally,” Raitt said. “Many people are traveling internationally and speaking internationally, but the reach of his reputation is really impressive.” Ferrão’s value to the William & Mary community is unquestioned, TanglaoAguas said.
APIAchievements
APIAlums Out in the World BY EMMA SHAINWALD ‘20, APIA major Staff Writer
Edward Hong ‘09, He/Him I am currently an actor and have been working professionally in Los Angeles for over a decade in the realm of TV shows, films, commercials, theatre, and voiceover. If you’re looking for me, I can be seen in the Universal Studios national commercial campaign alongside Kenan Thompson and will be seen in the upcoming HBO limited series Perry Mason. Photo courtesy of Edward Hong.
Felicia Wong ‘17, They/Them I have been living in Philadelphia attending the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2) to pursue a Master’s in Nonprofit Management and Leadership (NPL). During my time, I was elected as the NPL student representative of the SP2 Race and Social Justice Task Force (now called the Race and Social Justice Advisory Committee), and am a part of the inaugural membership of the Trans Student Union on campus. I hope to incorporate more AAPI history and perspectives into core curriculum as decolonial and anti-racist practice. I have also been consulting for a local nonprofit, Beat the Streets Philadelphia, to help them build relationships with local government and implement plans to diversify their Board. I have been maintaining connections with AAPI nonprofits and leaders in DC as always, and am now on the job search hoping to continue diversity and inclusion work either in Philly or DC.
Photo courtesy of Felicia Wong.
Matt Nguyen-Ngo ‘17, He/Him
Photo courtesy of Matt Nguyen-Ngo.
Right after graduating college I decided to pursue live music as a career. I had played in punk and metal bands all throughout college, and moved to Richmond because of its vibrant metal and punk scene. I worked odd jobs, including as a substitute teacher, fast food worker and coffee shop barista to pay the bills, and joined several bands, including Dead Format, a ‘90s-style pop punk band, but faster and more aggressive. I recently decided to move back to the DC area to start a career in political advocacy nonprofits after playing music in Richmond. I now work at an AAPI-focused nonprofit organization called OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates in Washington, DC, as a Civil Rights Fellow, where I lead COVID-19 related hate crime research. While moving back to DC meant I had to leave my band Dead Format, it doesn’t mean I’m no longer making music. I’m currently working on a solo project called YELXPERIL (Yellow Peril) in my home studio; it will be a metal/hardcore EP with radical political themes.
Jin-Hyuk Ho ‘16, He/Him
Since graduating from William and Mary, I have travelled all over the world to places like Japan, Korea, France, UK, Mexico, and Canada. After graduating from UPenn, I worked with a nonprofit consulting firm for about 2.5 years. My accomplishments include helping nonprofits of all sizes and missions upgrade their fundraising methods and infrastructures. Recently, I switched jobs and now work as a Development Manager at Playworks, a national nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of play in schools and their curriculums, where I raise money from all kinds of sources, including individuals, foundations and corporations. I was also recently married during the summer of 2019 in Korea and have been actively reading and staying up to date on all W&M APIA movements, thanks to Francis. SPRING 2020
Photo courtesy of Jin-Hyuk Ho.
Art & Hatsuye 17
Wedding Bells for Kelsey BY EMMA SHAINWALD ‘20, APIA major Staff Writer
B
ennming “Benny” Zhang is a well known name on campus. Like a local celebrity to many of us, he graduated as a self-design Asian & Pacific Islander American studies major in 2016 and has become a longtime supporter of the program since. It’s only fitting that Zhang wrote his honors thesis on Arthur Matsu. Both have carved out their own legacies at William and Mary, Matsu as a star football player and the first Asian American on campus, and Zhang as the youngest and first Asian American council member ever elected in Williamsburg. Now, there is cause for new celebrations as we announce Zhang’s recent marriage to Kelsey Zhang. Thank you for taking the time to speak with Art & Hatsuye. We’re so excited to congratulate you and hear more about your wedding. Can you share the story of how you two met? Kelsey Zhang: I had a crush on him when we started law school, but I was way too shy to ever make a move. He noticed me at the end of the spring semester of our first year and we met at a Christian Legal Society Bible study. We became good friends for about 7 months and then started dating in the fall. How did the proposal happen? Benny Zhang: We knew we were going to get engaged before spring break. In the last week leading up to spring break, Kelsey knew one of those days was it. We shared a Google calendar together, so I blocked off a random time 18 Art & Hatsuye
every day and convinced her to think it was going to be at the latter half of the week. Actually, I proposed to her that Monday. That Monday, I took her to the same table at Aromas where we had our first coffee date, and took her on a route to the big oak tree in Colonial Williamsburg. One of our classmates hid in a bush and captured the video and pictures when I dropped to one knee and proposed. How did your families react to the proposal? KZ: Very supportive! Benny was really good about looping in my family to the whole process, so they felt like they were gaining a son. I think one of the
best signs of support was from my 91-year-old grandfather. He is very protective of his granddaughters, but when we called right after Benny had proposed, he was so excited and told Benny that he loved him. What have you enjoyed most about seeing your families coming together and building relationships with one another? BZ: Everyone got along really easily. Both our moms, who have big personalities in their own rights, got along the best. It’s been cool to see how similar their personalities are, notwithstanding sociocultural differences.
APIAfam
& Benming
Photos courtesy of Kelsey and Benming Zhang.
In honor of your most recent contribution, everyone with a connection to the program celebrated together, including Kelsey and your inlaws. Kelsey, how did it feel for you and your family to be introduced to the program and our APIA studies family?
Weddings are a huge event, there’s a lot that goes into organizing one. Can you share what the wedding planning process was like? Did you enjoy it and can you talk about the ceremony and how it felt for both of you during the big day? KZ: Being a law student and planning a wedding was pretty extreme, and definitely took me to a whole new level of stressed out. My mom did most of the work and was the best wedding planner in the world, but there is a give and take when it comes to doing all of the work for your own wedding. There is a lot of stress involved, but the result was a super-personalized day that was very “us.” SPRING 2020
KZ: For me, it was just really special to have received such a warm and genuine welcome from everyone. I didn’t go to William & Mary for undergrad, so I didn’t expect everyone to make me and my family feel so included. It is such a great feeling to be welcomed into such an amazing group with open arms. As you know, our APIA Studies program is keen on building a family for everyone involved, how did your professors and mentors react to your wedding announcement? BZ: Everyone was incredibly supportive! Especially my long-time mentors who have known me and observed my personal growth over the years - it was a special moment to
share the good news with them. We here at APIA want to congratulate you both for the happy occasion, and we’re grateful that you’ve been such an active member of the community. Knowing that your family foundation is one of the longtime supporters of the APIA program, can you speak more about your commitment to the program? BZ: Speaking on my family foundation, we will continue to support the program, and most importantly, its students and faculty, in significant ways possible. We believe that there is a space at William & Mary to foster and to nurture an Asian American Studies program for the whole nation to look to. We endowed a faculty research fund named after my mother, Jinlan Liu, who has shaped my life in every way imaginable. By supporting faculty research, APiA studies can advance relevant and noteworthy developments in APIA academia that go to retaining and recruiting more professors to join the movement and program. At the end of the day, all of my family foundation’s efforts can be boiled to a single philosophy: so that William & Mary APIA majors may have an impactful and enduring experience as I had as a APIA self-designed major. Art & Hatsuye 19
Fanohge Chamorro Put I Tano’ta
Zeta Atoigue ‘23 posing at Gab Gab Beach located in Guam’s naval base Photo courtesy of Zeta Atoigue.
Miniature Statue of Liberty replica in Paseo Park in Agaña. This replica is near the beach. Photo by Zeta Atoigue
BY ZETA ATOIGUE ‘23, APIA major Staff Writer
I
remember the first week of being a college student: OAs waking us up at the break of dawn, long lectures, and ritualistic chants we screamed to lift up our school spirit. In the midst of all this chaos,
I questioned so much. Why did I choose this college? Why is there such a lack of diversity? And why the hell is it so damn hot here? But before I get into that mess, let me introduce myself.
My name is Zeta Atoigue, and in the summer of 2018, I went on a trip that changed my life. Throughout my life, I had always been ashamed that I wasn’t completely “American” and it didn’t help that as the political climate got more tense, the more society emphasized the issues that came with being a minority. So in my senior year of high school, I decided to conduct a 8-month research project about my Chamorro culture after I visited Guam for two months. Life on Guam is simple. The trivial nature of daily life in the mainland did not apply there. I realized this when I went kayaking at Surfside beach, a place near my village in Talofofo. A day after I arrived on the island, my uncle gathered my family to go kayaking, which I hadn’t done in years. I was reluctant at first,
20 Art & Hatsuye
and all that I remember from that experience was crying. As strange as it was, kayaking in the sea made me feel spiritually connected to the island, like time sat still and it was only me, the waves, and the kayak all moving in a singular motion across a large body of water. For once, the pressure and the anxiety that came from living in the States were lifted, and I got to appreciate the little things I usually ignored. However, as life altering as that moment was, the reality of the island life quickly set in. Time slowed down in Guam, but it didn’t conceal how the government consistently failed to provide basic utilities, opportunities for residents to move upwards financially, and the overwhelming dominance of the U.S military’s presence made independence
for the island harder to obtain. It seemed like there were only two options where Chamorros either involved themselves in the military or exploited our culture to appease the tourism industry. It looked like a losing battle and I didn’t have the answers, and witnessing this ultimately made me reflect on how I was going to create my own future. This is why I chose William & Mary, because I saw it as an opportunity for me to make most of the scarce privilege that I possessed and generate that into a future that would give me the chance to help those who felt helpless. My inspiration were the people in Guam who are unable to get out of the rut because the government decided to ignore them.
First Year Flashback
Stand Ye Guamians for Your Country
Preparation for a cultural dance to be performed in the middle of Chamorro village. This is a popular place that attracts many tourists. Photo by Zeta Atoigue
Popular food market in Chamorro village. The market is especially popular on Wednesdays because all the stores only open up on that night. Photo by Zeta Atoigue.
However, at times, even this inspiration got muddled. During the first week of orientation at William & Mary, I was absolutely terrified. The duality of seeing people struggle back home and observing students who had levels of privilege I was not accustomed to on campus was a culture shock. The energy I had which got me into this college seemed to diminish as the odds appeared to be stacked against me. It felt like I was one of my Chamorro people on Guam, witnessing another losing battle. But the APIA community changed that. Through clubs like SPRING 2020
the Filipino American Student Association (FASA) and my roommate and her friends, I finally started to feel comfortable in my own skin. They showed me how beautiful our culture was and how being “American� was not the only identity I had to conform myself into. The cultural events and APIA classes that I participated in further cemented how much of a gift my ethnic background was. Through this community I learned that the lack of diversity only showcased how unique people of color were. This community helped me remember my purpose.
Sunrise captured at First Beach located in the small village of Talofofo. First Beach is a beautiful public beach that I visited many times as a child. Photo by Zeta Atoigue.
I was scared and uncomfortable at first, but I gradually found my place on campus with the help of the APIA community. They showed me that I made it here for a reason. My first year experience was a difficult transition, but it made me realize that there was so much more work that needed to be done. William & Mary was not perfect, but through the APIA community, I finally feel capable enough to make my family and my island proud. P.S. William & Mary is a literal swamp. There is no escaping the heat. Art & Hatsuye 21
Meeting Asian America,
Meeting Myself
Photos courtesy of Jamelah Jacob.
BY JAMELAH JACOB ‘21, APIA major Editor in Chief
A
s I enter my senior year next fall, I am preparing to tackle a creative honors thesis project in Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies, where my end product will take the form of a poetry collection written by me. If you told me freshman year that I would be pursuing poetry for my APIA major, I would simply laugh. But among the many different ways studying APIA has impacted me, what has been the most transformative is that it has allowed me to call myself a writer, and more specifically, a poet. It was in APIA where I learned how much I do not know and how much I want to seek that knowledge.
22 Art & Hatsuye
Where I have found so many of the answers I seek is in my poet’s voice, something that would never have been possible if not for my introduction to a repertoire of Asian American literature in my APIA classes. It is in APIA where I constantly and so fortunately realize the limits and reality of my learning: endless, beautiful, and ultimately mine. My name is Jamelah, I’m a Filipino American, a proud APIA major, and a poet.
Why I Majored in APIA
meeting my Asian America I. In the third grade, yellow has never looked brighter. This elementary school canvas too generous for shine, but still cruel enough to remind me of dullness. I hold a boy’s hand for the first time; my fingers, in his, stick out like autumn trees in cruel winter. I learn that my curious, colorful body just ventured into ocean I did not yet understand. I do not yet understand, but that year I learned. II. Or was it in 1968? When she and you and they and he crossed lines like bridges? San Francisco skyline so bright I won’t forget it. Can’t. In the city’s calm, a choir erupts. The border is thinned to thread, snaps at the sound of your voice. Voices shout for freedom, basking in the fog we created. The question burns blood, fiery fuel for the fight to belong here - I still dream of 1968, let every image play through the night. In the morning it lives on coffee stains of revolution on the tips of my tired, callused fingers, still wary of who they touch.
By Jamelah Jacob
SPRING 2020
Art & Hatsuye 23
APIA & AMES Awarded $260,000 For Freeman Intern Fellowships in Asia
APIA major Maggie Chu ’20 interned at Singapore’s Training Vision Institute, a professional education and development center. Her immediate supervisor was Dr. Kirpal Singh, TVI’s Chief Academic Officer. Maggie plans on relocating to Singapore to explore career opportunities as a result of her internship. Photo Courtesy of Maggie Chu.
BY ANDY HARRIS Charles Center
I
n summer 2019, twenty William & Mary students departed for internships in Asia this summer through the Freeman Intern Fellowship Program. They returned with souvenirs in their suitcase, professional work experience on their resume and a better understanding of the career path in their future. The Freeman Intern Fellowship program places undergraduates in structured summer internship opportunities throughout East Asia. Locations include Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Seoul, the Philippines, and many more. Each student receives around $5,000 to defray living and travel expenses. The purpose behind the Freeman Intern Fellowships program is to introduce American students to Asia. Through the internships,
24 Art & Hatsuye
students will clarify their career interests and gain professional experience in a real-world setting, while improving their
Moody is on the pre-med track with plans to major in chemistry and Asia and Middle-Eastern Studies. She said her “I felt like I was actually making an impact in the Freeman internship work HekaBio was doing. Although I was an intern, I gave her fresh insights into the business was not just getting coffee” ― Daria Moody ‘22 side of medicine and working in a professional team. understanding of Asian cultures. One of these students is Daria “I was able to see how a new Moody ’22 who interned with drug or medical device goes from HekaBio in Tokyo. HekaBio conception, through trials, approval pursues healthcare innovations processes, and all the way to in pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, something a doctor can prescribe,” medical devices and advanced Moody said. “I felt like I was actually therapies. During her internship making an impact in the work Moody conducted medical market HekaBio was doing. Although I was research, compiled corporate an intern, I was not just getting portfolios and revenue projections, coffee — I was able to work under translated reports, and summarized different people and learn how each and presented her findings to her of their specialties came together to colleagues. accomplish company goals.”
APIA & the World When Freeman students return stateside they enroll in a COLL 300 course with their fellow Freeman interns. During the course, each fellow develops a research project or creative work that stems from their experience in Asia. Francis Tanglao Aguas, Director of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies Program and the Faculty Director of the Freeman Intern Fellowship Program, teaches the program’s COLL 300 course, which he calls a “think tank” split into three segments. First, students present a recap of their internship to their fellow interns, and workshop ideas for their final project. Second, they host info sessions to shed light on the program for prospective Freeman applicants. Finally, they conduct their research project or creative work and generate new knowledge born from their internship. As a Professor of Theatre and Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies, Tanglao Aguas said he is fascinated by the diverse ways W&M students produce knowledge that serves their varied professions. “The idea is that our creativity and intellect is always served by new
APIA major Luigi Almirante ’21 successfully found his own internship at the University of the Philippines-Natural Research Science Institute, Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory (UP-NSRI-PHEIRL Photo Courtesy of Luigi Almirante.
and exciting stimuli,” Tanglao Aguas said. “The Freeman Intern Fellowship program is crucial to our students’ education because it allows our students to fully encounter places and people beyond the books, digital media, and classroom discussions. As W&M graduates the leaders of tomorrow, the experience of humanizing others they would not normally encounter in person is but all too vital.” The Freeman Intern Fellowships program is now accepting student applications for the Summer of 2021. As the program enters its fourth year, there are up to 24 internship placements for applicants to choose from ranging across East Asia. Students may also identify their own internship in the region. To learn more about the available opportunities and to apply, visit the Charles Center’s website. The deadline to apply is November 1st, 2020.
.Professor Francis Tanglo-Aguas founded the APIA-AMES Freeman Intern Fellowships in Asia program. He and Chelsie Craddock visited the BayaniBrew team in the Philippines. From left: MCris Contino, Non-Executive Director; Vincenzo Ciummo, Executive Director; Ron Dizon, Co-Founder; and Erwin del Castillo, General Manager. Photo Courtesy of Francis Tanglao Aguas. SPRING 2020
Two new internships were introduced in 2020. The first is with the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability (ANSA) in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, an extension of the same internship partner located in Manila where W&M students interned the past two summers. The second new internship partnership is with the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation in Jakarta. The Freeman Intern Fellows program is administered by the Charles Center, which works together with the Program in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and the Program in Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies to provide highimpact internship opportunities in Asia for W&M students. As its name would suggest, this program is made possible by a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation. Prior grants from the Freeman Foundation led to the creation of the APIA and AMES programs. “It demonstrates how deeply the generosity of the Freeman Foundation has impacted the fortification of Asian Studies and internationalization at William & Mary,” Tanglao Aguas said. “Because of the Freemans’ commitment to Asian Studies at William & Mary, our university has one of the strongest programs studying Asia and Asians in the United States.” Art & Hatsuye 25
When We Are Together, the Lotus Blooms
Professor Francis Tanglao Aguas, Gabby de Belen ’22, and Zoe Marquez ’21 at the APIA Open House. Photos by Catie Nguyen.
Dr. Frank Cha was our 2019 Homecoming Guest Speaker. He was a member of APIA’s first feasibility committee during his PhD days in American Studies. Photo by Zeta Atoigue
Presenting the new directors! Incoming Director of APIA Professor Deenesh Sohoni and AASI incoming Co-Director Calvin Kim ’22 pose proudly together during Calvin’s APIA major declaration day. Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas.
NYU’s Dr. Dean Saranillo lectured on the independence movement in Hawaii. Photo by Zoe Marquez.
Marcus Bengzon and Jamelah Jacob with Athena Benton on their declaration day.
Temple University’s Dean for Asian Health Dr. Grace X. Ma with the Class of 2019. Photo Courtesy of Francis Tanglao Aguas.
26 Art & Hatsuye
Scenes From APIA
UVA’s Professor Sylvia Chong lectured on Crazy Rich Asians, seen here with Professor Chinua Thelwell and APIA students. Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas.
Andrea, Mey, Kathryn, Isabella, Catie won the newly designed APIA-Ts. Photos by Francis Tanglao Aguas.
Shoes off, just like in an Asian home! Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas.
Dr. Natasha Sriraman of Eastern Virginia Medical School taught a class in fall 2019 on Medicine and APIA communities. Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas. PENN’s Dr. Davesh Soneji with Professor Claire Pamment during his visit in March 2020 right before the COVID-19 shutdown. Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas.
APIA majors and FASA went for a Jollibee run. Photo Courtesy of Jamelah Jacob.
SPRING 2020
Art & Hatsuye 27
APIA is
Up2U!
Sustaining APIA Empowerment for Next Generations
The generosity and kindness of supporters and allies Prof. Aguas’ 2019 Fil-Am Diaspora cohort hosted Harvard’s Dr. Genevieve Clutario. like you have been most crucial and instrumental in Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas. establishing an academic and community space such as APIA for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and The Steven Enriquez ‘09 APIA Student Fund (4604) was founded to the entire William & Mary community. We are deeply honor the legacy of the late Steven Enriquez who was President of grateful for your contributions which go a long way FASA and an active advocate for APIA’s establishment. The Steven in augmenting our minimal budget as a very new Fund supports APIA student needs. program.
The Steven Enriquez Student Fund (4604)
You can support APIA by going to GIVING.WM.EDU and searching for the following endowment and funds.
FASA Presidents have been constant leaders for APIA: Anthony Elopre and Amanda Andrei seen here with our much beloved Steven Enriquez part of the long line of outstanding FASA presidents. Photos courtesy of Steven Enriquez memorial Facebook.
Jamelah Jacob (top middle) is the first ever Edward Hong Prize awardee for her leadership during her first 3 years at W&M. Photo by Jorge Conda.
General APIA Fund (4086)
With your support to the general APIA Fund (4086), we have consistently offered outstanding guest speakers during our monthly Banh Mi Speaker Series. Since 2014, the series have also provided a venue for us to break bread with Banh Mi, the namesake delicious Vietnamese sandwiches. The APIA Fund also supports our awards such as the Art Matsu Prize, the Edward Hong Prize, and the Hatsuye Yamasaki Prize.
The Jinlan Liu APIA Faculty Research Endowment (4569)
Through the stewardship of our alum Benming Zhang ‘16, the Jinlan Liu APIA Faculty Research Endowment (4569) was established with $100,000 seed money from the Jinlan Liu and Han Zhang Family Foundation. The Liu Faculty Research Endowment supports faculty so that they are able to advance their research portfolio while contributing to our program. The faculty research endowment honors Ms. Jinlan Liu for her long time support and advocacy of APIA. Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas.
Let’s Brainstorm! We welcome all your ideas for how you wish to help us build and expand opportunities and spaces for the APIA Studies Program and community. Please email our Founding Director, Professor Francis Tanglao Aguas at fjtang@wm.edu. 28 Art & Hatsuye
Heein Choi received the 2018 Matsu Prize. Photo by Francis Tanglao Aguas. The Hong Prize recognizes excellence in activism, service and leadership as epitomized by our first major, Edward Hong. Photo Courtsey of Edward Hong.