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.
T
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
4 Art & Hatsuye
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!
