Art & Hatsuye 2022 Asian Centennial Commemorative Souvenir Edition

Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies

Francis Tanglao Aguas, MFA

Sasikumar Balasundaram, PhD

R. Benedito Ferrão, PhD

Monika Gosin, PhD

Tomoko Hamada, PhD

Roberto Jamora, MFA

Jenny Kahn, PhD

Theresa Ronquillo, Joanna Schug, PhD

Stephen Sheehi, PhD

Chinua Thelwell, PhD

Lynn Weiss, PhD Andrea Wright, PhD

Publisher

Francis Tanglao Aguas

Monika Van Tassel

Vivian Hoang '24 Nina Raneses '22

Design Editors

Vivian Hoang '24

Joey Houska '24

Cori Ingram '23

Diana Kim '25

Yannira Lopez Perez '22 Brandon Nguyen '24

Nina Raneses '22

Angelique Vo '22

Staff Writers

Eddie Choi '22

Ninjin Gankhuleg '23

Vivian Hoang '24

Emily Key '23

Calvin Kim '22

Shreyas Kumar '21

Aidan Lowe '23

Sreya Malipeddi '23

Myra Simbulan '25

Mey Seen '23

Sumie Yotsukura '22

Rayna Yu '21

Cori Ingram '23

Effie Zhang '24

FromtheDirector: FromtheDirector:

CelebratingAPIA CelebratingAPIA &theAsian &theAsian Centennial Centennial

Two years ago, when I first took over as the director of the APIA program, we were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Two years ago, when I first took over as the director of the APIA program, we were in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, attending Zoom classes, headed towards a violent attack on the Capitol, and dealing with rising anti-Asian hate While attending Zoom classes, headed towards a violent attack on the Capitol, and dealing with rising anti-Asian hate. While unfortunately we still continue to face many of these same issues today, my goal here is to celebrate and highlight the strong we still continue to face many of these same issues today, my goal here is to celebrate and highlight the strong counter-narrative that we are creating in APIA and with the Asian Centennial in the face of these challenges counter-narrative that we are creating in APIA and with the Asian Centennial in the face of these challenges.

Since 2019, when APIA officially became a major, we have grown from a graduating cohort of four students to the class of 2022’s Since 2019, officially became a major, we have grown from a graduating of four students to the class of 2022’s cohort of seven majors and one minor with an expected graduating cohort of 10 majors next year Our growth in majors is due in cohort of seven majors and one minor with an expected graduating cohort of 10 majors next year Our growth in majors is due in large part to our ability to create an inclusive space that allows critical analysis of U S institutions and attitudes, which is large part to our ability to create an inclusive space that allows critical analysis of U S institutions and attitudes, which is especially needed today It is also reflective of our growth in affiliate faculty such as professors Esther Kim, Jason Chen, and especially needed today. It is also reflective of our growth in affiliate faculty such as professors Esther Kim, Jason Chen, and Jamel K. Donnor from the School of Education, professor Laura Guerrero from the philosophy department, and in adjunct faculty Jamel K Donnor from the School of Education, professor Laura Guerrero from the philosophy department, and in adjunct faculty members such as professors Theresa Ronquillo, Roberto Jamora, and Sasikumar Balasundaram, which has allowed us to offer a members such as professors Theresa Ronquillo, Roberto Jamora, and Sasikumar Balasundaram, which has allowed us to offer a broader variety of courses seen through a more diverse set of disciplinary lenses. broader variety of courses seen through a more diverse set of disciplinary lenses

This year also marks the centennial commemoration of the first Asian student and likely the first student of color at W&M Pu This year also marks the centennial commemoration of the first Asian student and likely the first student of color at W&M Pu Kao Chen More than a celebration of one individual, the Asian Centennial has allowed us to highlight the history and legacy of Kao Chen More than a celebration of one individual, the Asian Centennial has allowed us to highlight the history and legacy of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern/Muslim students, faculty, and staff The Asian Centennial also contextualizes their lives Asian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern/Muslim students, faculty, and staff. The Asian Centennial also contextualizes their lives in the racial climate of their times. in the racial climate of their times

In doing so, we were able to develop a platform for collaborative programming that opened conversations on how to continue to In doing so, we were able to develop a platform for collaborative programming that opened conversations on how to continue to build a more inclusive community build a more inclusive community.

This has meant bringing in renowned authors such as Pulitzer Prize winner Dr Viet Thanh Nguyen and supporting prominent artists has meant bringing in renowned authors such as Pulitzer Prize winner Dr Viet Thanh Nguyen and supporting prominent artists such as Roberto Jamora, Rinabeth Apostol and Marissa Aroy, all of whom have diversified our physical spaces All the while, we such as Roberto Jamora, Rinabeth Apostol and Marissa Aroy, all of whom have diversified our physical spaces All the while, we have recognized our connections to the past, as seen in our dedications of the Arthur Matsu Arcade at Zable Stadium and the have recognized our connections to the past, as seen in our dedications of the Arthur Matsu Arcade at Zable Stadium and the Arthur Matsu historical marker and in the reading of the W&M Charter in multiple Asian languages at Charter Day My hope is that Arthur Matsu historical marker and in the reading of the W&M Charter in multiple Asian languages at Charter Day. My hope is that the amazing energy we have witnessed this past year allows us to continue building more sustainable projects and programming the amazing energy we have witnessed this past year allows us to continue building more sustainable projects and programming for the future for the future.

Finally, a big thanks and shout out to my collaborator, brother Bruin, and fellow co-chair of the Asian Centennial, Professor Francis Finally, a big thanks and shout out to my collaborator, brother Bruin, and fellow co-chair of the Asian Centennial, Professor Francis Tanglao Aguas Thanks for sharing this fun and crazy year Next year, I am on research sabbatical researching, writing, and Tanglao Aguas Thanks for sharing this fun and crazy year Next year, I am on research sabbatical researching, writing, and recharging In the meantime, I am delighted to announce that professor Stephen Sheehi has agreed to serve as the interim director In the meantime, I am delighted to announce that professor Stephen Sheehi has agreed to serve as the interim director of APIA in my absence of APIA in my absence.

I know the program will be in great hands I can’t thank enough all my colleagues in APIA whose efforts and support has ensured I know the program will be in great hands. I can’t thank enough all my colleagues in APIA whose efforts and support has ensured the continued success of our program and has made directing APIA so rewarding. I also cannot thank enough our students, whose the continued success of our program and has made directing APIA so rewarding I also cannot thank enough our students, whose participation in research projects, in community building (Yeah, Asian Centennial Ball!), and in everyday interactions in class and participation in research projects, in community building (Yeah, Asian Centennial Ball!), and in everyday interactions in class and outside make being at William & Mary so joyous and worthwhile. outside make being at William & Mary so joyous and worthwhile

ProgramDirectorofAsian& ProgramDirectorofAsian& PacificIslanderStudies, PacificIslanderStudies, ProfessorofSociology,Co-Chair ProfessorofSociology,Co-Chair oftheAsianCentennialatW&M oftheAsianCentennialatW&M

DeeneshSohoni, DeeneshSohoni,

Introducing: Introducing: TheCentennialEight TheCentennialEight

Oddly enough, I formed my relationship with the class of 2022 online Oddly enough, I formed my relationship with the class of 2022 online through Zoom screens or over social media before I was able to ever through Zoom screens or over social media before I was able to ever interact with them in person. I had heard about each one of them interact with them in person I had heard about each one of them through their involvement in our community, whether it be advocacy, through their involvement in our community, whether it be advocacy, performance, research; it is truly a testament to the impact each of performance, research; it is truly a testament to the impact each of these individuals has had on William & Mary that I knew them by their these individuals has had on William & Mary that I knew them by their talents before properly meeting any of them. talents before properly meeting any of them.

Beyond being classmates, we are a coalition who has witnessed and Beyond being classmates, we are a coalition who has witnessed and endured a number of historical moments From the pandemic to Stop endured a number of historical moments. From the pandemic to Stop Asian Hate, it has been far from easy to be a member of this community Asian Hate, it has been far from easy to be a member of this community on top of our own personal challenges. In this issue, you will find many of on top of our own personal challenges. In this issue, you will find many of us, alongside our peers, discussing the discovery of our identities. Many us, alongside our peers, discussing the discovery of our identities. Many of us have sought out communities that we did not have the privilege of of us have sought out communities that we did not have the privilege of having in our hometowns or high schools. having in our hometowns or high schools

Through our coursework, involvement in student organizations, and Through our coursework, involvement in student organizations, and confiding in one other, we have arrived at the end of our undergraduate confiding in one other, we have arrived at the end of our undergraduate journeys having successfully navigated many of these challenges. Now, journeys having successfully navigated many of these challenges. Now, we get to celebrate. We celebrate unapologetically being ourselves. We we get to celebrate We celebrate unapologetically being ourselves We celebrate taking up space. We celebrate the Asian Centennial and the celebrate taking up space We celebrate the Asian Centennial and the early Asian students who arrived at this institution during time periods early Asian students who arrived at this institution during time periods we may not be able to relate to, but share their struggles all the same we may not be able to relate to, but share their struggles all the same. We honor some of these students through this journal's namesakes, Art We honor some of these students through this journal's namesakes, Art Matsu '27 and Hatsuye Yamasaki '37, and we do so in the background of Matsu '27 and Hatsuye Yamasaki '37, and we do so in the background of our cover photo, which was taken in front of Brown Hall, Yamasaki's our cover photo, which was taken in front of Brown Hall, Yamasaki's dorm. During her time at William & Mary, Yamasaki was elected hall dorm During her time at William & Mary, Yamasaki was elected hall president by her peers a noble feat for who we believe to be the first president by her peers a noble feat for who we believe to be the first woman of Asian descent to attend Willam & Mary woman of Asian descent to attend Willam & Mary.

So, congratulations, Centennial Eight, for dealing with the challenges of So, congratulations, Centennial Eight, for dealing with the challenges of our community and within ourselves while also being able to celebrate our community and within ourselves while also being able to celebrate our past, present, and future. Eddie, Andrea, Gabby, Mitchel, Calvin, our past, present, and future Eddie, Andrea, Gabby, Mitchel, Calvin, Angelique, and Sumié I look forward to seeing all of the amazing things Angelique, and Sumié I look forward to seeing all of the amazing things you accomplish Thank you for your contributions to this university, and you accomplish. Thank you for your contributions to this university, and thank you for being a shoulder to lean on, in good moments and bad thank you for being a shoulder to lean on, in good moments and bad. Here's to us and everyone who helped get us here! Here's to us and everyone who helped get us here!

NinaRaneses'22, NinaRaneses'22, Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

Photos taken by Patrick Pham 23

Hyunkyu"Eddie"Choi'22

Thesis:"WheninWilliamsburg"

rted with questions.

environment notorious for its academic rigor? Would I be in a community that is so culturally different from what

g to be the “typical” William & Mary student. But questions ey are answered, and no answer will be as clear as when osure. And so that’s what I pursued my own "twamp" virtually every student comes across during their time at nds for “typical William & Mary person.”

ical” in a setting that is structured to encourage many of growth? And what if the chef plated this setting with a demic? I realize my international upbringing already sets my rom that of the greater student body, but hasn’t COVID-19 styles to a certain degree?

y the least, we’ve all had our share of self-development journeys thanks to enty of indoor time that allowed for much-needed self-confrontation. es having forced us to make perhaps some of the greatest sacrifices, -19 has also graced us with the gift of learning to appreciate our unique and identities

ypical” in “twamp” has lost its meaning but in the most beautiful way nable My difference is not to be set apart, but rather to coexist with

Photos courtesy of Hyunkyu Eddie Choi 22

Sociology

Treasurer and External Committee Member, Filipino American Student Association, 2019-2021 Secretary, Asian American Student Initiative, 20202021 Research Fellow, Salary Equity Project for Social Justice Policy Initiative, 2021-2022

AndreaDalagan'22

Thesis:"TheEffectofAmericanPedagogyon ColonialRuleinthePhilippines"

The last time I wrote for Art & Hatsuye, I talked about why I majored in APIA While I don t think I need to recap my journey, we’re gonna need some context here Here is my love letter to APIA

In my first semester here at William & Mary, I was adamant in avoiding influences from others about what I should do, instead searching for something I completely believed in. Every conversation that started with, “You should take this APIA class,” was met with an internal eyebrow raise. I was not to be told what to do and what path to follow. I would decide.

My own curiosity eventually led me to take Asian American History with Professor Chinua Thelwell. During our first class, he asked us, “Why are you taking Asian American History?” While it seemed like such a simple question, I struggled to communicate a comprehensive answer, complicated by feelings I hadn’t taken the time to define before. How do I tell this classroom full of people about the generations of Asians before me, my own migration, and the generations after me? How do I tell them about the need to know what context I was placed in and what context I would be placing my children in? What is the American quilt that I am sewing them into by being here? In the end, all I said was, “I’m Asian,” in the hopes that the implication was enough

By taking the class, and the subsequent APIA classes afterwards, I viewed the world differently. Through APIA, I grew closer and closer to having a grasp of the millions of nuances and contexts that the world operates in. The dramatic shifts in the lights and the darks. A battered hand holding another, and a beating hand hitting another The most beautiful pictures of communities coming together with the ugliest pictures of exploitation tearing people apart.

Before, I wrote about not regretting any of it, that I would rather inch forward than live with a wool over my eyes. In the years I’ve taken APIA classes, it wasn’t always easy seeing things in my life a little differently This isn’t the kind of major you join because you think it’ll pay a sixfigure salary right out of college. This isn’t a major you join because you are enamored by a culture like a Francophile This community I joined through APIA isn’t delicate; it isn’t a fragile flower unable to withstand hardships. It’s gritty in its struggles: the fight against tokenization, fetishization, erasure Invisibility

The APIA majors I know are here because they saw themselves in it. They saw their painful experiences and the things they have pushed away for years But it was their ability to constantly envision a better future, a reality to strive for, that inspired me time and time again. This community will continue to amaze me with its faith a faith that is not born out of idealism and ignorance but one born out of trials and adversity.

Photos courtesy of Andrea Dalagan 22

BA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies BA,

Coming into William & Mary, I was nervous. Coming from a high school in Las Vegas in which 84% of the students were students of color, and my closest friends were Asian American, William & Mary’s student body was far from familiar William & Mary is a predominantly white institution next to a theme park celebrating colonialism. I guess I wasn’t nervous so much as terrified.

To deal with the culture shock, I joined the Filipino American Student Association, where I started to feel more comfortable. It was more than just the fact that they ate adobo or loved karaoke – it was a community that I could turn to, that would just get it The upperclassmen in FASA I met and admired all had one thing in common: they were all studying Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies. So naturally, I started taking APIA classes.

In my freshman spring, I registered for Filipino American Diaspora, and for the first time in my academic career, my experiences were put front and center. It wasn’t just a single sentence in a textbook – it was in every weekly reading As a senior seminar, the readings were challenging, and the work was intimidating, but everything I learned felt significant

When I’d finally mustered the courage to go to Professor Aguas’ office hours, he sat me down and showed me why we need APIA studies Literally Watching Jin Hyuk Ho’s honors project, “Why We Need APIA Studies,” is a rite of passage amongst APIA majors, and I was no different. After that moment, I decided to become an APIA major, and I am thankful that I did With a smaller major, I was able to connect with my professors and like-minded peers I found a community that I was afraid wouldn’t exist, one that taught me how to leverage and celebrate my identity.

When the pandemic hit, I suddenly felt like I had lost that community The toll isolation took on my mental health made me unsure if I would be able to graduate at all, much less finish my APIA major But when I reached out for help, my community reemerged to support me Inspired by the words of Professor Aguas, that anything I do is APIA, I challenged myself to return to aspects of my life that I had been neglecting. My APIA capstone, an EP of songs about my Filipino American experience, fully centralized me, and in doing so, centralized APIA studies in my life

Looking back, I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this community, to be surrounded by people who revel in my successes and help me recover from my struggles My coursework and community have generated my drive towards public service, and my passion for uplifting marginalized communities, and I would not be the person I am today without it.

BA, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies

BA, Public Policy, Phi Beta Kappa

Research Fellow, International Justice Lab at the Global Research Institute, 2019-2020

Tournament Director & Team Captain, William & Mary Mock Trial Team, 2019-2022

External Programming Committee, Filipino American Student Association, 2019-2020 1693 Scholar

2020 Freeman Fellow

2022 IPAX Performing Arts Award

Photos courtesy of Gabriel e DeBelen 22

MitchelHosuKhim'22

Coming into William & Mary from a predominantly white high school with little to no knowledge about the history or experiences of Asian Americans, I was unaware that APIA studies even existed in any curriculum, let alone be something I could minor in.

I began my journey into APIA the spring of my freshman year taking Filipino American Diaspora after my freshman hallmate and great friend Sidney Miralao suggested I take the class with her Being a Korean American, I didn’t think this class would pertain to me in any way, but I was quickly proven wrong Professor Aguas’ lectures and the reading material opened my eyes to a history I never knew before, and I found myself relating more and more with my own experiences as a Korean American After this class, I continued taking at least one APIA class every year of my college curriculum, and now I have the honor of being an APIA minor

Joining the APIA community has allowed me to foster so many great friendships and find opportunities that I never would have had otherwise From all the cultural organizations I have been a part of, to the conferences we would travel to, I became much more aware and educated on what life as an Asian American meant.

Today, I am proud to be a Korean American, and I am proud to be an Asian American. As I reflect on my time here, I strongly implore those who are Asian American on this campus to take at least one APIA course during your time as an undergraduate. We are privileged that our school offers courses that give us representation of our own culture, and you never know how that one class can shape your view of the world.

District 7 Representative, Filipino American Student Association, 2019-2020

Internal Committee Member, Filipino American Student Association, 2019-2020

Agape Christian Fellowship

Photos courtesy of Mitchel Khim 22

BS, Kinesiology

Minor, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies

Social Chair, Chinese Student Organization

CalvinKim'22

Coming to William & Mary, I knew I wanted to major in Sociology. I was also considering International Relations or English for a double major at the time, and I didn’t even know APIA Studies existed But that all changed when I walked into Professor Sohoni’s office for my first ever pre-major advising meeting. Still three credits away from being a full-time student, I was panicking and had no idea which class to take Professor Sohoni suggested that I take Intro to APIA Studies with Professor Ferrao, and my life truly changed from then on.

Intro to APIA studies did exactly what the course title said it would it introduced me to so many aspects of history, culture, and politics that I had never learned before. It was a few weeks into class when I had solidified my decision to major in APIA Studies, and I haven’t regretted that choice for a second APIA studies has given me so much more than just academic knowledge; it has given me courage, compassion, and selflove APIA studies provided me with the tools I needed to fully accept myself in so many different facets of my life.

What sets APIA studies apart from other majors is that it’s not just a major, it’s truly a family. When I joined the family, I was immediately brought into the fold by upperclassmen majors. They quickly became friends and mentors who I could turn to with questions or ask for advice The faculty in APIA were not only our professors, but also elders whose lived experiences and wisdom were valued by all students. The faculty of APIA have made it clear time and time again that their priority is their students’ wellbeing Anytime I needed an extension and that was a LOT my APIA professors were always the most flexible and accommodating to my needs. They would check in to see how I was doing, not how much progress on my paper that I was making I may have been a 6-hour drive from Philly, but thanks to APIA studies I never felt too far away from home.

APIA studies is why I am so proud of who I am as I leave this chapter of my life I have endless love and gratitude for every single professor, major, and friend who supported me throughout my time in college and challenged me to grow into the best version of myself Even before I saw it in myself, my APIA family recognized the potential I held

Photos courtesy

BA, Government

Minor, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies

2022 Editor-in-Chief, Art & Hatsuye

2021 Copy Chief, The Flat Hat

2021 Copy Chief, Flat Hat Magazine

Resident Assistant, 2020-2022

NinaRaneses'22

Like many of my peers, I discovered APIA at a time when I began taking a deeper look at my ethnic identity in college. Prior to being a student at William & Mary, I frankly did not discuss APIA identity with anyone, not even myself. I had always been confident enough in who I was. In fact, in most circumstances as a teenager, I avoided any opportunity to delve further into my heritage for fear that I might go through what I have ended up going through as a young adult

As I’ve reflected in a deeply personal piece I penned for Flat Hat Magazine last year, the passing of my grandmother opened my eyes to what I was missing out on. I lost my strongest connection to my Filipino heritage that day. I knew I owed it to myself from that point onward to educate myself, to ask myself the hard questions, and to be comfortable with being uncomfortable

Learning more about your identity is not a linear process. Bits and pieces will reveal themselves at times you won’t expect and opportunities you never knew you could have could arise. For me, it was taking Asian American Demography and Law my junior year with Prof Deenesh Sohoni In that course, I learned things about Asian American history that surprised, shocked, and humbled me. I gained a more personal insight into APIA in Filipino Diaspora Studies with Prof. Roberto Jamora, in which I learned more about Filipino history and culture in one semester than I had in my whole life and I even spent a year living in the Philippines!

In terms of unexpectedness, I never thought I’d be able to gain a whole new community as a result of this journey. The support from this program I’ve gotten along the way has been astounding. Thank you, APIA, for being such an unexpected but necessary part of my journey.

Photos courtesy of Nina Raneses 22

AngeliqueVo'22

Entering freshman year was lonelier than I expected.

There was never a part of me that felt like I truly belonged at William & Mary. Despite all of the clubs I joined to match my interests, there was never a club that particularly stood out to me or made me feel comfortable being myself. Thankfully, this all changed my sophomore year when I decided to join the Filipino American Student Association, which introduced me to APIA Studies

While in FASA, I often heard stories about the APIA program and its classes. I would overhear conversations about APIA classes Although I grew curious about what classes with unique names like “SexyRacy” entailed, I never took the time to research the APIA Studies major due to my allegiance to my STEM major Finally, during the spring semester of my sophomore year, one of the FASA seniors, David Fernandez ‘20, convinced me to take a break from my neuroscience courses and enroll in Asian Pacific American History with Professor Thelwell From then on, I was immersed in APIA studies

APIA History was truly life changing for me because it filled a void that I didn’t know I had It introduced me to a new way of learning and unlearning as we read about cultural history and experiences that previous history classes had excluded When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and hate crimes against AAPI individuals increased throughout the country, my anger on behalf of the AAPI community heightened This anger eventually fueled my passion for advocacy and curiosity for APIA Studies as I went on to enroll in courses such as Intro to Asian & Middle Eastern Studies with Professor Wright and the famous “SexyRacy,” or “Sex & Race in Plays and Films” with Professor Aguas, which ultimately solidified my decision to major in APIA

For me, APIA has taught me the importance of empathy and compassion for others I’ve learned to have the courage to express who I am, share my experiences, and explore my identity. Most of all, APIA has taught me how to unapologetically love myself as a Vietnamese American as my Bà Nội once taught me.

Thank you to my friends and family who provided me love and support in my times of need during my four years. Thank you to APIA professors for not only endlessly encouraging me, but also for molding me into the scholar I am today Thank you to FASA and VSA for giving me the pamilya and gia đình that I longed for my freshman year.

Most of all, thank you APIA Studies for helping me appreciate myself as a Vietnamese American and being my ‘why’ when I think about why I belong at William & Mary

Photos courtesy of Angelique

SumiéYotsukura'22

Surprise, surprise: Francis was right.

He told me that doing APIA would enable me to find my full humanity as an Asian American. He said that the classes I’d take, the professors I’d learn from, and the friends I would meet would allow me to gain knowledge and even comfort in who I am as an Asian American and that all of this would be the most valuable part of my college experience And, lo and behold, two years later, everything has played out exactly as he said it would

But I didn’t always know it would turn out this way. I was a relative latecomer to APIA, and for a very long time, I felt like I might never actually make my way into the program I wasn’t able to fit an APIA class into my schedule until junior year, and for all my efforts, I was never able to make more than two Asian American Student Initiative meetings a semester. The longer I went unable to do anything APIA related, the less I believed I would ever find my place within the community

And then something happened. APIA became my reason for being in college my lifeline. These were the classes teaching me about my history and what it meant to be Asian American These classes taught me how to understand the world as I had always wanted but never been able to In times of confusion, loneliness, and existential doubt during the pandemic, APIA gave me a purpose. I found solace in my classes and biweekly AASI zoom meetings, in which I felt like I genuinely had a community one of the strongest, smartest, most conscientious and supportive communities I ever had the privilege of stumbling into Here was a community I could be fully myself in a way I’d never been able to before.

Getting to learn, talk, laugh, and smile in-person with all the incredible members of this community over the past year has been the greatest gift I never knew I needed This community, which I’d felt so helplessly disconnected from, became like family to me. That I leave here feeling so comfortable and confident in my Asian American self, strengths and flaws and quirks and all, is because of this incomparable community

BA,

President, Theatre Student Association, 2020-2022

Director, Sinfonicron Light Opera Company, 2021-2022

Researcher & Exhibit Designer, APM Research Project, 2021-2022

2021 Catron Grant Recipient

2020-2021

2022 Lord Botetourt Medal

Photos courtesy of Sumié Yotsukura

AsianCentennialEvents

Hanako Doherty '96, a member of the Asian-Pacific IslanderMiddle Eastern Alumni of William & Mary (APIM), visits campus during homecoming and reads the Spring 2020 issue of Art & Hatsuye. Photo taken by Mitchel Khim '22.

Patrick Canteros '20 and Emma Shainwald '20 visit the APIA tailgate during homecoming. Photo taken by Mitchel Khim '22.

From left to right: alumnus Franklin Rho '96 visits the APIM tailgate with Gabby DeBelen '22, David Fernandez '20, and Angelique Vo '22. Photo courtesy of Angelique Vo '22.

Professor Roberto Jamora delivers an Artist Talk at the Muscarelle Museum. Jamora's talk highlights his

Professor Andrea Wright shares her latest research findings at an APIA Faculty Banh Mi Lecture after being honored as the first recipient of the Jinlan Liu Faculty Research Award. Photo taken by Mitchel Khim '22.

Emmyaward-winningfilmmakerMarissaAroyvisits campustodocumentthehistoryandexperienceof AsiansatWilliam&Mary,workingalongsideWilliam& Mary'sDirectorofVideo&MultimediaLisaCrawford. PhotocourtesyofFrancisTanglaoAguas

Quan Chau '21 performs a personal rendition of "I Can Go the Distance" by Michael Bolton, a centerpiece of the Disney film Hercules. Photo taken by Vivian Hoang '24.

The Asian Centennial at W&M unveils Professor Roberto Jamora's artwork, "VOLUMES." This piece is inspired by the activism and leadership of APIMSW students at W&M. Photo taken by Vivian Hoang '24.

Ameya King '12 performs a traditional Kuchipudi dance at the Asian Centennial Gala. Photo taken by Vivian Hoang '24.

AsianCentennialEvents

At the Asian Centennial Ball, William & Mary's Griffin Bhangra Team delivers an electric performance of a

The Filipino American Student Association (FASA) performs tinikling, a traditional Philippine dance, at the Asian Centennial Ball. Photo taken by Monica Bagnoli '25.

Camille Zeraat, president of FASA and Director of the Asian Centennial Ball, delivers a speech. Photo taken by Monica Bagnoli '25.

Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen visits W&M to receive the Hatsuye Yamasaki '37 Prize for Visionary Leadership. Dr. Nguyen also delivers the 2022 McSwain-Walker Lecture with his talk, "Refugees, Language, and the Meaning of 'America.'" Photo taken by Justin Sherlock.

President Katherine Rowe, unveils a new Virginia Historical Highway Marker honoring Arthur "Art" Azo Matsu '27 in front of the Arthur A. Matsu Arcade in Zable Stadium at William & Mary. This event took place on the April 30th, 2022 — Matsu's 118th birthday and Asian Centennial Day. Rowe is joined by Zack Hoisington, Matsu's great-grandson.

Photo taken by Ryan Goodman '25.

This new Virginia Historical Highway Marker honors Arthur "Art" Azo Matsu '27. Matsu was the quarterback for Tribe football in 1923 and went on to become the first player of Japanese descent in the National Football League. Photo taken by Ryan Goodman '25.

Photos courtesy of A&H

photographyteam

Oct.7,2021

By: Sumié Yotsukura '22

For attending a school with one of the longest histories in the United States, I had never thought much at all about the history of people like me Asian Americans, that is at William & Mary until around a year ago

The university has always boasted its wealth of (white) alumni contributors to (and throughout) American history and, being half white myself, I’d always embraced that as my inheritance. I’d thought little of my other half and what rich legacy the Asian side of myself might have to inherit and continue at William & Mary.

Such a mindset is not a surprising one. Asian Americans have long been erased from American history, in no small part because of the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype wherein Asian Americans, regardless of their generational history in the U.S., are perceived as outsiders and continually unassimilable into the predominantly white, Anglo-Saxon culture of the U.S. As children, we’re taught very little about the history and contributions of Asian Americans to this country, and indeed, like with object permanence, if we don’t see and learn about something, it might as well not exist.

It was my introduction to the Asian & Pacific Islander American program that made me begin to realize just how much I, like many others, had never even begun to think about these issues,

simply because we were never told to do so. The program takes a great deal of initiative to shine a light on underrepresented faces and voices of the university I knew the names Art Matsu and Hatsuye Yamasaki, the two earliest known Asian American alumni of the university, practically as soon as I began to become acquainted with the program.

As soon as I connected with one student or professor in the program, I’d be pointed in the direction of at least five more Asian Americans at the university to observe and learn from.

For attending a school with one of the longest histories in the United States, I had never thought much at all about the history of people like me Asian Americans, that is at William & Mary until around a year ago

In February 2021, Deenesh Sohoni, sociology professor and director of the Asian and Pacific Islander American studies program, reached out to me to talk about a potential research opportunity what would come to be known as the Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern (APM) Research Project.

Sumié Yotsukura '22 and Brian Zhao '23 help set up the P K Chen Exhibit, where their original research is published, in Earl Gregg Swem Library Photo courtesy of A&H photography team

Under his guidance and the assistance of Swem Library’s Special Collections librarians and other APIA professors, fellow student researcher Brian Zhao ’23 and I conducted archival research to investigate the lives of the first students of Asian ancestry at William & Mary. Our goal was to bring into public knowledge previously unknown information about the lived history of the first students of color at our institution.

While on assignment for the APM Research Project, I found myself sitting in the tranquil wood-paneled reading room of Swem’s Special Collections on a quiet Friday in early spring 2021, fingers twitching in anxious anticipation. After a few minutes, the research librarian on call emerged, a box of old, worn documents in hand. She laid out a thick foam mat and a long, weighted roll wrapped in blue velvet. Then, ever so gently, she pulled out one thin, bound booklet of aged cream-colored paper a volume of The William and Mary Literary Magazine, dated from “FEBRUARY, 1923” in large lettering and placed it on the mat

At the top of the teaser table of contents on the cover: “A CHINESE STUDENT’S FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA By P. K. Chen.”

I delicately opened to the first couple of pages, carefully draping the blue roll along the edges to hold the booklet open, and began to read with wide eyes the selfrecorded story of a young Chinese student’s journey from Beijing, China to Williamsburg, Virginia, where he would become the first recorded student of Asian ancestry to ever attend the College of William & Mary. Pu Kao Chen arrived from China to study here at W&M in 1921, 100 years ago, and I could not believe my luck in finding this complete record, in his own words, of his experience of that arrival. His article painted a picture of his trip over, depicting both his wonder and excitement at the U.S., as well as the xenophobic, racist prejudice he immediately encountered here

My very assignment had been to research P.K. Chen and the racial climate he entered when he studied at William & Mary by digging through archival fragments; here, no mere fragment, but a complete, in-depth account had fallen into my lap written by the man himself addressing that very topic. Further, never before had I felt such solidarity with someone from the annals of history.

I realized that he was writing “A Chinese Student’s First Impressions of America” in much the same way I am writing this article now: a 20-something soon-to-be graduate getting their experiences on paper so that hopefully, they may make a statement about the racial prejudices and injustices faced in their time, mobilizing readers to do something about it and learn how to better understand the other people they share space with.

P.K. Chen’s story ultimately unlocked the creation of the exhibit. Professor Sohoni had suggested that I take advantage of my background in theatre and create an exhibit With every bit of archival material I had read through, the world and racial climate of Williamsburg, VA, circa 1921, came that much more clearly and closely into view. That archival research, the discovery of P.K. Chen’s firsthand account, and my assignment came together in my brain and clicked: the bulk of his narrative followed his travels from location to location, map-like in its maneuvers, so what better way to present his story than a spatial recreation of that map? I would visually retell P.K. Chen’s story by using his own vivid and illustrative narrative and providing the context necessary to understand what he had written about his experiences

Yotsukura '22 and Zhao '23 work with Prof Deenesh Sohoni, APIA program director and Asian Centennial co-chair, to put the finishing touches on the exhibit

Photo courtesy of A&H photography team

From April to August, the exhibit fell into place. I set about examining P.K. Chen’s article with a fine-toothed comb to identify where the piece provided windows into key historical, legal, and sociological moments of the time I looked for where I might be able to further vivify with photographs, charts, and maps Chen’s already vibrant illustrations of the America The whole team had been scouring old issues of the Flat Hat newspaper and the Colonial Echo for indications of the early 20’s racial climate at W&M, and boy, did it come in handy. A number of fragments disclosing white nationalist club establishments, celebrated visits from the creator of the most archetypal racist film Birth of a Nation, and jokes ingrained with the casual racism of the time would make their way into the panels to paint ever more clearly a portrait of what exactly Williamsburg must have appeared as to an Asian man 100 years ago.

Our team of researchers and archivists gathered relevant contextual information, wrote blurbs, and went in search of relevant historical images and records to display as visual context aids For the panel illustrating Chen’s first steps onto American soil in San Francisco, our archivists managed to find images of the actual record he signed upon arrival on Angel Island, along with a whole slew of vivid images in striking clarity of locations from the ports in Shanghai to the Golden Gate Bridge

In its completed form, the P.K. Chen exhibit takes its visitors on his journey from China to Williamsburg. At every stop, you read his words, you see bits and pieces of what he saw, and you have the chance to learn and understand exactly how broader historical developments at the time affected this one Chinese international student personally. Through this exhibit, we are able to place the person back in the history.

Photo Courtesy of W&M Libraries

This personalization of the history, in which we identify how history was viewed in its time by a real person with authentic and unique experiences, is what helps us connect and empathize with these students who might otherwise seem distant from us here in the present. Far too often, we accept, and to some extent, dismiss the awful racism and discrimination faced by those who came before us in history as a consequence of their being a part of history; it can be all too easy to forget that these seemingly distant historical figures were just as human as we are today. Racism was no more acceptable or bearable an experience for them then than it is for us. By experiencing P.K. Chen’s experience of history, that history, and its consequences in its time, become that much more real and true to us.

For Professor Francis Tanglao Aguas, founder of the APIA program and cochair of the Asian Centennial, this sentiment could not be more central to APIA & the Asian Centennial’s efforts.

"When [P. K. Chen] was called ‘Chinaman’ in 1921, he did not say to himself, ‘What do I expect, it's 1921,’” Aguas said of Chen’s account. “It hurt him deeply 100 years ago."

Unfortunately, the experiences that Chen talks of do still ring so true today: with the rise in anti-Asian sentiment and violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chen’s struggle with facing the anti-Asian slurs and prejudices sent his way don’t seem particularly far in the past While it is depressing, it is absolutely crucial that we see nothing has changed

If we see that nothing has changed in the last 100 years, perhaps it will spur us to take further steps to ensure that 100 years from now, anti-Asian slurs will seem unsightly relics of a time long ago. If we continue to do this work, we can make it so that 100 years from now, freshmen may well arrive at William & Mary already well-aware of its rich history of APM alumni and their contributions, 200 years strong.

Racism was no more acceptable or bearable an experience for them then than it is for us

P h o t o s c o u r t e s y o f W & M L i b r a r i e s

Oct.8,2021

In a virtual visit to William & Mary, Russell Jeung hosted keynote lecture on combating anti-Asian hate and racism as a whole.

BY: AIDAN LOWE '23

Oct. 8, 2021, Russell Jeung, a sociologist at San Francisco State University, founder of Stop Asian Hate, and renowned author delivered the lecture, "History, Causality, and Resistance: Stopping Anti-Asian Hatred during COVID" over Zoom. Viewings of the lecture were held in Sadler Center's Commonwealth auditorium Throughout the talk, Jeung explored complex geopolitical topics to break down the fundamental components of the #StopAsianHate movement, which began in response to the sharp increase in discrimination against Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the necessity of these social justice movements in espousing tangible change

Jeong provides nationwide reports and anecdotes of AAPI people’s lived experiences with discrimination, historical roots of racial discrimination within immigration policies analysis, and the Asian American community’s adamant resistance against oppression Jeung cites over 9,000 examples of discrimination, including verbal harassment, name-calling, shunning, physical assault, coughed or spat upon, etc. Furthermore, Jeung reveals over 70% of youth reported seeing "demeaning, racist, or offensive" material online over the last month, vicariously experiencing the physical manifestation of discrimination other members have gone through.

"JEUNG REVEALS OVER 70% "JEUNG REVEALS OVER 70% OF YOUTH REPORTED SEEING OF YOUTH REPORTED SEEING "DEMEANING, RACIST, OR "DEMEANING, RACIST, OR OFFENSIVE" MATERIAL ONLINE OFFENSIVE" MATERIAL ONLINE OVER THE LAST MONTH, OVER THE LAST MONTH, VICARIOUSLY EXPERIENCING VICARIOUSLY EXPERIENCING THE PHYSICAL THE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF MANIFESTATION OF DISCRIMINATION OTHER DISCRIMINATION OTHER MEMBERS HAVE GONE MEMBERS HAVE GONE THROUGH " THROUGH "

However, the hard numbers provided by such statistical data cannot accurately represent the lived experiences Asian Americans have gone through. Jeung stresses the importance of analyzing the creation of anti-Asian hate movements, or even anti-racist movements in general, as it is vital to examine the lived experiences of racism within minority populations and understand the historical roots from which these perspectives may come. While anecdotes and statistics may provide valuable information on current nationwide trends, they do not comprehensively convey important information on the complex origins of racism

The message of "cognitive liberation" and the founding of anti-racist movements that Jeung promotes is paramount to increasing the awareness of the struggles and discrimination the community faces daily.

Photo taken by Mitchel Khim '22

Oct.12,2021

Tuesday, Oct. 12 and Wednesday, Oct. 13, Colonial Williamsburg welcomed awardwinning West Coast-based actress, educator, director, and activist Rinabeth Apostol to Kimball Theatre.

Over the course of two days, Apostol gave a moving solo performance about her experience with the nature of womanhood and relationship with her sexuality as a brown woman in America.

As Apostol approached the audience at the start of the show, she expeditiously caught the viewer’s attention Using theatre as a platform through which she connects to and shares her unique experiences, Apostol made “little brown gIRL” stand out as an emotional masterpiece.

Throughout the play, Apostol appeared fixated on the passage of time The performance largely took the form of a memoir, chronicling events in her life in a linear fashion. Using story, song, and raw humor, Apostol walked through her lifelong journey of coming into her own as a proud lesbian Filipina actress in America

Punctuated throughout her retelling of her life were Apostol’s requests that the audience “GTS” (google that shit), generally when she referenced a cultural relic she feared is no longer relevant or mainstream lingo that “boomers” are unfamiliar with.

Starting the story of the “little brown gIRL,” Apostol highlighted age seven as a critical turning point in her life at which she’d ‘learned everything.’ Putting that claim to the test, Apostol then recited four, very personal anecdotes of her encounters from that time

At the age of seven, a “melanin deficient” girl telling young Apostol that she was too brown to be Wendy in her ballet class’ production of “Peter Pan” simultaneously crushed her dreams and allowed Apostol to realize how proud she was of her brownness.

Apostol also opened up about the sexual assault and betrayal of trust from a family member that she experienced at this age. Describing her pain and frustration with the audience through rhyme and reason, Apostol then characterized her existential crisis on the basis of her sexuality.

In a funny, captivating, and lighthearted reflection, Apostol gave the audience a glimpse of her first lesbian crush As the crowd laughed and sat in awe of Apostol’s sentiments, they lived vicariously through her words and ultimately her performance.

Rinabeth Apostol in "little brown gIRL"

Photo taken by Aidan Lowe 23

Apostol made "little brown girl" stand out as an emotional masterpiece.

As Apostol wove us through her big moments in life, she touched on one that significantly impacted her as an actress

When offered her first debut role in a well-known blockbuster comedy, Apostol found herself at a crossroads Was she to attain her childhood dream of being a Hollywood star at the expense of autonomy over her body, or was she to stand firm in her morals and reject playing an overly sexualized character, thus sacrificing her dream?

Through engaging the audience in an emotional song that passionately ended with not only Apostol’s tears, but the audience’s as well, the young actress conveyed her respect for herself and her morals

By taking the courageous leap towards self-love by prioritizing herself, Apostol’s manager dropped her, making her a freeagent actress. However, with the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, Apostol, a once thriving actress, was unable to find work as the world was put on pause.

Apostol, along with everyone else who was homebound for months, was going crazy upon being isolated with nothing else but her own thoughts. However, Apostol expressed that social media and news media became her savior during these trying times.

However, one reservation Apostol has with social media is the fear of becoming out of touch with rapidly evolving cultural references and thus unable to communicate, especially with the advent of mass media and its influence on our vernacular.

The audience was moved by the closing scene, as Apostol wrapped the performance with a poignant question: “why was I spared?”

Not understanding why the fight for equality for race, sexuality, and gender is still being fought, Apostol emphasized how she and her Asian brothers and sisters all walk with a target on their backs each day

Apostol took symbolic alcoholic shots representing the lives of the six Asian women whose lives were taken during the Atlanta spa shooting in March 2021, shedding light on the intolerance AAPI individuals face in this country Ending the scene by downing six striking shots, Apostol dedicated each shot towards every reason she routinely fights for survival in a country marked by racial violence.

Though an undercurrent of anxiety ran throughout the performance, and Apostol warned of the consequences of parading proud, Apostol concluded by claiming pride in her journey and who she is today. By the end of the show, Apostol has finally felt a little more grown up.

From left to right: Francis Tanglao Aguas, Veronica Salcedo 02, Dionne Paniza, and Rinabeth Apostol pose for a photograph following the production of little brown gIRL

Using story, song, and raw humor, Apostol walked through her lifelong journey of coming into her own as a proud lesbian Filipina actress in America.

"Why was i spared?"

AsianCentennialEvent

Oct.15,2021

ARETROSPECTIVEONASIAN ARETROSPECTIVEONASIAN AMERICANIDENTITY AMERICANIDENTITY

STRIVING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE THROUGH BELONGING AND LIBERATION

BY: RAYNA YU '21

""THIS THIS ATMOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE OF EXCLUSION OF EXCLUSION BIRTHED THE BIRTHED THE IDEA OF ASIAN IDEA OF ASIAN AMERICANS AS AMERICANS AS PERPETUAL PERPETUAL FOREIGNERS FOREIGNERS THOSE WHO THOSE WHO NEVER QUITE NEVER QUITE BELONG IN BELONG IN AMERICA " AMERICA "

“THE IRONY, OF “THE IRONY, OF COURSE, IS THAT COURSE, IS THAT A RACIST A RACIST STEREOTYPE, THE STEREOTYPE, THE MODEL MINORITY, MODEL MINORITY, HAD TO BE HAD TO BE CREATED IN CREATED IN ORDER TO ORDER TO ‘DEBUNK' RACISM ‘DEBUNK' RACISM AGAINST AGAINST AFRICAN AFRICAN AMERICANS AND AMERICANS AND OTHER NON OTHER NON WHITE WHITE AMERICANS ” AMERICANS ”

FRIENDSHIPSFORGED FRIENDSHIPSFORGED THROUGHARABICMUSIC THROUGHARABICMUSIC

JOHNNY FARRAJ AND THE MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC ENSEMBLE JOHNNY FARRAJ AND THE MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC ENSEMBLE

With over-capacity attendance at Ewell Recital Hall in the heart of campus, William & Mary’s Middle Eastern Music Ensemble was joined by guest artist Johnny Farraj to grace many ears with the tunes of West Asia Though the concert was held on the chilly night of Nov 12, 2021, the venue was warmed by the community’s celebration of Middle Eastern stories and cultures.

Born in Lebanon and of Palestanian descent, Farraj triumphs through life as he balances his roles simultaneously as a distinguished musician and a software engineer Farraj was welcomed to William and Mary by his long time friend Anne Rasmussen, a music and ethnomusicology professor at the university. This was actually his second attempt to visit the university; the first would have been for the “Songs for Syria'' concert in March 2020, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic.

After multiple Zoom rehearsals and virtual ensemble productions, Farraj was finally able to join the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble in person, with the added benefit of having Professor Rasmussen as a director. The ensemble has also worked with other scholars and guest artists in similar events, seeking to honor the study and performance of traditional sounds and musical theories from the Middle East and the Arab World The ensemble was delighted to add Farraj to the indispensable network of friendships

BY: EDDIE CHOI 22

Common topics like love and nature are melodically expressed through Middle Eastern storytelling. Common topics like love and nature are melodically expressed through Middle Eastern storytelling It was a powerful reminder that no matter how everyone’s experiences differ, humans can find a way to connect through their ability to follow the flow of life. One may perceive the world through a particular lens, but everybody has an equal body behind that lens.

Though the concert was Though the concert was held on a chilly night, the held on a chilly night, the venue was warmed by the venue was warmed by the community’s celebration community’s celebration of Middle Eastern stories of Middle Eastern stories and cultures and cultures

Though he hopes this is not his last visit, Farraj has thankfully left some unmissable traces through which the public can find him. He is the creator of MaqamWorld, the leading online reference on Arabic music theory that is now translated into 8 languages. He also co-authored “Inside Arabic Music” along with colleague Sami Abu Shumays, and intends to keep serving as an advocate and educator on the matter Until his next visit, William & Mary eagerly awaits Farraj's return

Courtesy Photo from W&M Libraries

Nov. 30, 2021

AN ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION OF ASIAN PACIFIC MIDDLE EASTERN RESILIENCE AT WILLIAM & MARY

BY: EDDIE CHOI '22 & CALVIN KIM '22

"LOCAL."

This is the very word the Asian Centennial Co-Chair Francis Tanglao Aguas used to explain the reasoning behind the designation of Roberto Jamora as the inaugural Asian Centennial Distinguished Fine Arts Fellow.

Both an adjunct lecturer of APIA studies at William & Mary and assistant professor of fine arts at VCUarts, the Filipino-American artist and educator was born and raised in Virginia Beach and is currently based in Richmond, Virginia.

In an emotional account of his life journey, Jamora shared his personal and artistic development during his multiple relocations before returning home to Virginia Jamora learned to conceptualize the beauty of color something that serves as an integral part of his work and is held close to his heart. To Jamora, colors hold immense power and can ceaselessly inspire, especially in regard to the discourse of people and cultures They show the skin tones of those he loves dearly, the shades of clothing on his wife from a favorite memory, and even the luminescence brought upon by nature.

This kind of power, as Jamora reveals, is what he aims to bring to APIM individuals through artistic expression, a responsibility he does not take lightly Ever since his appointment as the Arts Fellow for the Asian Centennial, Jamora has dedicated much of his time and efforts to

researching how he can successfully achieve this goal, even looking into water bodies and flowers from different parts of Asia.

Another aspect of “Asianness” Jamora sought to highlight was versatility, contrary to what society says it should be Jamora asserted that the "bigotry" described in Pu Kao Chen '23’s essay from over a hundred years ago is still commonly experienced by not only Asian Americans, but also the BIPOC community as a whole. A victim himself, Jamora now has the chance to tackle this issue with his own artwork

Pictured to the right: Roberto Jamora, speaking about his vision for the Centennial commemoration piece at the Muscarelle Museum of Art at William & Mary on Sept 29, 2021

TO JAMORA, COLORS HOLD IMMENSE POWER AND CAN CEASELESSLY INSPIRE, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO THE DISCOURSE OF PEOPLE AND CULTURES

“[Pu Kao Chen’s essay] was inspiring on an artistic and personal level to learn about the early Asian students, what they faced and overcame. I felt called to make something that alluded to power, joy, and reflecting on the past,” revealed Jamora.

All this brought Jamora to the recurring theme of multiethnic coalition building Jamora recognizes the value in working together to fight for a unified cause: representation and inclusion

“My biggest tip is to build the coalition This is not a 'we are the world' approach to social change for the liberation of BIPOC folks, but an acknowledgment of both differences and shared experiences," Jamora said "We need to nurture, show up for, and support the creative callings and curiosities of our community. This is healing work, and healed people heal people."

Jamora also investigated critical questions on diversity, hammering home the point that inclusion must encompass material gains to be beyond performative.

"As more institutions throughout the world and specifically in this country see diversity as a strength, and BIPOC folks are offered a seat at the table, we need to also ask if there is a plate of food waiting for us at the table," Jamora said. "In other words, are we given the resources to succeed when we are included? And if so, what can we share with others?"

Such eloquence was not only present in Jamora’s words, but also in his Centennial piece which he showcased during the Muscarelle APIM Print Art Unveiling on Nov. 30, 2021. Though Jamora humbly stated he was "just making a couple pieces of art" compared to the other Centennial guests

and performers, his painting said otherwise Titled “Confluence,“ the piece left attendees awestruck even through their Zoom screens

“One adjective I would use to describe this piece is dynamic," Jamora said "In my first piece for my Asian Centennial Fellowship, I created a composition with forms that allude to time and change The Asian, Pacific Islander, and South West Asian community is so beautifully diverse with histories that intersect, hence the title of the piece, 'Confluence.' It’s about a lot of experiences coming together."

Pictured above is Jamora's Asian Centennial centerpiece, "Confluence," available for public viewing at the Muscarelle Museum of Art in Williamsburg, Virginia

Jamora and Muscarelles Director of Engagement and Distinguished Artist in Residence Steve Prince lead "The Voice of the Artist" vision talk at the Sheridan Gallery in the Muscarelle Museum of Art on September 28, 2021

In addition to its dynamism, Jamora highlighted the piece's acknowledgement of the diverse cultural heritages that make up the Asian diaspora.

"In celebrating the first hundred years of Asian students at William & Mary, I believed it would be important to highlight some of the early Asian students, the land, and waterways as a metaphor for migration, movement, connection, and coalition building,” Jamora said

An artistic representation of Asian Pacific Middle Eastern resilience at the university, Jamora’s Centennial piece can be found at the Muscarelle Museum of Art. As for the arts fellow himself, Jamora is already pursuing research on additional pertinent subjects into which he has yet to delve, which will culminate in the form of his next mixed-media piece to be released this upcoming spring. The public can additionally look for Jamora and his projects on his self-titled website: robertojamora.com.

"WE NEED TO NURTURE, SHOW UP FOR, AND SUPPORT THE CREATIVE CALLINGS AND CURIOSITIES OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS HEALING WORK, AND HEALED PEOPLE HEAL PEOPLE."

Art as a collaborative endeavor: Jamora invites Professor Tanglao Aguas (pictured top left) and students from APIA 380: Media, Agency, and Mobilization to partake in the creative process of producing prints like "Confluence " Photos courtesy of Myra Simbulan 25 Behind the scenes: Pictured bottom left and bottom right is documentation of the physical undertaking behind the creation of "Confluence." Jamora works with one of his students to mix the different shades of skin tones within "Confluence" in order to represent coalition building across the BIPOC community Photos Courtesy of William & Mary

The Asian Centennial Committee founded the W&M Asian Centennial Awards to recognize William & Mary alumni who have advocated for others through their careers and their volunteer efforts The inaugural awardees of the Asian Centennial Awards are leaders and change-makers just like our earlier students of Asian descent such as Hatsuye Yamasaki ’37, who despite being the lone woman of color on campus was the president of Brown Hall, William & Mary’s dormitory for women.

By: Francis Tanglao Aguas

The inaugural W&M Asian Centenn Awardees are Michael Chu J D ’92, Pall Rudraraju ’17, Amandeep Sidhu ’00, Yiq “Pocket” Sun ’13 and David Uy ’93, M.B.A. ’96

Chu and Sidhu are both lawyers who w pro-bono to support important causes their communities. Chu worked for ma years on the board of Asian America Advancing Justice in Chicago.

Sidhu co-founded the Sikh Coalition, the largest civic organization for Sikhs in the US Rudraraju, the youngest of the awardees, was recognized for their work with the Human Rights Campaign Uy is founder of the Chinese American Museum in DC, and Sun is a global change-maker who empowers women in business.

For the community award, the former student leaders of FACES, led by Judith Chaisiri Lee ’00 and Veronica Salcedo ’02 were recognized for their sustained efforts in elevating the visibility of the Asian American community at W&M from 1999 to 2003, which was capped off with a symposium for which they received a grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia

The inaugural winners of the Asian Centennial Awards are exemplars to the global W&M community of how we can serve and embrace those in our communities who have been marginalized or ignored, especially in the time of COVID-19 and conflict.

More than 30 nominations were received by the Asian Centennial Committee for consideration, reflecting the diverse fields where alumni of Asian Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern/South West Asian descent pursue their agency

The awards were presented by Provost Peggy Agouris at the Masquerade at the Muscarelle, a gala fundraiser for the Asian Pacific Middle Eastern Project Fund, and the recipients each received a special citation from W&M President Katherine Rowe.

PhototakenbyVivianHoang

Inaugural W&M Asian Centennial Awards recognize notable alumni during Masquerade at the Muscarelle, an Asian Centennial gala fundraiser

Michael Chu J.D. 92 accepts his W&M Asian Centennial award from Provost Peggy Agouris

Amandeep Sidhu ’00 smiles for a photo alongside Provost Peggy Agouris and Prof Berhanu Abegaz after accepting his W&M Asian Centennial award

Upon receiving a W&M Asian Centennial award, Veronica Salcedo 02 delivers an acceptance speech on behalf of FACES

PhotoscourtesyofRhademMusawah

IgnitingChange throughFilmmaking

AConversationwithRhademMusawah

BY: RAYNA YU '21

Underneath his easygoing personality lies a fiercely committed advocate of social change

MUSAWAH'S work focuses on bridging the divide between LGBTQ+ and Muslim communities, both of which he belongs to

“I'm quite privileged I have not been red tagged yet by the government,” Musawah said “I don’t want to be in that position because a dead activist cannot make any change.”

The path of an activist isn’t easy, but Musawah will walk it to the end.

PhotoscourtesyofRhademMusawah

BY: EMILY KEY '23

EARL CARR ’01 HAS EARL CARR ’01 HAS BEEN BUSY BREAKING BEEN BUSY BREAKING BARRIERS IN THE BARRIERS IN THE WORLD OF FINANCE WORLD OF FINANCE AND INTERNATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS POLITICS

ALTHOUGH CARR ALTHOUGH CARR GRADUATED 20 GRADUATED 20 YEARS AGO, HE YEARS AGO, HE STILL HOLDS ON TO STILL HOLDS ON TO WHAT MADE WHAT MADE ATTENDING ATTENDING WILLIAM & MARY WILLIAM & MARY A VALUABLE A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE.

ThriceBlessed: ThriceBlessed:

ProfessorChinuaThelwell’s ProfessorChinuaThelwell’s ExtraordinaryYear ExtraordinaryYear

BY: MEY SEEN ‘23

This year cannot be adequately apportioned into words Not ten, not a hundred, not nine hundred. Yet it can neither be ignored nor understated. Professor Chinua Akimaro Thelwell did neither

This past spring, I took Asian Pacific American History with Thelwell, an associate professor of history and Africana studies and a core faculty member of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies program Sitting through the first class, there was already something about him that I respected. Perhaps it was the way he spoke almost lost in thought but evidently intentional I hadn’t yet noticed the absence of authoritative assertion that normally accompanies a classroom. Rather, Thelwell filled the room with the sensation of being heard, understood, and seen.

Every personal anecdote was met with immediate empathy: “I’m sorry that you went through that,” and "That must have been an incredible experience.” Every story was counted, every story was important, and no experience was minimized regardless of the degree.

During class, there was no glossing over politics for the sake of neutrality or avoiding conflict. APIA history was intimately intertwined with critical race theory, which inevitably led to discussions of the current social climate It brought me comfort and gave me a sense of safety to come into a class in which the realities of modern white supremacy were acknowledged In this fragile climate, most are hesitant to discuss certain controversial subjects, yet Thelwell had the courage to unashamedly address the problems that people like me face.

Thelwell's lectures inspired mobilization Discussions of discrimination against Asian Pacific Islander Americans and coalition-building between communities of color were not simply factual; they were reminders that people fought for us to be visible and have an undeniable claim in this country They were assertions that we belong. They were recognitions that no change is ever enacted with complacency and inaction; we must cause the change today, tomorrow, and every day thereafter Thelwell instilled in me the knowledge that I can be more and that there are others who will join me in the fight for our community.

Photo courtesy of Emily Wilcox

THELWELL FILLED THE THELWELL FILLED THE ROOM WITH THE ROOM WITH THE SENSATION OF BEING SENSATION OF BEING HEARD, UNDERSTOOD, HEARD, UNDERSTOOD, AND SEEN AND SEEN

When COVID-19 took over, Thelwell became a source of strength At the time, there seemed to only be a few who knew how to react and operate during a major national crisis. People's first inclination seemed to be to simulate normality, which did not work Instead, Thelwell opened every class with a check-in on students and sharing of good news and energy. However, he made sure to recognize the gravity of the situations we face. It was hard to be okay this year, but Thelwell made me feel okay to not be okay

What’s truly noble is that Thelwell exhibited such constant concern for his students and emphasized the wellbeing of greater society during what has been a year filled with his own blessings Thelwell had three major life dreams realized in a single year: publishing his book, achieving tenure, and getting married.

“Publishing a book has been a long-time dream of mine," Thelwell said "Ever since I was a college student, I dreamt of a future day when my book first arrives in the mail."

His book, "Exporting Jim Crow: Blackface Minstrelsy in South Africa and Beyond," discusses anti-Black imagery as a global problem that was caused by the exportation of racist American popular culture around the world. Thelwell asserts that “because anti-Black racism is a global problem, anti-racist thinking also has to be global ”

Imagine working toward your undergraduate degree twice in a row, but instead of taking notes, you’re planning the lectures, and your senior capstone project is getting published. On top of all of that, you're getting assessed by an entire panel of your peers. There is no question that Thelwell has earned his accolades through his unceasing dedication to academia, and Thelwell savors every bit of success he has worked for.

“It’s an amazing feeling to turn this long-term goal into a reality," Thelwell gushed "I’m very happy to be tenured after so many years of graduate school, postdoctoral fellowships, and teaching appointments."

For Thelwell, his tenure and publication is especially rewarding as a person of color working in anti-racist scholarship.

"And here’s the best part: I did not compromise," Thelwell said "I got tenure while representing an anti-racist scholarship There are anti-racists and racists; there is nothing in between. People have already chosen sides whether they know it or not.”

Thelwell is also able to enjoy the fruits of his labor with a life partner: Emily Wilcox, who serves as the program director and an associate professor of the Chinese program at William & Mary. The couple serendipitously met at William & Mary years ago, bonded over scholarship, and supported each other through tenure. The pair married the summer of 2021 in a small, sociallydistanced ceremony

“She inspires me every day with her creativity, dedication, and brilliance," Thelwell said. "I’m very lucky to be with her.”

Despite his incredible achievements this past year, Thelwell is cautious to consider how his joy is contextualized amidst a backdrop of uncertainty and turmoil over the past year.

"All of that being said, a good year for one person does not mean a good year for humanity," Thelwell said. "I’m happy about my personal achievements but am often worried about the state of the social world "

Yet, even with this sentiment, Thelwell ultimately looks ahead to the future with hope.

"Hopefully, 2020 can be a transformative year for humanity, and we can do the difficult work of building a more democratic, equitable, and safer world," Thelwell said. "We have to mourn the many tragedies, and then keep moving forward, keep organizing, and keep doing what we can to make a better world ”

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By: Sreya Malipeddi '23

a common desire among students of color is to have a space where they do not feel the need to

explain themselves or their identity. In large classes like Organic Chemistry, there’s a sense of cultural neutrality that neither values nor devalues a student’s cultural background. Many South Asian students who take these courses when they enter college subconsciously understand early on that cultural identity is separate from academics and their career

My involvement with Asian & Pacific Islander American studies is one that has become integral to my college experience. As a neuroscience major on the pre-med track, I never thought that I would take a course on the South Asian diaspora. Exploration of my cultural identity was always an extracurricular activity Having never been exposed to multicultural studies growing up, I, like many other students of color, assumed my stories and experiences would never be valued in educational institutions. These extracurricular activities, such as my initiatives to make the South Asian Student Association a more politically active organization, are what ultimately brought me to APIA studies.

Taking a South Asian diaspora studies class was the first time that I realized that so many things I was passionate about could be studied in an academic

context and in higher education. Now, in my junior year, as one of the presidents of SASA and an APIA minor, I often feel a responsibility to mobilize the South Asian students of William & Mary to confidently explore their cultural identity in college both academically and socially

To better understand and contextualize my own experiences as a South Asian student at the university, I spoke to two South Asian alumni: Ameya King ’12 and JB Akhbar ’11, who each had contrasting cultural experiences during their time at William & Mary

Coming from a line of esteemed Kuchipudi dancers, King grew up watching some of the best dancers in the art form. King always saw her culture as separate from school.

King did not join SASA during her time in college, instead joining organizations that aligned with her interests from high school, such as The Flat Hat and Model Congress Retaining dance as her cultural outlet, she created a space for herself to practice the art form during her college time, often traveling between her home in Richmond to teach classes at her mother’s studio

Malipeddi

“I somehow got into contact with Professor Aguas, and he invited me to his office to speak,” King said.

Her meeting with Aguas was her first time in the theatre department, where she was greeted by props and costumes from Aguas’ production of the Ramayana, an epic in Hindu mythology. A year later King found herself working as a teaching assistant for Aguas’ South and Southeast Asian Folklore class, where she was able to engage students in Kuchipudi lessons.

“It was a strange experience walking through campus in a dance saree and a bottu,” King said

The experience also gave King a new perspective of herself.

“Dance had always been an important part of my life, but I never saw myself as a dancer,” she said

She also described another way she combined her identity with academics in Professor Chitralekha Zutshi’s South Asian Women’s Studies class.

“It was probably the hardest class I took, and a whole bunch of information I didn’t know what to do with,” King said “Seeds were being planted, but I hadn’t connected the dots ”

It wasn’t until she pursued a graduate program for Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam in 2018 that she connected the dots between her experiences with dance and learning about South Asian history.

“We are taught mythology as history, and it doesn't add up for Indian American kids,” King said. “This was an opportunity to get a timeline of how and where. This is what Dr. Zutshi was saying.”

Though King did not consider herself a “typical” South Asian student at William & Mary, she found that her experiences there proved to be transformative They continue to inform the way she engages with her culture.

Reflecting on his involvement with SASA and Griffin Bhangra, Akhbar described his experiences as “formative.”

Akhbar did not grow up in a neighborhood with many people who looked like him, and college was his first experience with a large group of South Asian peers. Akhbar also pursued a major in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies in addition to his finance major during his time at William & Mary.

King poses powerfully in a traditional green and gold kuchipudi dress

Malipeddi and her friends smile underneath masks for a photo together

As I spoke with Akhbar about the responsibility and pressure I have felt in my role as a president of SASA to foster an inclusive environment that is both socially engaging and politically active, Akhbar described the multicultural organization culture of his time

“SASA was a social organization first and foremost, but also solidarity was a given,” Akhbar said. “Everyone attended each others’ events.”

Within SASA’s executive board, representation often happened organically and helped foster an environment of inclusivity.

“Our president was Pakistani, our vice president was South Indian, the PR chair was African American, and there was also a Bangladeshi student on exec,” Akhbar said. “It wasn’t to have representation it just happened.”

Certain aspects of Akhbar’s experiences as a SASA member surprised me, and other parts that strongly resonated with my own experience in the organization.

“There is so much pressure and we want to create a space for people to simply exist,” Akhbar said. “It is important to have the right people with you ”

Hearing from King and Akhbar helped me contextualize my time at William & Mary. I relate not only to King’s sense of wonder upon discovering the ability to study one’s own history in an academic context through APIA studies, but also Akhbar’s experience of being a leader in SASA trying to create space for South Asian students on campus.

Speaking to these two individuals was one of the first times I got the chance to meet people older than me who could still relate to the experience of growing up South Asian in the United States It was validating to share my experiences with people who had gone through many of the same things I did, just ten years earlier.

One takeaway I hope to share with other South Asian students is to look for and embrace this sense of validation and appreciation for our experiences that are too often minimized. Whether you find this in academic programs like global studies, or student organizations like SASA, South Asian students and all students of color deserve spaces on campus where they feel valued and free to exist.

GROWINGYOUROWN COMMUNITY

its stellar academics, historical landmarks, and most of all, its strong sense of community and belonging. The type of belonging you can feel right when you see the “welcome home” signs held by students in neon shirts on move-in day The type of belonging that becomes even more prominent when you walk past hundreds of organizations at the activities fair. No matter where you’re from, what your hobbies are, or how you identify yourself, you will always find your new community and home at William & Mary.

HERE’S WHY IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT.

When I first entered William & Mary, I had expectations

Asian American students and an even lower percentage of Vietnamese American students like myself. Although I found communities in my freshman hall and other clubs, I never felt the sense of belonging or inclusivity that I hoped to feel with my new “home away from home ” I struggled to find a community that allowed me to embrace and explore my identity, leaving me feeling empty and alone

My Vietnamese heritage is a crucial part of my identity. It represents the traditions and love that I learned from my grandmother. It reminds me of the sacrifices my parents made for me to be at a university like William & Mary. It is such an important part of me, yet at William & Mary, no matter where I found myself, I didn’t have a community that made me feel like me. So, I decided to make one.

HERE’S HOW I DECIDED TO GROW MY OWN COMMUNITY.

1. PLANTING THE SEEDS

During the summer before my junior year in 2020, while students were just planning for their return to campus amidst the pandemic, I decided to meet with my closest Vietnamese friends on campus: Lemai Vo ‘21, Kenneth Tieu ‘23, and Brandon Nguyen ‘24. I wanted to begin planning the creation of a new community on campus: the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) While researching organizations at universities before my enrollment at William & Mary in 2018, I noticed that VSA, although it was absent on our campus, was a common organization at colleges all across the country. So why not at William and Mary? After pondering over this question, Lemai, Kenneth, Brandon and I concluded that we needed to take on the challenge of adding William & Mary to the list of colleges that provided a space for Vietnamese students.

The oldest archive of VSA at William and Mary dates back to the 1980s, and the most recent appearance of the organization was in 2014 before it was disbanded due to low membership Shortly after my arrival to William & Mary freshman year, I remember the conversations I had with upperclassmen regarding the “old VSA” at William & Mary.

Among the discouraging statements I heard were “VSA at William & Mary is dead" and "no one wants to join VSA because there are already bigger Asian clubs with Asian students like the Chinese Student Organization, so it would just be a waste of space.” I was shocked.

VSA should be seen as more than 'just another' Asian club it should be a space that empowers the Vietnamese community on a campus that often overlooks their own presence. Despite receiving negative feedback from others, discussions with Lemai, Kenneth, and Brandon reminded me why a VSA was necessary at William & Mary

Tieu, the 2021-2022 President of VSA, reflected on why he felt the organization was needed.

“In my first year on campus, I personally felt like I was drifting away from my Vietnamese culture," Tieu said "My Vietnamese was getting really bad, and I just felt disconnected from a part of my life where I spent so much time in. I wanted to have a group of people who shared a common identity with me and just learn from each other [to] create a dialogue about our community to help spread it across campus ”

The vision was to have a new community that embraces, celebrates, and promotes Vietnamese students, culture, and allies a new gia dinh (family) on campus in which members can share their experiences and unapologetically be themselves. We were determined to create this community, and after long email exchanges and constitution revisions, VSA at William & Mary was finally revived on November 8, 2020

2. NOURISHMENT: TAKING ROOT

After planting the seeds of our new community, my co-founders and I needed to find the proper nourishment to maintain its health. In other words, we needed to gain new members and find outside support to keep VSA active.

Since the organization was created during the pandemic, gaining visibility for VSA was challenging When we officially launched VSA in the spring of 2021, William & Mary’s campus seemed like a ghost town. Almost half of the student body was absent, most classes were remote, organizations conducted all activities online, and groups of more than ten people were strictly prohibited on campus

Nevertheless, we advertised our new community as much as possible through social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram and by word of mouth Our goal was to give VSA the recognition it deserved and cultivate prospective members.

[VSA] should be a space that empowers the Vietnamese community on a campus that often overlooks their own presence

Photo

The first event held by the our VSA a general body meeting over zoom in February 2021 Initially, we expected to have a relatively low attendance since our outreach was limited to a small executive board that only consisted of the four founders.

To our surprise, VSA’s first general body meeting had over 50 online participants, including both William & Mary students as well as students from other universities such as Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University, and more Lemai, Kenneth, Brandon and I couldn’t believe it We were so ecstatic seeing all of the people interested in our new community. Our hearts were warmed as we led the meeting, sharing information about our new organization, teaching participants about the cultural history behind Vietnamese zodiacs, and engaging in bonding activities with everyone The turnout for this event was more than we had ever anticipated, which brought more excitement to the future of our new club.

As hinted by the attendance at our first general body meeting, our community began to grow far beyond William & Mary After consulting with a few friends outside of the university, I was able to connect our VSA with the Mid-Atlantic Union of Vietnamese Student Associations (MAUVSA), a non-profit organization that serves all VSAs in the Mid-Atlantic region This connection provided our organization the opportunity to grow our family outside the limits of the university and served as extra support through guidance and advice on how to properly sustain our organization

Similarly to how plants communicate with each other in order to grow, the support of VSA’s new members and external organizations during its initial launch provided the nourishment that the organization needed The empowerment from these individuals and groups further highlights the passion that has gone and continues to go into VSA, and it creates a steady foundation that assures the organization will flourish through future generations.

3. LETTING IT BLOSSOM

Since its debut in November 2020, William & Mary's VSA has provided a community for the Vietnamese students and allies at the university With around 60 members, VSA has held events such as the Tết Exchange to celebrate Vietnamese Lunar New Year, monthly Gia Đình ("Family") weeks with daily bonding activities such as Viet 101, the Anh Chị Em ("Big/Little") program in which new members are paired with returning members to create families, and collaborative events with other organizations such as the Filipino American Student Association (FASA) and Rainbow Coalition Additionally, our VSA has extended its family to other families in the MAUVSA community through external events such as the MAUVSA Leadership Camp, Summit, Advance Conference, James Madison University Charity Ball, and George Mason's Turkeybowl.

“One of the first two lines in our mission statement is to educate people," Brandon said "So, we’re not here to gatekeep our culture from others, but we’re here to spread it because our culture has been solely isolated to the Vietnam war and America’s involvement in the war.”

One of VSA’s goals is to show people that there is more to Vietnamese culture than what is taught in American history textbooks. In addition to celebrating Vietnamese culture through various activities and events, VSA also hopes to empower the Vietnamese community, re-educate the public of what it means to be Vietnamese American, and uplift Vietnamese voices.

The engagement and love that members have shown towards VSA is more than my cofounders and I could ever ask for Being able to watch our organization grow and provide visibility to the Vietnamese community at William & Mary in the past year has been so rewarding. Taking a leap of faith in creating the organization has been the best decision we have ever made, and we trust that it will continue to blossom with the support of its community

2021-2022 VSA Secretary and Family Chair Brandon Nguyen ‘24 reflects on the goals of VSA and the importa when sharing Vie

The support of VSA's members and outside organizations during its initial launch provided the nourishment that the organization needed.

The founders of VSA - Kenneth Tieu, Brandon Nguyen, Angelique Vo, and Lemai Vo

ALLAROUNDASIA

MappingOutMusic andCultureAcross theDiaspora

By: Vivian Hoang '24

By definition, I am a second-generation Vietnamese immigrant

Internally, however, I can’t help but feel disingenuous using this title, as I grew up estranged from my own culture. Though my parents were traditional in certain ways “No shoes in the house!” “No dating until marriage!” they fully subscribed to assimilationist narratives of proximity of whiteness, fostering upward mobility. Thus, it would be “best” to not pass on Vietnamese cultural knowledge to me and my brother

Because I grew up in a household devoid of culture in the traditional sense, I was always curious about how other people were able to forge connections to their cultures and to what extent. I especially wanted to examine culture through the lens of music as music has played an instrumental role in shaping my identity and growth as a person but less from a cultural standpoint I wondered: how has music factored into my peers’ cultural journeys?

For Andrew Chen ’24, music plays a surprisingly minimal role in the closeness he feels with Chinese cultu

“I don’t listen to Chinese music at all,” Chen said personally just never really liked it that much be so hard to sing it and still have the syllables be really clear.”

Instead, Chen’s traditional upbringing in China h allowed him to carry the culture with him in eve without needing external practices besides ce major holidays to maintain this implicit conne

Above, Vanessa Ma 24 performs a traditional Vietnamese fan dance alongside other members of the Vietnamese Student Association as a part of her high school s heritage night

Photo Courtesy of Vanessa Ma '24

“I don’t think I do much, and I think one of the reasons I don’t feel the need to do much is because I was from [China],” Chen said. “So it’s like, I know what my identity is. And I don’t need to almost, like, prove it sometimes, so it’s okay with me to only celebrate the really important days.”

However, Chen still acknowledged the formative influence of music on Chinese culture at large, especially during the celebration of Lunar Festival, which Chen fondly named as his favorite aspect of Chinese culture.

“I think music is definitely a big part of Chinese history and culture. You know, we have different instruments, and that’s something that not a lot of different Asian countries have. You know, we made the guzheng,” Chen said, referencing an ancient Chinese plucked string instrument. “And on the big festive days, like Lunar Festival, people will play them. There’s this really big show every year that everybody watches when Lunar Festival comes around, and they always have some traditional instrument performances. So music is a really important way for Chinese folks to connect with their culture.”

Sreya Malipeddi ’23, who identifies as South Asian more specifically, Indian similarly emphasized how integral music is to South Asian culture.

“In South Asia, traditional music is a very big thing [Music and culture are] not even like a connection, [they’re] like, not separable,” Malipeddi said “I listen to South Asian music all the time, and I know like a lot of my South Asian peers do too. So I think music is very strongly connected to South Asian identity.”

However, unlike Chen, Malipeddi derives a far more direct linkage between music and her personal connection to her culture.

“When I was younger, I took carnatic music lessons, which is an Indian type of classical music,” Malipeddi said. “And before that I had been going to dance classes, so music and dance were just always something that I grew up with. And as I grew older, I go [to music classes] sporadically, but it's definitely a way for me to calm down and stay connected to my culture ”

Middle Eastern Student Association

President Anthony Mansour ‘23 similarly felt that music has been a crucial way in which he has been able to bond with his family. To Mansour, his relationship to his parents has always been inextricably tied to culture and thus music.

“I grew up around my parents, who would always speak to me in Arabic, and I grew up listening to their taste of Arabic music,” Mansour said. “And so whenever I listen to Arabic music, especially when I'm away from home, it brings me closer to my culture and makes me grounded in my culture and makes me think of the homeland ”

Music seems to run deep within the Mansour bloodline like Mansour, his parents find equal comfort and cultural meaning within music. The family bonds over music not only through the act of listening, but also through sharing the historical and personal significance of music to their lives.

Malipeddi also fondly reminisced on the memories and interpersonal bonds she has formed through music, a venue for comfort and healing through difficult times.

“At one point in my life, like when things were really rough, and it was hard to really connect to people, [I remember] just sitting with my mom, quietly just listening to music, and there would be a few songs we’d play every night,” Malipeddi said. “And then also with carnatic music, I'd practice, and she'd be there.”

“Speaking with my family about music tastes and what the music means to them, especially since they're part of a part of the diaspora it means a lot to them, especially in terms of bringing them back to a happy time in their lives, and it really keeps them grounded in the culture,” Mansour said.

Photo courtesy of Sreya Malipeddi ’23

The family bonds over music not only through the act of listening, but also through sharing the historical and personal signifcance of music to their lives

Mansour’s relationship with music further intersects with memory, with that music ingrained in the fabric of some of his most cherished memories with his family.

“I remember taking road trips down to the beach with my family, and my parents would always be playing some Egyptian folk music,” Mansour said. “And on the way down, I would always be hearing it, especially on longer road trips And it didn't mean much to me when I was a kid, but as I grew older, I kind of went back to that same folk music, and it made me nostalgic and feel closer [to] and brings back memories of my family and spending time with my family.”

In addition to creating a sense of home away from home, Vanessa Ma ‘24 outlined yet another vital benefit of listening to music in one’s native language: gaining a greater command of said language, especially for those who are not naturally fluent in their mother tongue

“I was talking with a friend about how, when they grew up, their Vietnamese wasn’t great. But music became a really good way of how they learned Vietnamese,” Ma said. “Because when you read the lyrics, when you do karaoke, it’s like, you’re connecting back with your language.”

Eddie Choi ’22 echoed Ma’s sentiments about the power of music in fostering

a closer connection with one’s native tongue.

As a Korean American singer-songwriter, Choi crafts his music in both Korean and English He allows himself to let loose and tap into either his American or Korean roots when writing lyrics, creating a unique and diverse portfolio of music that illuminates both sides of his heritage

Choi shed light on the influential role creating music in two languages has played in building his self-confidence as a bilingual speaker and Korean artist.

“[Through music] I'm able to reclaim my bilingualism because honestly, if I were to admit, my lack of fluency in Korean is kind of like, an insecurity of mine that I feel self-conscious about,” Choi said

“But whenever I'm writing in my own words, I don't have that kind of fear and like, no one's going to judge my Korean or anything. So I think in that regard, I am able to regain confidence in my Korean.”

Tracing back the inspiration for his music, Choi credits the rapid growth of the K-pop industry for normalizing bilingual music within mainstream pop culture.

“A lot of encouragement comes from modern-day K-pop in that a lot of these artists are not shying away from being bilingual. Just being exposed to music like that just made me think, ‘Oh, I can probably do this too,’” Choi said. “So I think I got a lot of encouragement from modern music and how there's less of a boundary in terms of culture and language and everyone's just, you know, sharing each other's thoughts and feelings ”

Alex Park ’24, a fellow Korean musical artist at the College, similarly holds K-pop in fond regard due to the exposure it provided her to Korean culture, allowing Park to begin developing curiosity about, and a connection to, Korean culture.

Music [is] ingrained in the fabric of some of his most cherished memories with his family

Featured above is the album cover of Choi's latest album, "GaNaBa, ABC, 123," released in March 2022 under Choi's moniker "choiboi "

“I got really into K-pop about my eighth grade year in around 2015, 2016 when Kpop started getting big internationally,” Park said. “That was kind of a way for me to jumpstart into experiencing more Korean culture, so K-pop has always held a special place in my heart because it was kind of like, the first time I would look at a lot of media, and I'm like, ‘Oh, these people that kind of look like me.’”

However, though Park cherishes K-pop for the introduction into Korean culture that it provided her, she also recognizes that it is not fully representative of the Korean diaspora In order to fill the gaps in her cultural understanding and connect with different aspects of Korean culture on a deeper level, she decided to learn how to sing a traditional Korean song when building her portfolio to apply into the College as a music major (though

Park notes that she is now no longer a music major).

“I was talking to my voice teacher at the time, and I was like, ‘I really want to do something in Korean.’ That was less about the college portfolio and more for me because I feel like when Korean culture is talked about, especially in media, you're only talking about K-pop,” Park said. “And obviously, for me [K-pop] was how I sort of got in touch with my culture and became exposed to it and like, really wanted to learn more about it, but there's so much more to Korean culture So [learning a song in Korean] was a way for me to explore another type of Korean music and traditional Korean music.”

However, though Park has made great strides in reconnecting with her Korean

heritage through music, she emphasized that this process is still ongoing and in its early stages as the circumstances of her upbringing denied her the opportunity to be raised in a culturally engaged context.

“I'm half Irish, I'm half Korean. So I sit like right in the middle of two, and I’m in America,” Park said. “I lived in Kansas for most of my childhood, so I was like, one of maybe two Asian people in my grade. And so it's hard to connect to your culture when there's almost no ways in which to do that, and you're raised by a parent that doesn't fully get that side of that culture

Like I didn't grow up in a house that spoke Korean, and the Korean food we would have would be, like, bulgogi, and that's it ”

ue to this lack of early exposure to orean culture, Park spoke about the gency she has to have in carving out her wn connections to Korean culture stead of sustaining more of a tacitly grained connection to one’s culture like hen does.

t’s just been like, [my sibling and I] aving to go out of our way to experience at culture when I feel like in a lot of her cases, it's something that you do et like that experience with, and that's how, like, a lot of culture is started and formed for people ”

"I don't want to reject an Asian side of me, but also I don't want to take up all of this space when I still have privilege with being half white" -Alex park

Park named college as the primary avenue through which she’s been able to grow closer to her culture, especially through her involvement in the Korean American Student Association

"In college, I joined KASA, and that's been [how I’ve gotten] involved with more Korean people,” Park said.

Park also discussed how critically examining her identity and its history in an academic setting through the APIA program has also brought her closer to her culture.

“And then I'm an APIA major, so that's been another way not just to [explore] my Korean culture, but just like being Asian American in general,” Park said “It's been a way for me to explore how I fit into that equation because it's a weird place to be put for me personally, being mixed race. It's like, I don't want to reject an Asian side of me, but also I don't want to take up all of this space when I still have privilege with being half white. It's a weird dichotomy that I think being in college I've spent a lot of effort into thinking about especially because we're at a PWI.”

Though Myra Simbulan ’25 does not share the same struggles as Park in coming to terms with the halves of a biracial identity, she and Park share an intertwined journey of reconnecting to their respective cultures through college as Simbulan was also raised with little exposure to her culture.

“At home, my parents never spoke Tagalog, so I never got that [cultural upbringing], so I’m trying to find my culture in college,” Simbulan said. Though her mother is still very much involved in Filipino culture, Simbulan’s father lost

touch with his culture and language due to his immigration to America at a very young age, creating a disconnect in cultural engagement within their household. Simbulan also similarly highlighted her involvement in the Asian Pacific Islander Studies program and the Filipino American Student Association as the main venues through which she is currently seeking to learn more about her culture. However, for Simbulan, the chance to reconnect with her culture is also the chance to connect more closely with her parents.

“I’ve been coming home and telling my parents all the stuff I’ve been doing,” Simbulan said. “Like I’m taking Filipino Diaspora Studies, and I told my mom about this book we’re reading, and she got on Amazon, ordered the book, and she has come to William & Mary and did a book club thing with me where we get breakfast and talk about the book.”

Overall, listening to such a vast array of students’ cultural experiences showed me that there isn’t one right way to connect with your culture. Learning about the profound meaning that culture instills within so many students’ lives inspired me to continue bridging the gap between my culture and me.

But above all, knowing that others are also just beginning to forge their own paths toward a mastery of their culture provides me with the comfort I need to continue pushing me down my own path It helps because, sometimes, I really do feel like a lonesome sojourner in my journey to reclaim my Vietnamese identity

Now, I’m reminded that I’m a part of a beautiful, growing community of travelers on campus, each with their own unique story and journey that is valid in its own way.

Photo courtesy of Myra Simbulan 25

But William & Mary fundamentally changed my views on college and much more.

By: Shreyas Kumar '21

Cultivating interest: pictured above is an early promotional graphic created by Kumar to advertise his new course to the student body

Photo Courtesy of Shreyas Kumar 21

The class allowed me to The class allowed me to reflect on transnational reflect on transnational identity as a third culture identity as a third culture that transcends established that transcends established borders borders

It is equally imperative that It is equally imperative that we not only acknowledge we not only acknowledge the points of privilege we do the points of privilege we do have in this community, but have in this community, but also act to reduce that also act to reduce that disparity in power disparity in power

AMinority AMinority Withina Withina Minority Minority

by Ninjin Gankhuleg '23

There I was, spinning on a chair in my dorm room, trying to figure out whether I should minor in mathematics or not I stop the chair and scroll through the course list, and that's when I see it: "Chadraa, Erdene "

My eyes pop open, and I’m glued to my computer a Mongolian name? Coming to a predominantly white school in the United States, I would’ve never expected to find a Mongolian professor.

I immediately text my friend Dulguun, another Mongolian student here at William & Mary, and we searched the internet for the professor's contact information I found his email and we decided to introduce ourselves by going to office hours

While Dulguun and I were waiting for Professor Chadraa, or Ed as I grew to call him, to respond, we were frantically practicing our Mongolian skills because it had been so long since we’d formally talked to a Mongolian professor. As we were practicing, we hear “Sain baitsgaana uu?” which means “Hello, how are you guys?”

After talking with Ed for a bit, I realized the abundance of both similarities and differences between us. To give an example, we both came to the United States to further our education. For me, my parents wanted me to have a better life and access to opportunities I wouldn’t have in Mongolia. On the other hand, Professor Ed chose to come here on his own accord. His motivations were personal while mine were familial

At that moment, I felt at home, with a great sense of comfort The last time i spoke with a Mongolian teacher was seven years ago.

In the same manner, Ed had the option to choose the career he wanted to pursue. He told me his father had a positive influence on his career choice starting from a young age During the Stalinist repressions in Mongolia, many Buddhist monks and other individuals were seen as a threat to the Mongolian People’s Republic. Ed's father was an anti-communist because his siblings and ancestors were well-known Buddhist monks, so they were captured; some were even executed Once, when his father was grabbing drinks with his friends, he expressed his distaste for communism.

A grave consequence of his words, Ed's father and his family were later kicked out of the city after his friends reported what he had said to higher-up officials They were moved to the countryside; Ed was only five years old at the time. When Ed came to their new home, he sat by the window with tears running down his face and wrote down the license plate numbers of cars driving by, hoping one of them would take his family back to the city.

In Mongolia, the first two letters of the license plate determine whether the car is from the city or different countryside counties Observing these license plate numbers unlocked a realization within Ed that math was instinctive for him even at a young age, he was collecting data and analyzing them.

His father gave him opportunities to expand upon this passion, allowing him to learn English even though it wasn’t allowed back then the Soviets didn’t want people to learn English because they didn’t want people to learn the “enemy's language.”

The influence Ed’s father had on his career wasn’t forced; rather, it happened naturally. However, for me, I had to think about my family before making any career choices. I come from a low-income, firstgeneration family of immigrants, and I chose data science as my career because I felt the pressure to support my family financially

Ed and I also differed in our preconceived notions about America. I grew up seeing America constructed as a glamorous utopia that epitomized the best teenage years one could have. However, Ed knew the U.S. as a terrible, scary place in which murders and robberies were commonplace due to propaganda produced by the Soviet Union and Mongolian People's Republic. Though this portrayal of the U.S. is very extreme, it's closer to the reality I've experienced one marked with racism, exclusion, and an American dream that only white people get to experience

Despite our differences, seeing and meeting Ed made me realize that I’m not alone on my journey, which is why I was so excited and thrilled by the fact that William & Mary had a Mongolian professor. Though Ed didn't actively seek out a community in American academia because he felt that it would be too difficult to find other Mongolian people, I've never given up finding this community. Meeting Ed renewed my hope and gave me comfort that wherever I go, there will be at least one person to whom I will relate, whether they share the same background as me or not

Photocourtesy of Ninjin Gankhuleg '23

SumiéYotsukura: SumiéYotsukura: StoryofaStoryteller

DEAR READER: if you take nothing else from this little introduction to me, all you need to know is this Sumié Yotsukura likes stories. I like to read them, to watch them, to analyze them, to tell them, and to share them. Stories are my greatest passion. Stories are what I will be writing, presenting, and advertising to you. So, before I go about sharing other people’s stories, I felt I ought to share my own with you.

When she was about eight years old, Sumie Yotsukura decided that she wanted to be an actress. This was not for any particular reason related to the trade of acting itself, nor was it for fame and fortune; no, Sumie Yotsukura wanted to be an actor to avoid deciding on just one career path. Even to a third grader, life held too many possibilities to content oneself with just one. Pursuing acting, then, promised a reality ever-shifting through an endless array of careers and life stories to explore.

Over the course of the next ten years, she would chase those stories first as a reader, then a writer and then, as an actor. Along the way, she fell irrevocably in love with musical theatre in particular and would pursue all sorts of training in and outside of school to better learn how to tell stories onstage through text, dance, and song.

She began to take on a variety of roles in well-known shows She was pleased with her trajectory. Transitioning from high school to college, she chose to attend a liberal arts college instead of a conservatory out of a desire to learn more about the lives and worlds of the stories she hoped to tell.

Photo courtesy of Sumié Yotsukura 22

Not long into her college career, she would be challenged to do just that — just not the way that she expected. What is the world that she has experienced? What was the life that she has led? And Yotsukura realized that despite all the time she had spent learning to tell stories, she had no idea how to tell her own.

See, in ten years, I had somehow never thought to tell stories of my own life. Perhaps I hadn’t wanted to; perhaps I had thought there weren’t any to share. It was my introduction to Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies, fated to become my second major, that would change my mind on both. I did indeed have my own stories to share, and for the first time, I felt comfortable beginning to tell them

Yotsukura grew up in a biracial Japanese American family just outside of Washington, D C in Montgomery County, MD No one ever explained to her twin brother and her what it meant to be both Japanese American and biracial within the complex racial dynamics of American society, and they rarely (if ever) encountered individuals similar enough in background to show them. So, for a very long time, it was not a part of Yotsukura’s story she understood. Her racial and ethnic identity, instead of being a point of grounding, provided a never ending source of confusion throughout her childhood. Though she spent time in both the U.S. and Japan, she never felt like she fit into either place, while feeling like she ought to have been able to do so

I thought I had no stories to share because none of my stories fit into the greater narratives I’d ever encountered. I didn’t recognize my stories as such simply because I’d never seen them before. Now, dear reader, I hope to share with you the stories you’ve never seen before. Perhaps, you might just find yourself reflected in one of them.

Photos courtesy of Sumié Yotsukura 22

By: Eddie Choi '22

Picture this: you’ve spent your entire Halloween night hanging out with your beloved peers. You’re exhausted and about to head home when you and a friend decide to get Wawa before ending a late night because you can Nothing is stopping you

After what seems like an eternity, you finally get your hands on your much-anticipated quesadilla. Your friend suggests you eat together somewhere on campus before parting ways So you both make your way back to school and start crossing the Sunken Garden to get to a nicer eating spot. But you can’t. Something is stopping you.

You look up to find two intoxicated students they are both white and male They start making conversation, and everything is rather congenial at first.

"You guys want to join us at the bars?” one of them asks

You return a smile and politely refuse. You tell them you are actually about to end your night.

“How nice of them to invite complete strangers like that,” you think to yourself You remember to thank the two gentlemen before resuming your walk across the Sunken Garden while they head the opposite way.

Art by Effie Zhang

But you can’t. The two students are still stopping you and your friend.

“Woah woah woah, we didn’t let you leave yet ”

Let us leave? What does that even mean? Since when did these two guys have any authority over you or your friend? Before you guys are able to wrap your heads around the situation, another jab comes flying.

“Are you his bitch?” one of the guys asks your friend.

“I’m sorry, what?” your friend asks back in total perplexion. He looks at you, only to find out that you too have zero clue as to where this question came from

“Why are you holding his food for him?”

Your friend offered to continue carrying both your boxes after picking them up at Wawa, something you thought nothing of at the time.

“He’s just carrying both of our food. He’s being nice if you can tell,” you say. You notice that your own tone is getting more defensive now.

This cycle continues for some time The same conversation about who is whose “bitch” over and over You finally come to understand that you’re talking to rocks incapable of dignified human communication. You decide to make a different move. You take the two quesadilla boxes from your friend.

“I’m his bitch, happy? Let us go. Please.”

Perhaps you should’ve stood your ground harder, but it’s also not worth wasting your time on people who speak with such distasteful intentions. Another side of you just wants to eat your damn quesadilla with your friend and doze off. Is that too much to ask for?

To these white students, that may be so They’re rambling once again about how they didn’t give you guys “permission” to pass them. Your disorientation worsens. You and your friend are now beyond the point of being offended You just want to know where these students are coming from, not because you are actually curious; you’ve become fascinated by their bizarre behavior, something you’ve only seen in psychology textbooks.

“Why won’t you let us go?” your friend asks.

“Because we can.”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“We just can ”

We just can? You didn't travel over 20 hours from South Korea just to face this nonsense.

“You mean because you’re white?” you finally ask. It’s actually a very logical question, you think. After extensive analysis of this encounter, you’ve deduced that the only thing these students have that you and your friend don’t is whiteness

Is it possible to have too much trust in people? The question you asked, intending to remind these two racist students of their white privilege, backfires

The next thing you know, you’re blinded by two bright flashes. These students are now recording you and your friend as though you’re the ones who need to be exposed. Again, just fascinating behavior at this point.

“What did you call us? Say that again on camera, you racist!” one of the white students screams at you and your friend

"It’s not cool to be using racial slurs!” the other one joins in.

You and your friend freeze. It’s an unpleasant mix of sheer puzzlement and outright fear.

Then you both come to your senses. You have to. There’s nobody else who can save you now at least not on this campus, where “white” becomes a slur

“But aren’t they actually white though?” your friend quietly asks in Korean You can hear his confusion even through his faint whisper.

AFTER AFTER EXTENSIVE EXTENSIVE ANALYSIS OF ANALYSIS OF

YOU’VE DEDUCED YOU’VE DEDUCED THAT THE ONLY THAT THE ONLY THING THESE THING THESE STUDENTS HAVE STUDENTS HAVE THAT YOU AND THAT YOU AND YOUR FRIEND YOUR FRIEND DON’T IS DON’T IS WHITENESS. WHITENESS

“I have no idea how I just triggered them,” you respond, also in Korean.

Luckily, the two of you are able to naturally establish a safety net built upon a shared language and heritage. It would’ve felt less lonely had the net not been so narrow, but you are nevertheless grateful to have your friend by your side

“You do realize you’re only going to look dumber if you post that, right?” you comment with some hope that these clips do end up surfacing online. What’s there to lose? You guys are clearly the victims, the world will become aware of what happened, and you’ll be able to track these racists’ identities.

As much as you hate to admit, you do feel a sense of relief. Though you’ve long been frustrated by subtle acts of racism, you finally have something concrete to address the oppressor’s deeds You feel validated, and nobody can gaslight you anymore by telling you that you’re “overthinking” or being “too sensitive ” You get to have emotional autonomy. This is reality. Racially motivated incidents like these happen, and they need to be told. People need to know. Most importantly, people need to change.

That is not to say you’re responsible for popping privilege bubbles; everyone is fundamentally capable of self-reflection, so nobody should wait to be called out in the first place.

You signal to your friend that you’re going to make a run for it, and the two of you start walking off. The two students, who are white, are still recording and calling you guys, the students of color, racist

Something motivates you to turn around briefly and wish them a good night before continuing to speed walk away, so you do You signal to your friend that you’re going to make a run for it, and the two of you start walking off.

The two students, who are white, are still recording and calling you guys, the students of color, racist. Something motivates you to turn around briefly and wish them a good night before continuing to speed walk away, so you do.

Maybe you think somewhat positive closure will prevent the two harassers from following you guys; still, you can’t help but regret having manners even in moments like this.

On a brighter note, though, you and your friend are finally leaving.

In Korea, we have a saying that goes along the lines of: “One doesn’t avoid poop because they are scared of it, but rather because it is dirty ”

That’s where I am going to end this piece. The interpretation is up to you.

THIS IS REALITY. RACIALLY MOTIVATED THIS IS REALITY. RACIALLY MOTIVATED INCIDENTS LIKE THESE HAPPEN, AND INCIDENTS LIKE THESE HAPPEN, AND THEY NEED TO BE TOLD PEOPLE NEED TO THEY NEED TO BE TOLD PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW MOST IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE NEED KNOW MOST IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE NEED TO CHANGE TO CHANGE

BY: MYRA SIMBULAN '25 BY: MYRA SIMBULAN '25

PhotoCourtesyofMyraSimbulan'25

THERE WAS THERE WAS NOTHING LOLO NOTHING LOLOWOULDN’T DO WOULDN’T DO FOR THE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF BETTERMENT OF HIS FAMILY. HIS FAMILY.

FOR 1,095 DAYS LOLO WAS FOR 1,095 DAYS LOLO WAS UNABLE TO SEE HIS UNABLE TO SEE HIS FAMILY AND HEAR THEIR FAMILY AND HEAR THEIR VOICES; HE WAS ALONE VOICES; HE WAS ALONE.

"AT THE TIME, YOUR FATHER THOUGHT THE JAILHOUSE WAS OUR HOUSE BECAUSE IT’S WHERE HE SAW ME THE MOST,” LOLO SAID

THEPATHTOUNITY THEPATHTOUNITY

REMEMBERING THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS

By: Cori Ingram '23

People of color are no stranger to fighting against white systems of power that have oppressed their communities for generations. However, as diversity in America continues to become more complex, we’ve seen white supremacy adjust accordingly this has led to an evaluation of what POC solidarity is, if it exists at all While this conversation is considered new by many, communities of color have long since been pitted against one another by white systems of power, causing many of these communities to be rife with tension

This tension is exemplified in the relationship between Asian and Black communities, and the racial violence exposed by the coronavirus pandemic has put the spotlight back on this relationship.

Asian and Black communities’ histories have always been intertwined They are connected by their mobilization against institutions of white power. Together, both communities have been at their strongest when working towards this common goal. White history has painted a picture of independence during movements against racial injustice but some of the most powerful and moving steps towards racial

equality in the past 200 years were accomplished through coalitions

Prominent white leaders have historically sacrificed their racial ideologies during times of desperation. We saw this exploitation of Black bodies with leaders such as Teddy Roosevelt, who took up arms with Black soldiers without hesitation during World War One

It is our job as the newest generation not only to learn these stories, but to spread them so that the power of collaboration is felt throughout our communities and inspires the love needed to continue to work together in accomplishing tangible change To understand the power in collaboration, it is essential to understand one of the first and long-lasting legacies between the Asian and African American communities.

This is the tale of the buffalo soldiers

African American involvement in the U S military is one of the earliest examples of white manipulation of communities of color.

Not only was this an example of how willing white leaders were to work with the AfricanAmerican community when it benefited them, it also showed how effective a partnership could be By the late 1800s, over 15 African American soldiers had been awarded the Medal of Honor for going above and beyond in the call of duty. At a time in which simply existing as a Black person in America meant going to war wherever you went, seeing prominent members of the Black community being honored in such a way was a beacon of light a light that the African American community wanted to follow in hopes of escaping the looming darkness left behind from the trauma of slavery.

When the Spanish-American War ended, the Treaty of Paris allowed the U S to take over former Spanish colonies. Within their newly conquered area sat a small group of islands

People of color are no stranger to fighting against white systems of power that have oppressed their communities for generations

Photos courtesy of Kate Hoving, W&M Blogs

situated in the western Pacific Little did the U.S. know that this group of islands would soon grow into the 12th most populous nation in the world known for rich wildlife, bustling cities, and strong cultural heritage

In 1899, after the Spanish-American War, Black regiments began traveling to the Philippines to assist American soldiers Here we meet Emilio Aguinaldo, who would become the bridge between Filipino and Black unity in the Philippines

from their previous war: the Buffalo Soldier Regiment.

The Buffalo Soldier Regiment believed their entrance to the Philippines would be a celebration, a reflection of how the U S government felt about the skills and abilities not only of the Black soldiers, but of the Black community as a whole. However, this sentiment was not the overwhelming reaction of the Black community back in the U S Within the community, many leaders supported the ideas of Aguinaldo and the independence movement Many saw U S involvement in the Philippines as the beginning of another colonial empire

Emilio Aguinaldo was a revolutionary, statesman, and military leader, the first and youngest president of the Philippines who spent his life fighting for Filipino independence. Aguinaldo’s reign began with the Filipino revolution He led his troops through many battles within the Philippines as well as against Spain.

Known for his diplomacy, Aguinaldo began working with the U S at the beginning of the Spanish-American War. After realizing the U S had no intentions of granting the Philippines their independence, Aguinaldo quickly gathered his troops and led them in guerilla-style warfare against the U S Aguinaldo quickly gained the upper hand against U S troops, which led to the U S calling in their most effective back-up

With this in mind, the Black community understood the fundamental damage that could come with the U.S. interfering in the developmental stages of a non-white nation. As a result, Aguinaldo supporters within the Black community conflicted with Buffalo Solider supporters who believed in the sociopolitical mobility that having Black troops in the Philippines could bring. Not only could this help to improve the treatment of the Black community back in the U.S., but it was also a chance to positively represent on an international stage and potentially accelerate change in Black and brown communities all over the world Consciousness was at odds. With two compelling ideas flourishing within the community, white media seized

simply existing as a Black person in America meant going to war wherever you went.

The question they posed was simple: “You or them?”

These posters would depict different monstrosities happening to the Black community in the U.S. everything from denial of voting rights to lynchings Such propaganda caused psychological turmoil within Black soldiers, forcing them to face questions about loyalties, racial identity, and the meaning of serving for the ‘greater good.’

The ultimate goal was for Filipino nationalists to remind Black troops that they were the same, both fighting for a place to exist peacefully within their own homes The olive branch was extended to Black troops, urging them to break away from white nationalist agendas and help them achieve what their own community was fighting for back at home. The Filipino community promised defectors refuge in the newlyindependent Philippines, high rankings in their army, and a lifelong friendship with their people

The Filipino-American War quickly intensified due to the size and racial makeup of the country. Despite the understanding between high-ranked Filipino military leaders and the U.S. government during the SpanishAmerican War, there was no sense of friendship in the United States’ military approach against the Philippines. Unlike with the French, this war was not a respectful dispute over land; this was a racially motivated attack on the Filipino people for daring to stand against the U.S. and attempting to demand more for themselves In the Spanish-American War, there was documentation of overwhelming respect between Spanish and American soldiers with the U.S. going as far as paying for Spanish

It is our job as the newest generation not only to learn these stories, but spread them so that the power of collaboration is felt throughout our communities

In pursuit of white gain, colored bodies were being forced to pay the ultimate price