Sparks Magazine Issue No. 22 | University of South Florida

An Asian Pacific Islander American Publication

ISSUE 22 | SPRING ‘22 TM Sparks Magazine at USF

Sparks Magazine is a collaborative project between students at the University of Central Florida, University of Florida, and the University of South Florida. Sparks Magazine at USFTM thanks the following student teams for their contributions to this issue.

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Marium Abdulhussein MANAGING EDITOR Karen Zhang FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Truong COPY EDITOR Hanna De La Garza • Loryn Smith DESIGN EDITOR Aryam Amar • Mercy Tsay PHOTO EDITOR Danya Sheikh PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Xinni Chen • Jackie Truong

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Asma Ahmed SENIOR ADVISORS Zohra Qazi • Chelsea Della Caringal MANAGING EDITOR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Natalie Nguyenduc COPY EDITOR Andy Cabezas • Zoey Young • AJ Johnson • Kissimmee Crum LEAD DESIGNER Reagan Hollister • Denise Ferioli LEAD PHOTOGRAPHERS Reggie Ocampos • AJ Johnson PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Grace Casanova

WRITERS Susie Chen • Morgan Hurd • Dzung Nguyen • Keil Lapore • Aliza Ahmed • Sana Motorwala DESIGNERS Lauren Shee • Navya Nair • Mya McGrath • Kate Lynne Pudpud • Tiffany Vivi Nguyen • Sarah Husney PHOTOGRAPHERS Annika Thiim • Uyen Le • Sarah Husney PUBLIC RELATIONS Tammy Nguyen • Vivian Nguyen

COVER PHOTO Mridula Singh, Kaniz Angel DESIGN Prakash Vasanthakumar, Isha Harshe, Amy Pham, Sanikaa Thakurdesai MODELS Isha Harshe • Ishita Sen • Fariah Ansari • Quyen Tran • Krisha Patel • Sanika Kende

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FACEBOOK @USFSparks INSTAGRAM @usf_sparks_mag TWITTER @usf_sparks_mag sparks-mag.com

WRITERS Zoey Young • Liana Progar • AJ Johnson • Narmeen Chanda • Isabella Conol • Mari Koerner • Danielle Porres DESIGNERS Liana Progar • Arianna Flores • Mayumi Porto • Kaila Garton-Miller • Niat Ghebrieal • Anna Pham • Manaal Sheikh • Ilise McAteer PHOTOGRAPHERS Narmeen Chanda • Medhavi Radadiya • Anna Pham • Sydney Damas • Nathaell Avril Leman • Denise Ferioli PUBLIC RELATIONS Denise Ferioli • Kaila GartonMiller • Breanna Pham

NATIONAL BOARD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jason Liu CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Aleem Waris MARKETING DIRECTOR Ingrid Wu DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Chelsey Gao ALUMNI RELATIONS Catherine Le CHAPTER MANAGER Bryant Nguyen SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Sally Zhu SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Esther Zhan WEB DEVELOPER Chris Tam FUNDRAISING MANAGER Kim Moya MARKETING/SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN Jade Wu

Sparks Magazine at USF E-Board & Staff TM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Isha Harshe • MANAGING EDITOR Amy Pham • CONTENT EDITOR Padma Vasanthakumar FINANCE DIRECTOR Anagha Hesaraghatta • DESIGN EDITOR Prakash Vasanthankumar • PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR Fariah Ansari • PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR Sanikaa Thakurdesai • PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Mridula Singh WRITER Khoa Hoang • WRITER Olivia Hemilton • WRITER/DESIGNER/ PHOTOGRAPHER Riya Choksi • WRITER Anushri Gade • WRITER Quyen Tran WRITER Krisha Patel • WRITER Sanika Kende • DESIGNER Amreen Naveen DESIGNER Riddhi Gupta • DESIGNER Ishita Sen • DESIGNER Dan Pham DESIGNER Nimrit Doad • PHOTOGRAPHER Kaniz Angel • WRITER Vaidehi Persad DESIGNER Yasaswi Nimmagadd • DESIGNER Linh Nguyen • MEMBER Sayona Jose

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR DEAR READERS, Welcome to Issue 22 of Sparks Magazine.

Within these pages you will find the hours, days, and weeks worth of effort poured into each detail. You will find the fruit of creative epiphanies from dark nights and early mornings. You will find the voices of us, Asian American students, yearning to tell our stories and share our talents. I hope that you see not only the product that we have created on the pages, but also the toil and drive behind each person’s contribution.

I still remember the first time I walked into a Sparks meeting. Flipping through the past magazines, I fell in love with the stories and aesthetic designs. Sitting amongst the other students, I chatted away as we discussed interracial marriages and shared our lunchbox moments. I could feel the tension in me subside; I finally felt free.

I found a space where I could be me: an Asian American. Not just Asian, not just American, but an imperfect yet beautiful blend of both cultures. The best part was that I was not alone. For the first time in years, I felt I had found a place where I truly belonged.

This sense of belonging is what makes Sparks so close to my heart. As Editor-inChief this semester, I wanted to make this space as warm and welcoming as it had once been for me. My predecessors left some big shoes to fill, and at first, I was not sure if I would be capable. I fumbled, I made mistakes, but I also learned. Being EIC has taught me so much about leadership and life in general, but it also made me realize why I valued Sparks so much.

To my executive board and staff, thank you for being patient and understanding with me as I transitioned into this position. Thank you for entrusting me to be a part of the process of sharing your story. Thank you for supporting me and making this semester of Sparks memorable. I hope that you all feel the love for Sparks that I do, and that you continue to carry on the torch and highlight our stories.

I will end this letter so you can begin. Sit back, relax, and relish in the magic of these pages.

Advocate. Be a voice. Make a statement.

ISHA HARSHE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

TABLE OF CONTENTS MY NAME IS HANH QUYEN

6

A COYOTE AMOING WOLVES

8

QUYEN TRAN

VAIDEHI PERSAD

LET’S TALK ABOUT CASTEISM SANIKA KENDE

DRAPED IN DIGNITY

FARIAH ANSARI

10 12

THE FACADE OF OUR SUCCESS

15

TELL ME A STORY

18

ON BEING ASIAN AND HAVING ADHD

21

WEDLOCK AND LOCKDOWN

24

COLLECTIVISM

26

FROM SILENCE TO VOLUME

28

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY

31

CHANGING MY DESIRED PATH

34

THE CONVERSATION PIECE

36

FOURTH WALL

38

TALES LOST IN TRANSLATION

40

AMY PHAM

SANIKAA THAKURDESAI CAITLYN MARI ALIZA AHMED

KHOA HOANG

KRISHA PATEL

FARIAH ANSARI

OLIVIA HEMILTON ANUSHRI GADE

ISHA HARSHE

ANAGHA HESARAGHATTA

My Name is

Hanh Quyen

The story behind an Asian Name

M

y name is Hanh Quyen.

Hanh as in luck and fortune, or positive feminine characteristics, taken from my dear mother’s name.

Quyen as in a beautiful red velvet flower native to the tropical weather of Vietnam

“My name is Hanh Quyen.

I am proud of my name.

I am proud of my identity.

I am proud of myself.”

Names hold the love, adoration, and beautiful wishes of parents in their children. Bình, for example, could represent a world of peace and a calm attitude in life, while a name like Hoàng might imply the hope for victorious results in academic and career pursuits, or a life of happiness and prosperity in the future.As such, names become a highly important aspect of developing the identity of not only Asian children, but essentially every single person as a part of growing up.

I personally treasure the precious name given to me by my parents and have nurtured within myself the desire to grow into the name, or the identity held by the name Hanh Quyen. I aspire to develop admirable characteristics such as the independent mindset and hardworking attitudes of my mother, who has never

6 | spring 2022

Although I always seem to have a tug of war within myself about finding an American name to make it more convenient for myself in interpersonal interactions, I have made up my mind to remain loyal to my own name in an effort to maintain my self-identity, especially in this period of struggling to keep my own identity living far from home after 18 years of my life.

design/ Nimrit Doad

The majority of Asian names hold a very special meaning and are often the fruit achieved after days, weeks, or even months of parents considering a wide variety of name options for their children.

Proud as I am of my own name, I have grown increasingly uneasy in introducing myself in America, particularly in the classroom, since very few people have actually succeeded in saying my name, which is more than uncommon in Western societies. The hardship of introducing names in America is also the reason why most of my friends, especially those coming from Asian countries, have adopted a more American name in easing the process of self-introduction. Due to the prevalence of Western culture and language in Asia, many parents even go to great lengths to give their children a Western name despite growing up in an Asian household.

While I do not hold a grudge against the adoption of Western names, I strongly believe teaching children to cherish and be unashamed of their own names from a young age is the equivalent of protecting the roots and their self-identity.

by Quyen Tran

I always proudly introduce myself as such in Vietnam. However, ever since I set foot in the United States, I have grown more and more anxious to do so after seeing an overwhelming majority of people struggling to pronounce my name.

failed to impress me in her efforts to realize her own dreams and passion without being confined by the strict and even sexist expectations and prejudices of the Vietnamese culture. Additionally, I wish to take good care of myself both physically and mentally by exercising regularly, following a healthy and balanced diet, and nourishing the beautiful dreams of making the world a better place with influential philanthropic actions. In another sense, it is my aspiration to see the seed in me, one day, break out of the hard soil and flourish into a beautiful Do Quyen flower myself when opportunities arise.

“I often introduce myself to people that ‘I am Trung, but you can call me Zoey,’ and people would invariably call me by the American version. After a while, my original Vietnamese name disappeared entirely among my social circle, and it feels like a part of me is left behind in my old hometown, Binh Thuan city,” said Tuan Trung, a 19-year-old Computer Science major at the University of South Florida.

On a different note, some students adopt a more optimistic and practical approach to this issue. Dai Toan said, “I feel greater appreciation towards people who make an effort in pronouncing my name. It feels like they really do care about what I think and cherish the culture I bring with me.” Additionally, Chau Nguyen shared a smart tip of looking up the Roman interpretation of her Viet name online and using it to help people pronounce her name more easily when she first meets new friends.

identity, which will hopefully foster among others a greater appreciation for my culture.

While constantly being challenged by the waves of hardships in protecting my self-identity and pride in my background, I am confident such moments would only strengthen my love and adoration for the unique cultural values which have nourished me throughout my childhood.

My name is Hanh Quyen.

I am proud of my name.

I am proud of my identitiy.

I am proud of myself.

Such comments have allowed me to approach the problem of name pronunciation on a brighter side. It is worth noting that only when facing such challenges in a different culture do we have a better awareness of who we are and understanding of our own identity as we reflect on the perceptions of those around us. Furthermore, experiencing such difficulties in introducing myself would also help us learn to further cherish differences in people and culture, which might have remained unnoticed if I had continued to live in my hometown where my people account for the overwhelming majority.

As such, I have set the goal for myself to be more patient in showing people how to pronounce my name, and also proudly explain to people the meaningful story behind it. This will help me develop better self-respect for my own name as well as my

spring 2022| 7

A Coyote Among Wolves Navigating Diasporic Identities in Rajiv Mohabir’s The Taxidermist’s Cut

S

Our spatial realities share much resemblance as well. I

8 | spring 2022

When our ancestors left the mainland over a century and a half ago, how can we be Indian enough to fit the mainstream ‘Indian’ narrative?

As Mohabir points out, we are not descendants of first-wave doctors and lawyers arriving from the subcontinent.

I’d like to add that most of us are also not priv-

I have now come to adopt the metaphor my Dad often uses to explain the Indo-Caribbean diaspora to people in the West: if you plant the seed of an Indian mango in [substitute a place], does it still bear an Indian mango? In Florida, we are the mangoes that fell from the trees planted in the Caribbean. We bear the seeds of our South Asian ancestors.

Although we crossed the dark waters, the Kala Pani, many never to return, our connection to the mainland transcends the imagined communities of nations birthed from the blood of colonial occupation. We are not tethered to a fragment of South Asia or defined by 20th century borders drawn by the British. In the phenomenon of cultural fossilization, many of our diasporic customs, practices, and folk traditions pre-date Partition and the globalized realities of present-day South Asians. We are vessels of South Asian culture. We are the posterity of the Sepoy Mutinists. We are Jahajis, sailors of the dark seas.

And yet how ‘Caribbean’ are we if the only Chutney we know is the food condiment on the side of all our meals, and not the fusion of Soca and Calypso music? If our heart

photography/ Mridula Singh

Much like Mohabir, I share a common Indo-Caribbean heritage. I am a descendant of the forced migration of South Asian indentured laborers who arrived in the Caribbean over a century and a half ago before the British managed to carve out and dismember South Asia. Most of my ancestors settled on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, just off the coast of Venezuela, where they harvested crops like sugarcane and provided labor to the British.

“When you come here, you come to be outside of brown and unbrown”

ileged like Mohabir with fluency in a mainland South Asian language either. Nonetheless, we are products of the South Asian diaspora. The subtle warmth of the rubab, the mysticism of qawwali, the melodiousness of bhajans, and the aching beauty of ghazals - there is a richness of South Asian sounds and music whose language may falter on our Indo-Caribbeans’ tongues, but resonates with our journeys.

design/ Isha Harshe

In his short poem collection, the taxidermist peels away the layers of Indo-Caribbean identity, unearthing the solemnity of displacement, the complexity of alienation, and the beauty that encompasses our collective pain. In Florida, the state that hosts one of the largest populations of the Indo-Caribbean diaspora, the poetic voice Mohabir has invoked from our indentured ancestors and their posterity collectively heals us with each line.

grew up in the middle of rural Florida - the Sunshine State’s very own little ‘Heart of Darkness.’ Drive a bit past the cattle pastures, turn left at the mangroves, right at the orange groves, and we’re home. If you hear Cotton-Eye Joe playing to the rhythm of a waving confederate flag, you’re in the right place. If you see any obvious signs of progressive values, you’ve gone too far. Mohabir gently reminds us that in a place as white as salt and as spicy as black pepper, “you cannot hide Brown skin and burnt cumin…”.

by Vaidehi Persad

queaming under the blade of the orientalist, wounds magnified by the western gaze, reading Rajiv Mohabir’s The Taxidermist’s Cut unearths the lucidly familiar experience of being Indo-Caribbean and growing up in rural Florida. Mohabir is a queer Indo-Guyanese poet from the small suburb of Chuluota, Florida. He is fluent in Hindi, Bhojpuri (a northeast Indian language), and Caribbean Hindustani (a diasporic Indo-Caribbean language) - his diverse linguistic repertoire is obvious in the cadence of his work.

does not beat to the steel drums then Caribbeanness cannot flow through our veins - it’s basic hemodynamics. Embracing our collective Caribbean identity means appreciating the journey of our ancestors and acknowledging the colonial projects that indentured servants, slaves, immigrants, indigenous peoples, and other members of Caribbean society have too long endured. It also means welcoming the fusion of cultures and languages that characterize our diaspora. To be Indo-Caribbean is to be constantly and even unknowingly under the influence of not only South Asian culture, but also African, Latin American, British, French and many others.

Despite us existing in this harmonious amalgamation of cultures, living in the Deep South forces us on the peripheries of two communities, Indian and Caribbean alike, where we must claim a single identity. The first thought might be to claim a new national identity, but the trouble is we’re not white enough to be ‘American’.

No, instead we must submit ourselves to the hyphen, the grammatical weapon of alienation. Although meant to bring words, identities together, it does just the opposite. In this land we are Indian-Caribbean-American-... yet how many hyphens is too much?

How many until the nicheness of our identities render our existence alone obsolete?

“Most white folk see coyotes as wolves” Mohabir encapsulates this experience of multiple alienations through the coyote and the wolf, an allegory for Indo-Caribbeans navigating a place where their intergenerational experiences are erased or conflated with mainland South Asian identity.

Us Indo-Caribbeans are the ‘coyotes’, often mistaken for our mainland counterparts, the ‘wolves’. The allegory seeks to illustrate the subtle contrast between mainlanders and the diaspora - we look similar and come from similar lineages, but our histories are not the same. To consid-

er us the exact same is to erase our heritage, yet to completely separate us is alienating. Appreciating the nuance of the Indo-Caribbean identity means recognizing this duality.

Growing up in the Deep South, once Westerners get beyond homogenizing us with every other Brown person they meet, there is always the question of what language we speak - what kind of Other are we?

Reminiscing on my high-school encounters with other Brown children of immigrants, one distinct moment comes to mind.

Set the scene: 5 Brown kids discussing the Sapir-Whorf theory (does language define reality, or does reality define language?). Everyone in the group is a different variation of Brown, and their languages reflect this beautiful variation - Bengali, Gujarati, Tagalog, Cantonese... Yet, in this deep philosophical journey into linguistic determinism my classmates single me out for being the only Brown kid with no distinct language that they could identify. What would Sapir and Whorf have to say? That my lack of language determines my lack of existence? Trust the colonizers to make drawing such a conclusion possible.

the Deep South becomes, to echo the words of Mohabir, “... to be outside of brown and unbrown”.

“You descend from a misread line of poetry that grasped a cutlass” This is perhaps one of the most memorable lines in Mohabir’s collection of poems. It perfectly captures the poetic narrative of our journey as indentured laborers from the Mainland to the Islands to the American Deep South. Mohabir capitalizes on the fluidity of our identities as Indo-Caribbeans, and it is on this same note that I would like to end.

Despite our forced displacement and the complex layers of our alienation, there is a beauty that encompasses our collective pain - a beauty that brings us closer together. We are South Asians, Indians, Caribbeans, Americans, and Floridians. We are the cumin sprinkled in the salt and pepper. We are the coyotes among wolves. We are one and we are all.

You see, my peers were not familiar with my Indo-Caribbean vernacular that we use at home the island folklore, the creolized words, the bhojpuri slights and the British quips. As Mohabir puts it, “every time you speak they hear a different hell”, another Other. These are the kind of encounters and misunderstandings that Mohabir explores in his work. We are outsiders to the Wolves, yet family.

We are outsiders to the West, yet long-standing neighbors.

Growing up as an Indo-Caribbean in

spring 2022| 9

Let’s Talk About Casteism

“T

he caste system was necessary in order to divide work responsibilities easily back in the day,” a family friend said to me a while ago when his son asked about the caste system was. I was taken aback by this justification, mainly because it reeked of upper caste-privilege; it is much easier to say the caste system was necessary for labor division when your task is teaching and scholarly pursuits, rather than cleaning public facilities like it is for lower-caste Shudras. This conversation, to me, was a clear indication of how many in our South Asian community still aren’t fully aware of the detrimental effects of the caste system.

10 | spring 2022

art/ Sanika Kende

To offer historical context, the caste system was born from Hinduism, as it is deeply connected with the concept of reincarnation, presumably around 3000 years ago. It divides Hindus into four categories: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.

The system is organized as a tier, with Brahmins at the top and Shudras at the bottom. It not only defined the profession of any individual, but also where they lived and who they interacted with.

For example, the Brahmins were teachers and scholars, while the Shudras were assigned to do

Of course, the big question is: Why does knowing all this matter today? While many may think that this system was simply in place to divide responsibilities among communities back in the day, this is not the case. The caste system still heavily impacts the lives of Indians in today’s era, even the ones living in progressive metropolitan areas. While India banned the caste system shortly after gaining independence from Britain in 1947, casteism continues to be an oppressive reality for many Indians. It is true that things have changed for the better since then: “The mandated reservations in educational opportunities and jobs has facilitated the emergence of an educated and upwardly mobile group of Dalits,” claims a peer-reviewed article regarding the Dalit experience. But even while legislation is in place by the Indian government to try to dissuade discrimination based on caste, it is clear that years of caste-based functioning of society has led to a systemic privilege within the higher castes that will never completely cease to exist.

While such caste privilege is legally forbidden, it is still a reality that all Indians are aware of and even accept. Brahmins still remain one of the most educat-

design/ Sanika Kende

The History

The Current System

by Sanika Kende

India’s caste system is an aspect of the country that has been heavily discussed throughout time by many. Perhaps you first learned the concept in a world history class, or through a family member, or even seen it mentioned in any articles discussing social issues. Regardless of the way you were introduced to the concept, it is important to understand that the caste system is heavily intertwined into the political, religious, and socioeconomic aspects of India.

manual labor. This division is supposedly based on karma and past lives, as well as ancestry. While these are the four main castes, there are many sub-castes as well as a fifth caste that is completely shunned from society - the Dalits, or the Untouchables. In fact, the Dalits were not even allowed to live near, share the same water, or walk the same streets as the higher castes.

ed and wealthy groups in India, while many of the most degrading blue-collar jobs are still done by Dalits.

Even diaspora Indians like us benefit from this privilege. Having the ability to immigrate here usually involves a great deal of privilege, which is oftentimes caste-based. Upper caste Indians are not only better prepared to pay the expenses involved with moving here, but their chances of being outsourced through companies to the U.S is much higher due to caste-bias. Most people that migrate here from India identify themselves as Kshatriya or Brahmin. Our lives here in the U.S are an indirect cause of the oppression and lack of economic mobility that comes from the caste system, and many of us aren’t even aware of this.

While there are exceptions to this statement, many of these exceptions are still faced with the burdens of casteism even in an entirely different country.

Vidya Krishnan of the Atlantic reported that in July of 2020, tech company Cisco Systems was sued over discrimination toward an Indian engineer. The complaint stated that the engineer was facing discrimination from other Indian colleagues due to the fact that they were upper-caste, and he was a Dalit.

The colleagues claimed he only got into a prestigious Indian university because of affirmative action. The same article discussed a 2016 study done by Equality Labs, which reported that 41% of South-Asian Ameri--cans who identify as lower-caste reported facing discrimination in U.S. schools and universities, while 67% of lower-caste respondents said they had suffered caste discrimination in the workplace. These statistics are astounding. To know

that the discrimination based on caste not only occurs back home, but also within the diaspora is almost shameful.

Immigrants from India are supposed to be the “cream of the crop” intellectually, so why is the mindset of our community just as regressive as those back home?

Moving Forward As members of the Indian diaspora, our community passes discourse on a variety of issues, but the systemic oppression that lower-caste citizens face is rarely acknowledged, especially by the community’s older generation.

As minorities in a foreign country, we can talk quite a lot of the discrimination we face here, but I implore you all to learn more about the minorities and discrimination that exists within our own communities. NPR has an excellent podcast episode on casteism titled “How to be an Anti-Casteist” that not only dives deeper into how the caste system affects the experiences of the Indian diaspora but also links other great sources of information, many of which come from the Dalit population. Don’t stop at simply perusing these sources. One of the biggest obstacles regarding this matter of oppression is that many in our community simply are not educated on the matter, and the plight of the Dalit population is rarely given the coverage it needs in media. Talk about this information with your peers, spread awareness to those who may not know. I hope that the progressive conversations we begin here will spread out and even travel back home to begin to reverse the oppression that has existed in our communities for so long.

“Immigrants from India are supposed to be the “cream of the crop” intellectually, so why is the mindset of our community just as regressive as those back home?”

spring 2022| 11

P

Draped in Dignity

aying attention during my sixth grade history class always presented a real challenge. The people, locations, and civilizations went over my head as I tried to commit them all to memory. I remember the exception- the day we learned about Islam. I was filled with excitement as I read the lesson plan on the board. Finally, after weeks of learning about the advent of Christianity and the spread of Judaism, we would study the rise of Islam and the Ottoman Empire.

“Do you have to wear a scarf around your head?”

12 | spring 2022

Years later, I now know that most of the questions that my classmates asked me were not meant to be offensive. People at that age are unaware of the delicate intricacies that govern global politics. They were not trying to be rude, but to someone who was used to a certain way of life, the answers that seemed so obvious to me were lost on them. However, their blunt questions did make me wonder: how did I fit into the image of the world that my peers had constructed?

A Muslim by birth, I have always seen Islam as more than just a religion. My parents instilled the values and traditions that they grew up within me, claiming that to lose my roots would be to lose myself.

I have always known Islam as a religion of peace and forgiveness.

However, as I grew older I learned that not everyone saw it as such.

People often misinterpret the teachings of Islam and label it a religion of violence and oppression.

They see it as sexist when it is not.

The teachings of Islam are very clear in their treatment of women. Islam respects and values its women so deeply that it seeks to protect them from the dangers of the world. This is why Muslim women wear

Countries that seem to be harsh followers of Islam are harsh because of the institutions that surround them, not because of Islam itself. Religion is simply used to fortify their objective, but oppression is not what Islam teaches. One such government policy is the women’s driving ban in Saudi Arabia. If caught driving, women were arrested and their passports were confiscated. This is consistent with many other oppressive policies in place, as Saudi Arabia clung tightly to Wahhabism, the idea that women and men should be kept separate. While the driving ban was lifted in 2018, women are not privy to the rights that men are. The changes that are taking place do not come with legitimate rights.

In line with law and custom, men still have a lot of control over a woman’s life in regards to when they marry or whether or not they are issued a passport.These two contradictory narratives show that the changes taking place are superficial, and that women continue to be oppressed under the guise of religious doctrine. Their idea that every woman had to have a male guardian was blatantly sexist and inconsistent with the teachings of Islam.

Design and art by Amreen Naveen

“So is Osama bin Laden your uncle?” A boy asked me with a scowl.

My eyes widened as I mulled over the audacity of his question in my head. Is this what my classmates thought of Muslims? Were we all terrorists in their eyes? “Of course not,” I scoffed, prompting a flurry of more questions.

“Why are there so many terrorists out there?”

the hijab. It is not a symbol of oppression, but rather one of freedom. It is a privatization of sexuality, an idea that is lost on the Western world. While the West seeks to “free” women through the idea that wearing less clothes is liberating and that women should be comfortable in their own skin, Islam teaches women that the world has no right to bear witness to their beauty. Instead, it uses modest clothing to shield them from ill-intentioned individuals. This does not make women and men unequal, but simply different.

However, government policies around the world are not reflective of this. Islam can not be seen as a religion of equality while governments continue to misinterpret Islam.

Written by Fariah Ansari

As we took turns reading passages from the textbook out loud, my teacher turned to me and suggested that I read a terminology-heavy excerpt, as she knew I was already familiar with the content. I proudly read the passage, making sure my pronunciation of the Arabic words was correct. Later, as we were doing our classwork, my classmates sitting in front of me turned and asked if I was Muslim, to which I nodded and said I was.

The conversation was pleasant until-

“Will you be allowed to drive?”

and her beliefs. Banning the hijab limits a Muslim woman’s access to necessities like education. The hijab is not an oppressive symbol, as the West often makes it out to be. The fact that a Western country is participating in such a blatant form of oppression is a testament to the lengths that governments are willing to go to to demonize Islam and incite prejudice. People should be able to practice religion the way that they wish to, instead of through the demands of government policies.

Extremism is frowned upon in Islam.

Often, theocracies misinterpret the teachings of Islam to suit their own needs. Countries like Iran that enforce veiling laws on their women are also at fault for using extreme forms of Islam to forward sexist agendas. Women (Muslims and non-Muslims alike) are arrested and fined if seen in not wearing a hijab in public, as it is considered “shameful” to show the smallest amount of hair. Enforcing such a strict form of public prudency teaches men that oppressing women is not only acceptable, but encouraged. It teaches women and young girls that their value is something that is granted to them by men. The reason Islam gives for covering the head is to protect a woman from the prying eyes of the world, not to oppress her. Yet, the Irani government continued to force women to cover their heads, as if it was something to be ashamed of. Not only is it an inaccurate interpretation, but it also gives Islam an oppressive image.

However, plenty of secular governments seek to oppress women through other means. The hijab ban in France is a prime example of this.

In 2011, France became the first European country to ban face coverings (including the burqa). In 2021, France banned minors from wearing the hijab.

Removing the privilege of wearing the hijab infringes on a woman’s right to choose how to practice her religion.

The hijab is symbolic. When a woman wears it, it is a testament to her faith,

The various government policies in place restricting women’s right to choose how they practice Islam gives the idea that Islam does not allow its women to be independent. While the Western world has created a certain definition of equality between genders, Islam believes in a different kind of equality. While men and women may not have the same roles in society, there is a balance between genders. Islam acknowledges that men and women are different, and that they take up different roles in life. Women may not always be allowed the same freedoms as men, and the converse is also true. However, it does not mean that one is valued over the other. People in the West have interpreted the exposure of the female body to be liberating. However, Islam values modesty and encourages both men and women to dress respectably. This does not mean that women are not allowed a place in society. Women are allowed to own businesses and have jobs. The money that a Muslim woman makes is her own, while her husband’s belongs to the family. Nowhere in Islamic scripture does it say that women are lesser than men.

lim are ones I will continue to condemn.

Perhaps the ignorance of my classmates can be rectified with a little more time and patience. It is up to the adults of this world to teach them that Islam is not a religion of violence, but one of peace. It is the responsibility of Muslims around the world to clarify misconceptions that non-Muslims may have about the role of women, the difference between genders, and the freedoms that are granted to both. As a Muslim girl living in America, I have always valued the freedom of religion I was given. I am extremely grateful for the fact that I am able to choose a lifestyle that I am comfortable with.

The freedom to follow one’s religion, without the interference of oppressive forces, will always be something I advocate for.

So no, I do not have to wear a scarf around my head.

Yes, I am allowed to drive.

The actions of terrorists, both Muslim and non-Mus-

spring 2022| 13

Notable Figures Khadija bint Khuwaylid Khadija bint Khuwaylid (c. 555-May 620 CE) was the daughter of the leader of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca. She was the first follower of Islam and married the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Khadija was a successful businesswoman and served as a leader when the Quraysh embarked on trade missions to Syria and Yemen.

Khawla bint Al-Azwar Khawla bint Al-Azwar was a Muslim warrior born in the seventh century. She was the commander of the Rashidun army during the 7th century Muslim conquest, leading campaigns in parts of Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. She led a band of women during the Battle of Yarmouk in 636 CE against the Byzantine empire, defeating their chief commander.

Sayyida al Hurra Lalla Aicha Sayyida al Hurra Lalla Aicha (1485-1561) was the last person in the history of Islam to hold the title of Queen. She ruled over Tetouan from 1515 to 1542 after serving as vice-governor to her brother. She was fluent in many languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, which made her an effective diplomat. After being forced to flee Granada as a child due to the Spanish Reconquista, she later sought to become a pirate and hold operations in Gibraltar in hopes of returning to Andalusia.

Sultan Raziyya Sultan Raziyya was the only female Muslim ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. She reigned from 1236 to 1240 after being nominated as heir due to her performance. While many nobles expected her to be a figurehead, she asserted her authority and many of the nobles who opposed her ultimately joined her rule.

14 | | spring spring 2022 2022 10

The Generalization of Asian Americans in Education

“A smart.”

“All Asians are naturally

In education, data illustrates a large achievement gap between Asian Americans and other racial groups.

The achievement gap refers to a disparity in students’ academic performance. According to Ansell of Education Week, the gap is based on measurements of success such as “grades, standardized test-scores, course selection, dropout rates, and college-completion rates.” Typically, Asian American students are viewed as having an academic advantage over other ethnic groups. The community’s academic achievements are attributed to cultural values and parenting styles.

“All Asians do well in school.”

Society’s perception of Asian American and Pacific Islander excel in school, achieve better test scores, and attain greater academic success. When analyzing academic data, this generalization may appear true.

However, because demographic data has lumped all Asian American and Pacific Islander students together, information regarding the specific academic needs of different Asian American and Pacific Islander communities has remained hidden.

by Michelle Zauner

Crying in H Mart: A Memoir

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

The Model Minority Myth The generalization of Asian Americans’ high academic achievement is rooted in the model minority myth.

These stereotypes portray the Asian American community as a model immigrant community who have accomplished the American Dream.

The model minority myth perpetuates the idea that all Asian Americans have achieved great academic and professional success. However, the model minority myth ignores the systemic barriers the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has faced in America.

This generalization minimizes Asian American students’ difficulties in school and results in a lack of support and access to resources for students who are struggling. According to Shafer of Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2017, the model minority myth “can mislead teachers to believe that none of these students are struggling.” Furthermore, as Wu of Diverse Education in 2020 explains, , “students who are struggling, not conforming to expectations academically or coming out as LGBT… may be excluded from programs, even those meant to be open for all.” The assumption that Asian American students will excel in school leaves students in need of support in the shadows to struggle silently, whether it be academically or socially. Students who may require additional support are unable to access the necessary resources due to this stereotype of academic success. When grouped together, it appears as though all Asian Americans are achieving better grades, attending better schools, and performing better on exams.

design/ Riya Choksi

The Achievement Gap

by Amy Pham

ll Asians get A’s.”

spring 2022| 15

However, the perceived achievement gap between Asian Americans and their racial peers is misconstrued.

Dismantling the Generalizations An important area that requires more attention is the need for disaggregated data. Current demographic data assumes the Asian American community is a monolith.

This ignores the vast experiential, socioeconomic, and cultural differences among Asian ethnic groups. Aggregated data, which is data that combines individual-level information, creates the illusion that all Asian American students are succeeding academically. When the information is disaggregated and grouped according to each ethnic community, there is a great variety of academic achievement. For example, certain ethnic subgroups, such as Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Korean students perform well academically, whereas other groups like Cambodians and Hmong do not fare as well.

Even within the Asian American community there is an achievement gap between different ethnicities. As Joo, Reeves, and Rodrigue of Brookings Institute in 2016 highlight, “these academic performance gaps within the Asian-American populations are in fact just as wide as the gaps between white and black Americans.” Treating the Asian American community as a monolith rather than by specific ethnic subgroups results in ill-informed perceptions and policy decisions.

Disaggregated data will provide more context regarding the specific needs of each ethnic group to address educational inequality.

We must dismantle the harmful generalization and reframe the percep-

16 | spring 2022

tion that “all Asians do well in school.”

It is important to recognize that certain Asian American and Pacific Islander communities face systemic barriers to academic success as well as the advantages other Asian ethnic groups are afforded. As Park of Higher Education Today in 2019 explains, “not all, but many Asian Americans

"The assumption that Asian American students will excel in school leaves students in need of support in the shadows to struggle silently, whether it be academically or socially." have more access to resources like higher-quality public schools, supplemental education resources… and communities that reinforce high… standards of academic performance.”

On the other hand, Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, and low-income Asian Americans face systemic barriers to academic success such as lack of access to quality schools and poverty. There needs to be

greater awareness of the educational needs of underserved Asian students.

It is important to consider the different challenges and advantages that are afforded to each Asian American and Pacific Islander ethnic group.

The achievement gap between Asian students and other racial groups cannot only be attributed to cultural differences. There needs to be a greater focus on actionable solutions to the educational inequities in the American school system.

According to Shafer of Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2017, addressing “poverty, systemic racism, segregation, or under-resourced schools,” and barriers that make it “difficult for families to assist their children’s academic growth,” will require a “large shift in social services and public policies.” For example, focusing on investing in public school education and expanding access to better schools is important. As Joo, Reeves, and Rodrigue of Brookings Institute in 2016

explain, “Asian Americans live near better schools… it suggests that policymakers would do better to promote higher-performing schools than worry too much about promoting ‘Asian values.’” It is more effective to develop policy to address educational inequities rather than writing off academic success to a specific ethnic group’s culture.

education policy. To move towards greater academic support, a mentality shift is needed.

It is important to remember that specific demographics are not prone to receiving A’s.

Rather than emphasizing cultural differences and the model minority myth, we must focus on implementable solutions to close the achievement gaps within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community as well as between different racial groups. We must focus on disaggregated data when developing

We cannot assume that an entire community will excel in school.

Individuals of a specific ethnicity are not naturally predisposed to intelligence.

Closing the gap in academic success begins with recognizing the assumptions and stereotypes that are blocking actionable solutions from occurring.

spring 2022| 17

TELL ME A STORY Storytelling in the APIDA Community

photography by Mridula Singh graphics by Prakash Vasanthakumar

In the novel ‘Joy Luck Club’ Amy Tan illustrates the cultural conflict experienced by a Chinese mother and her daughters. The novel acts like a mythology, serving as an example of how storytelling is a unique way to bind traditions and new beliefs. In the novel, the mothers use storytelling to impart personal and mystical tales to their daughters who are dominated by Anglo-American culture. Through storytelling, the displaced mothers find a voice and it can be observed how they assert themselves and start questioning ideologies that they grew up with. They realize how they were never given the freedom of thought and how important it was to be able to write their own stories.

Over time, even their daughters realize the significance behind the tales and gradually come to terms

design by Riddhi Gupta

18 | spring 2022

around spoken interactions like songs, poems, and mandatory conversations at family gatherings. These traditions serve as a way to remain connected with their Asian heritage.

They propel me to be closer to my elders and anticipate a memorable relationship with my future ones.

by Sanikaa Thakurdesai

F

or every story, there is another story standing behind it.

For every story, there is a memory associated with it.

For every story, I pray that our future generations get to hear it.

Where I come from, storytelling is a customized ritual that has been passed down for generations. Orality has been a means of transmission and preservation. The word ‘storytelling’ sparks fragments of memories stored in my mind that illuminate imagination and tradition. For instance, a jovial grandfather in my neighbourhood loves sharing anecdotes.

Every time my friends and I gathered together to play or hang out, he would join in and say, “When I was younger. . .,” which always turned into a fun few minutes full of laughter, gasps, and curiosity at how our elders lived life so freely. Understandably, this became a tradition and we have been hearing his stories for almost as long as I can remember. His storytelling ranged from anecdotes, myths, morals to historical references.

Every type of story has a value and a memory that I associate with. I believe that those few minutes were always an assurance to him of his youth and the honour of sharing it. All that I have experienced in life till today has been in pursuit of being the one who brings back those few moments of laughter, gasps, and curiosity. This oral tradition has long been followed, and that is how we perceive our history and our origin. Although there are written texts, I believe in the stories I have heard and their power to shape my mindset regarding my culture. As an Asian (and a part-time American), most of my traditions have revolved

with their Asian American identity. They begin to embrace both their cultures simultaneously, rather than letting one triumph. This novel is a perfect instance of how storytelling is an integral part of reconnecting to one’s culture and traditions. It also sheds light upon how the act of storytelling serves as a dialogue between the mothers and their daughters. The daughters in Amy Tan’s novels finally incorporate the stories they heard from their mothers into their lives and beliefs. They learn to appreciate their culture and the accountability of the freedom that they were fortunate enough to have received. Stories and several cups of tea bridge generational gaps between the older and younger generations and are a way to make memories. In a space where it is easy to feel depersonalized, it can be observed that most of the conversations among family members in Asian households are through stories. Perhaps, these oral traditions are not just a means of transmission but a provision of an opportunity to attain what our previous generations could not. For instance, the mothers in the Joy Luck Club wanted their daughters to have the best of both worlds – American circumstance and Chinese character. The mere act of telling a story works its magic on both the teller and the listener. This magic helps us to build on a fantasy of our lives and what they can be.

Like the mother in the novel, most of the stories I have heard from my elders reflect

upon integral morals and lessons. When I think of my family’s stories, I notice how each occurrence is a reflection of beautiful relationships and belief in one’s self. Each milestone is a reminder that the world works in mysterious ways to get us what we deserve.

The storytelling invoked by the mother in The Joy Luck Club parallels oral tradition in

Stories and several cups of tea bridge generational gaps between the older and younger generations and are a way to make memories preliterate cultures where myths and folktales were told and not read. Although Oral traditions are no longer the primary means to convey information, with the emergence of print and social media, they are still held in high esteem in Asian communities. Although these traditions are more personalized, they face the risk of getting lost into translation over the years. In order to prevent losing more family stories, I believe documenting such traditions is a great way to protect precious memories for the future. The primary purpose is to keep these traditions alive, orally. Talking about persisting traditions, I believe we have the power to create new traditions and carry the meaning of storytelling our way. Time from time, stories bring generations together. We have the obligation to continue this legacy of storytelling to our future generations.

Stories are influenced by history, culture, and the environment around us, bearing several

spring 2022| 19

different factors and that is how new stories are made. The impact of culture on stories is incessant and should be nurtured personally for them to able to grow. It plays a pivotal role in shaping up developing minds and perceiving the world as a whole.

It would also increase the bandwidth our generation can have with our future ones. As a future Asian American, I can affirm on how I decide the course of stories that I tell my children.

All in all, stories are a combination of personal life lessons and a scope for hope, aspirations, I have grown up listening to stories of both, and basically a second chance, imparted into Disney princesses and adventures of Indian our culture by the elders. Fascinating stories Gods/Goddesses. I wonder why we must can come from hanging out in the waiting conform our imaginations to one culture or room of a doctor’s one heritage. Why office, sharing a cup can’t Cinderella and of chai, or waiting for Mulan be friends the cafeteria to open. in a story that I Like a fickle-minded make up? Why can’t person, most of the Captain Hook and stories are ephemeral Lord Hanuman fight and that is why I do enemies together not want to stop sharat sea? My point is ing. We, as a commuthat our Oral Tradinity, should make a tions have taught promise to ourselves us values, beliefs not to let the art of and stories that storytelling die within conflict with the our communities. Let My point is that our those stories transport Oral Traditions have us home, closer to our taught us values, people where beliefs and stories familiarity is the esthat conflict with the sence of our existence.

Till then, I cannot wait modern-day stories that we saw manifesting around us. If Storytelling is an art, it should let till I start my conversations with, “When I was our creative minds soar high and embrace the younger, . . .” and be a creator of more smiles. power of duality. Many Asian Americans face the dilemma of balancing their dual cultures.

To overcome the discrepancy between these dual cultures, integrating stories that appeal both parts of their cultures would be helpful.

Reflecting upon the impact traditional and anecdotal stories have had on me, creating a narrative where I can incorporate both, is an unexplored area for me. I firmly believe that this customized narrative would provide all of us with a sense of freedom to explore our identities and values. Playing with stories can be fun and integral in shaping up perceptions.

Let those stories transport us home, closer to our people where familiarity is the essence of our existence.

20 | spring 2022

ON BEING ASIAN AND HAVING ADHD T

Confused and somewhat afraid, I turned to my friends with concern.

Logan was notoriously known as the most annoying kid at my elementary school. While he was undoubtedly intelligent and was even enrolled in the Gifted program, it could be said that “he didn’t apply himself.” He couldn’t sit still for his life, letting his arms sloppily flop around and he’d always try to talk to the kids around him in the middle of a lesson. We knew that he had ADHD, but we never were given a proper explanation as to what that meant. On top of the other issues he was dealing with, we were making his life even more difficult.

I know I’m not the only person who feels like this. Why is ADHD known as the rowdy white boy disorder? Why do we never think of Asians or Pacific Islanders?

Asians and Pacific Islanders are often under researched in psychological studies and as a result have been severely underdiagnosed compared to other racial groups. According to a recent chart by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ADHD is more than twice as likely to be diagnosed in boys rather than girls– and that’s without race in the equation. For every 11 white kids that are diagnosed with ADHD, only 3 Asian kids are diagnosed. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders aren’t even included on the chart; only asterisks and dashes appear across their rows, indicating that for this group, there is no significant data being collected.

Even when Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are included in ADHD research, they are lumped together with Asians so for both parties there aren’t any separate sets of data, causing unnecessary confusion.

design/Manaal Sheikh

“What did he say?” I asked in disbelief.

“He said that you have the Logan touch,” one of them responded dryly, starting to pick up her pace again.

“You know the Cheese Touch from ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’? It’s the same rules as that but Logan is the cheese.

Anyone who touches him, even if it’s a total accident, is treated like Logan until you touch someone else to get rid of it.”

in that way, they’d be calling the local odaisan to purge me of any curses that could have been placed upon my family and I.

by Caitlyn Mari

he first time I had heard of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, was when I was introduced to the Logan Touch. I was in fourth grade walking to lunch with a couple of my friends from class. While we were chatting about whatever problems 9-year-olds face, I felt a fingertip jab the back of my arm and a kid from another class exclaimed, “You have the Logan touch!” He ran across the courtyard into the cafeteria, giggling triumphantly.

This is all thanks to good ol’ systemic racism served with a side of cultural bias. Asian Americans are commonly referred to as the “model minority,” the racial minority group in the United States that seemingly has it all,

Up until my diagnosis in the eighth grade, I always thought of ADHD as something only chaotic white boys could have. The Logan Disorder. So, you could imagine my shock when the psychologist who did my testing sat me down at the beginning of my debrief and told me—an organized, generally quiet girl—that I had the same diagnosis as Logan. Of course, being fairly older and slightly more educated about ADHD as a concept, I could definitely empathize more with kids like him.

Their restlessness was just a part of who they were. It is pretty miserable to be glued to your seat all day long and feeling like you’re going to implode if you don’t move. In all honesty, I felt the same way myself. I just could never imagine myself being able to act in the way those kids did. If any of my relatives saw me behaving

This story is by students at the University of Central Florida

spring 2022| 21

despite how they were treated throughout the nation’s history. They are often stereotyped in a seemingly positive light and are described as orderly, motivated, smart and obedient. It has been statistically proven that Asians tend to have higher levels of income and academic achievement compared to other groups in the U.S., but this success equally has a cost. This monolithic conception of an entire race is harmful because it fails to consider the tremendous amount of pressure being put on Asians to perform well, no matter what their background is. Asians who aren’t considered to be “exceptional” by society’s standards–people who get average to poor grades, aren’t a part of all of their schools honor societies and/or have career interests or hobbies that their parents or community don’t approve of–may feel like who they are at the core is inherently wrong.

Self-esteem is hindered and confidence becomes dependent on purely external factors.

It further excludes the fact that most Southeast Asian groups are largely left behind in this so-called Asian American Dream. The U.S. Census revealed in 2019 that B u rm e s e A m e ri c a n households make a little over $40,000 in annual income while Indian American households bring in over $120,000.

Also, I cannot emphasize this enough, but there are barely any studies conducted on learning disability symptomatology among Pacific Islanders. In an article by Liu & Alameda, the researchers point out that even though Native Hawaiians are signif icantly more likely to have a diagnosis compared to nonHawaiians, there is still a large gap in mental illness research about them. These weren’t even off icial diagnoses; this statistic was a result of a survey sent out to Natives that only asked them diagnostic questions. Most school authorities, psychologists and psychiatrists fail to grasp the weight of context and permit unconscious bias seep into their decision making. A predominantly white workforce failing to question their own biases and stereotypes makes Asian kids silently suffer.

“Don’t bring shame onto the family” is a phrase that was gradually chiseled on the surface of my amygdala throughout my childhood. The traits of poise, tact, and modesty were some of the most important traits to have in my family. Gender didn’t make a difference in how this was upheld; boys and girls were equally expected to act in a respectful way. My grandmother was the primary enforcer of this concept. She taught my mom and her siblings that they shouldn’t eat or drink at the same time they were walking; nobody was

22 | spring 2022

allowed to go out with unironed clothes; public displays of affection were inconceivable as well as talking about politics, religion or money. This all boils down to one point: you cannot act out of line. Being disruptive, impulsive and ill-mannered were looked down upon the most, especially if you were in public.

A lot of other Asians can probably relate to this. I was raised in Hawai’i for most of my early childhood, swimming in a melting pot of Polynesian and Asian cultures who all upheld collectivist ideals and mores.

Collectivist cultures are characteristically known to emphasize the needs of the group–specifically the family–over the needs of the individual. Elders are held to the highest level of respect and their word is the final say-so. When the family elders are happy, the individual can be happy. When the family elders are upset by something you do, something about you needs to change; or, if you did something beyond forgiveness, you may even have to leave the group entirely. This loyalty to the family is known as f ilial piety and causes the people within the group to repress their emotions and individual wishes. Confucianism additionally plays a foundational role in many East Asian cultures, which emphasize keeping social harmony, respecting elders and embracing education to the fullest extent.

There is a tendency for Asians to avoid seeking out mental healthcare services. A 2007 study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Public Health’s research team investigated the major stressors of Asian American students. One of the top reasons as to why Asians strayed away from mental health services was because discussing topics related to mental health was considered to be taboo, leading many people to dismiss or deny their symptoms. My mom can attest to this: in Hawai’i, it was considered highly taboo to go to a psychiatrist when she was growing up. “We were brought up to think that only crazy people went there,” she explained. “That’s just it. If you go to a psychiatrist, you’re a crazy person. It’s something we just didn’t talk about. And it never came up in our family where someone said ‘I want to talk to someone.’ My mom would say that ‘Crazy people only see a psychiatrist.’”

It wasn’t until later on in her life that my mom would talk to a psychologist, which she attributes to my dad who was already seeing one. It took her a while to finally get her there, but to her relief her psychologist was also a local Japanese man who fully understood her cultural background. In another study titled “Cultural

perspectives on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A comparison between Korea and the U.S.,” researcher SeokYoung Moon discovered that Korean children having a disability or mental disorder reflects negatively on parents and other authority figures, which in turn causes their parents to blame themselves for their child’s perceived “deficiency.” This belief further exemplifies how filial piety and Confucian ideals hinder people from seeking help even if they desperately need it.

After my family and I moved to the mainland when I was seven, it seemed like every other week my parents received comments on how “well-behaved” their children were. I remember how pleased my mom would look passing this information on to my little brother and I, giving us a little speech about how lucky her and my dad were and that we were so mature for our ages.

“That’s just it. If you go to a psychiatrist, you’re a crazy person.

It’s something we just didn’t talk about. And it never came up in our family where someone said ‘I want to talk to someone.’ My mom would say that ‘Crazy people only see a psychiatrist.’”

As I got older and made increasingly more decisions that jeopardized this high standing with my mom or other authority figures, I became hyper aware of my behaviors and attempted to limit the amount of offenses I could potentially make. A majority of my friends had neurodivergent traits as well (and in the future were coincidentally diagnosed with ADHD) so thankfully I had them to relate to, but with my other peers, I didn’t feel like I was taken seriously. Learning to mask behaviors that felt normal to me, like getting overly emotional around others or gushing over my new favorite topic of fixation, felt like my only key to success. I abused my medication and turned myself into a productivity machine, watched countless YouTube tutorials on how to “properly” conduct myself in social situations (whatever that means) and would stay quiet about my political beliefs and morals even when I felt strongly about something.

accomplishments by contrasting myself with the people I love, the people I found community in, made me feel unworthy of their presence in my life. Furthermore, it minimized my loved one’s own struggles and insecurities when I put them on that pedestal.

Today I can finally say that I am starting to pick up the pieces of my identity that I thought I had lost and fit them together in a way that is empowering and uplifting. It’s taken lots of introspection, difficult but honest conversations with others and practicing radical self-compassion even on days where I feel like a formless blob. Letting go of generational shame is no easy feat and is a slow process. Dismantling racial stereotypes is even more difficult, especially when we are surrounded by people who still buy into them everyday.

Collective healing is only possible when we take it upon ourselves to question what we’ve been conditioned into.

It also means that we need to redefine a new normal for what ADHD looks like (so our first introduction to it isn’t something that resembles the Cheese Touch) and what it means to be Asian American. We can maintain our cultures and identities without the presence of shame within it. And for my neurodivergent Asians reading this who are still figuring it all out: take your time. Give yourself hugs and let yourself cry and allow yourself to feel everything you were holding in for so long wash through your body–immerse yourself in it. Talk to others who you feel comfortable with about your feelings when it’s appropriate. Teach yourself what your needs are and ask for accommodations when you feel ready; you aren’t any weaker for knowing what you want and need to thrive. You are enough and always have been enough.

This method of trying to blend in worked for a while up until my sophomore year of college when I finally burnt out. I felt like I lost countless parts of myself by this time; I had no hobbies, my friendships and relationships felt faulty because I wasn’t showing up as my true self and when I looked in the mirror all I could see was a total, complete fraud. I would compare myself to my other friends with ADHD who I perceived as more successful, hilarious and creative; they seemed to know how to make their diagnosis work for them rather than let their diagnosis control them. I felt like I couldn’t fit the stereotypical Asian definition of success or the cool, witty and girlboss ADHDer that those neurodivergent TikTok accounts love. Discounting all of my unique traits and

spring 2022| 23

Wedlock and Lockdown

The effects of COVID-19 on South Asian weddings

F

Written by Aliza Ahmed

inally, the day she’s been waiting for. The day she’s been dreaming of. A bride’s wedding day. After months of planning the theme, the decorations, the reception and the guest list – it is finally time. She gets ready, her family members helping her into her dress and ensuring that she looks her best on her special day. Once she’s ready, she is escorted – not to a wedding aisle, but to her… living room?

In front of her are her family members smiling and taking pictures – not in person, but through a Zoom call. She and her spouse-to-be say their wedding vows, and just like that their virtual wedding is complete.

Thus, one can see that the impact that the early pandemic had on traditional weddings was drastic. Wedding planner

photography by/ Sarah Husney

While this may seem like a far-fetched, exaggerated scenario, this has been a reality for many getting married during the COVID-19 pandemic. Large, extravagant processions are reduced to short services. Milelong guest lists are capped

to a handful of close and immediate family members, with the rest of the attendees being faces on a screen or voices through a phone, congratulating the couple from afar. While these are necessary measures to ensure everyone’s safety, they are far from what many imagine when they think of their wedding day. Those who could not afford to push their wedding date back held a majority of their wedding virtually, maintaining social distancing. An article from ABC News Australia focused on one couple getting married entirely over Zoom. “Instead of the groom circling the sacred fire by her side – an important rite of a Hindu marriage ceremony – he was beamed in from Sydney onto Ridhi’s computer screen via the video conferencing platform Zoom.”

design by/ Tiffany Vivi Nguyen model/ Esha Sattar

24 | spring 2022

This story is by students at the University of Florida

and coordinator Kiran Mohan of Sonaa Events expressed the difficulties she faced in early 2020. “The wedding that I did in 2020 ... one family was from India,” Mohan said. “They were lucky enough to have flown in before the travel ban, so that was a little bit of a pickle.”

“Our 300 -plus guest list shrunk down to just three.”

The travel bans and restrictions issued in early 2020 caused those having weddings to rethink their entire itinerary.

Asian weddings – more specifically, South Asian weddings – are wellknown for their extensive guest lists and celebrations spanning several days.

Hence it is no secret that the pandemic and the health regulations that came with it had a major impact on similar important cultural practices. Anna Price Olsen, writer for Brides, an online bridal advice website, wrote an article exploring weddings that were held early in the pandemic. One couple, Jasmine and Avneet Singh, had planned to have a traditional Punjabi wedding. “The actual day was far from what we had ever imagined.”

Kamila*, a bride from Orlando who tied the knot in a traditional Indian-Muslim wedding ceremony in the summer of 2021, expressed her dismay about some family not being able to attend due to COVID-19, “I was definitely sad since 90% couldn’t make it, but I was happy they were able to join me through Zoom.”

Even in 2022, after such restrictions have been lifted, traveling comes with its risks. Jennifer Coenen, travel writing professor at the University of Florida, recently attended her nephew’s IndianSyrian Orthodox Christian style wedding this year. She noted that there was a large number of people at the event, but that there would have been “One or twohundred more people at the reception if it hadn’t been for COVID.” Again, the reduced attendance was due to fear of spreading COVID-19 via inter-state and

international traveling.

While nowadays drastic measures such as hosting weddings entirely online are scarce, there are still lingering remnants of early-pandemic health procedures that remain in use for most celebrations with large gatherings of people. According to Quartz India, for weddings planned during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, about 59.05% of couples prioritized the vendors’ vaccination status. Kamila required all guests to be vaccinated at her wedding, as she “wanted everyone to be safe especially since we had a lot of elders coming.”

In addition to this, as per any large gathering of people, masks were expected to stay on unless eating or taking photos. Modifications to how food was prepared and served were not uncommon to see as Kiran described, “Sikh weddings for example, for longer services it [food] had to be pre-plated.

For buffet services they had to have servers behind plexiglass or masks.”

While necessary for health reasons, the sight of servers behind walls of glass and masks may be off-putting in contrast to the open, all-you-caneat buffets typically seen at wedding receptions.

“It was just kind of weird to see at a wedding.”

Now, in 2022, with mask mandates lifting and vaccines at easy access, people are beginning to open up again to the idea of large gatherings. While now there is no obligation to wear masks, there is still the option to do so if one feels it is necessary. Coenen stated that she and her sister “chose specifically to wear masks,” mainly due to the fact that they had traveled from the coasts of the United States, “We didn’t want to bring

anything to anybody and we didn’t want to take anything home with us.”

Despite the initial hardships, after two years of living in a pandemic, people began to adjust. Kiran explained that, for many of her clients, the pandemic “changed their perspective on life, meaning they don’t necessarily need the gigantic floral arrangements, they don’t necessarily need the big elaborate live food stations. All they needed was close family and friends to be able to celebrate that union.” Coenen described a beautiful and heartwarming fusionstyle wedding ceremony between her nephew and his wife-to-be that went off without a hitch despite the pandemic.

She and her sister wore traditional saris and lehenga outfits with glammedout decorative masks to match, participated in a Mehndi party, a traditional milk ceremony, and even walked her nephew down the aisle on his wedding day. She stated, “I had such a wonderful time, it was a very meaningful experience in my life.”

Kamila remarked that – as expected of a wedding – her wedding was “an exhausting day but it was a beautiful one, surrounded by the people I love.”

When asked whether there was anything she missed having at her wedding that she could not have due to COVID-19, Kamila said, “Honestly, just my family that couldn’t make it. Other than that, the whole wedding went perfectly and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.” *Name changed to preserve anonymity of the interviewee.

the

2022 |2 spring SPRING 2022| 25

by Khoa H oang

What is Collectivism?

A search on Google and Wikipedia shows that collectivism is the emphasis on the groups’ cohesiveness and the prioritization of others over oneself. The earliest contemporary expression of collectivism in the West came from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a Swiss-born French philosopher, where he argued that the individual could find their freedom and benefit from “submitting to the ‘general will’ of the community.”

Collectivism later on became prominent as it was discussed

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and encouraged by various figures such as Karl Marx, G.W.F Hegel and through various movements such as socialism, communism, and fascism. In Asian societies, collectivism is more prominent than ever, with the culture, traditions, and education being rooted in a lot of Eastern philosophies such as Taoism and philosophers such as Confucius.

My experiences Growing up in an Asian household, I have had my fair share of experiences regarding collectivism. I was taught to bottle up my emotions and stop oversharing so as to not bother my parents and the people around me. This began when I was 7 years old, bawling my eyes out when my favorite cartoon character got injured in front of all of my parents’ guests. Needless to say, I was scolded by my parents for doing so. I was also taught to refrain from arguing with others to create a harmonious atmosphere, even if I disagreed with the other person, and especially if they were older than me. I learned this the hard way when I disapproved of my grandparent’s idea of marriage when I was 15.

We were sitting in a room together when my grandparents insisted

Design/Photography by Mridula Singh

T

hese were the words that were ingrained inside my mind at a young age. Even if I didn’t understand what all these statements really meant when I was a 6-year-old child, or a 13-year-old teen, my subconscious mind knew that I have to live unselfishly, much like a collectivist. At home, I bottled up my emotions to not bother my parents. At school, I actively participated in a friendly academic “competition” between classes so my class would have a chance to win. Despite the emotional turmoil I went through, I had to continue being a collectivist, to think for the community, and to prioritize others before myself.

that my sister get married soon because her duty was to “take care of her husband,” and they wanted to see their great-grandchildren as well. I remember feeling appalled at their words. I retaliated by saying that I appreciated their input but my sister should be able to make her own choices instead of heavily relying on their words. The atmosphere became very tense and awkward, and I quickly apologized because I realized that I shouldn’t be too blunt in

front of my elders. Nonetheless, I received a very long lecture from my parents about “maintaining a harmonious atmosphere” and “respecting your elders even if they are wrong” after the incident.

Being a collectivist in an individualistic society After having this belief ingrained into my head for what seems like an eternity, stepping foot into the U.S.A was a revolutionary experience or even a reset for me. Not only was it a new environment, but it was also frightening because everything seemed to go against my beliefs. People valued “freedom of action,” expressed their disapproval towards an action done by someone older than them, confronted someone about an opinion or an action, and conveyed their opinions. On the other hand, I valued fitting in, refrained from expressing my disapproval towards anyone, avoided any forms of confrontation, and kept my opinions to myself because I thought I would look “selfish.” I tried to compromise, but the more I compromised, the more disconnected I felt from both sides of my “identity.” In front of my friends here in the U.S, I learned how to compromise with their ideas or opinions instead of expressing my actual opinions about those.

When I called my parents, I tried to “compromise” by telling a story, omitting as many details as possible so I would look civil. But if my friends insist that I be as honest and loud as possible, and my parents insist that I be as civil and selfless as possible, who should I listen to?

And where do I belong?

I would like to say that I’m a collectivist, but I’m still learning how to compromise properly. Sometimes, I get frightened envisioning myself at a dinner table, not being able to talk to my friends honestly in the U.S., and not being able to appear as a selfless person in front of my family in Vietnam. However, as time went on, I came to realize that collectivism and individualism belong on two different scales instead of one, and leaning towards one ideology rather than another is completely fine, because:

“I can live for others, but I can also live for myself.”

-Khoa Hoang

spring 2022| 27

From

Silence to

Volume

C

photography/ Lilly Dang & Amber Jani

28 | spring 2022

design/ Dan Pham

ries and brushes embraced the comb as it One voice whispered “not smooth and silky” and angrasped the tight, tangled curls. The purple other whispered, “Do you even brush your hair?” I comb had become the enemy that never left thought the torment ended with my classmates and and brought back cries every morning. Every day, I sat friends. I was quickly proven wrong when my aunt in front of the mirror dreading the ritual about to take spoke in a proud and bold voice, “Why don’t you get place. As Mum tightened her grasp on the enemy in your hair permanently straightened in India?” The her hands, I tightened my fists. The initial entangle- idea of silky straight hair was so appealing. The voicment began, then the next, and the next, while I held es would quiet down and my silence would clear. back the water puddling in my eyes. I trained my eyes Fourteen-year-old me appreciated the idea. My mane on the blurry reflection of a girl with an untamed mane would finally be tamed. as the voices of “frizzy, puffy, junglee (animal-like)” screamed in my head. Stop, stop, stop, I yelled inter- Silky and straight are words that embody the beauty nally, but that didn’t stop the comb. Relief fell over my standard of hair in the Asian community. The beaueyes as I saw Mum ty industry pushes placing the comb products and comon the white counter mercials that support “However, each of these Asian womand then grabbing the idea of shiny, pinthe blue bottle with straight hair. Proden decided to leave the straightener a little palm tree on ucts such as Streax in the drawer. Now, their curly hair it. A familiar smell straightening cream of coconut arose as (intense), Oxyglow products soak in the spotlight.”

Mum rubbed her finHerbals Hair Straightgers together. The ener Cream, and Shithick, soothing oil is seido Professional heavily lathered to tame the mane. Although my mane Crystallizing Straightener encourage chemically deglistened with shine, worry swirled in my mind for the stroying curly hair. They define flaws by promoting words I would hear today. I could just hear them say the ideal aspects of straight hair, instilling self-doubt “Eww, why is your head so oily?” and “Why does your in individuals with textured hair. Due to the strict stanhair smell?” They made me hate the mornings. They dards, many people in the Asian community trade made me cry. They made me hate my mane. their voluminous curls for breakage and dryness.

All in the hopes for the sleekness and shininess of They soon became everyone. Everyone made com- straight hair. After building insecurities, the beauty inments about my mane and I stood in silence. The dustry feeds the consumers with products that will silence was covered in self-loathing and insecurities help them fit into the ideals. that grew deeper with every stinging comment. Some about the texture and some about the appearance. I was a victim of the insecurities pushed forward by

by Krisha Patel

My curly hair journey...

the beauty industry and the Asian community. Aisles and aisles in supermarkets were filled with products. The glistening bottles of sprays and serums were all promising solutions to my problem known as the mane. They promised to fulfill the insecurities that were drilled in me. I grabbed two bottles to compare which one held the most hope for my mane. I was enticed by the buzzwords like “anti-frizz”, “creates shine”, and “sculpts curls.”

My search for the perfect product started with a never-ending trial and error. A system that led to a cabinet filled with unused and unfinished products with the excuse that they will serve a purpose later in life. Only to recognize that fifteen-year-old me was scared to waste more money on products that guaranteed “anti-frizz” and “sculpts curls”. I couldn’t afford to have healthy curls. I was tired and done.

However, the industry was not done with me. Now, there were large insecurities and small pockets. Guilt and sadness lingered with the insecurities that were developed by damaging comments. The temptation toward the glistening straightener on the marble counter grew as the voices in my head began to shout “You are ugly.” The idea of leaving the hidden walls wearing natural curls haunted me because of the backlash I would receive about my mane. Again, the mirror stood in the bathroom to mock the unwavering image. In the image, the messy and uneven textures are attentively focused on. The easiest and least expensive solution was to burn my curls in heat to obtain a silky and straight look. Laughter and taunts paused, replaced by compliments. Fifteen-year-old

me started to glow as the darkness of self-loathing blew away.

The wanted ideals and irreversible damage disguised the mane. The mask was compelling because it received love instead of hate.

Masking coils is a talent in the Bollywood industry. Actresses modeled silky, straight hair, upholding the beauty standards. The ideals of beauty were standardized where there was no room for natural curls to be shown proudly. Actress Taapsee Pannu was prohibited from movie roles because of her naturally curly hair. A Hindustan article states that Pannu had to get her hair chemically straightened while growing up because she realized no Bollywood actress had similar features to her. She then initiated a movement where movies capture her curly hair.

When I watched Pannu star in Badla, I was shocked to see her curly hair. The soft, bouncy coils framed her face as she expressed distress and happiness throughout the various scenes. My head spun in excitement. The representation came after sixteen years of growing up with the industry. I stopped taking my curls for granted because I saw that they can be styled to be elegant.

Similar to Pannu, Kangana Ranaut has inspired curly hairstyles by publicly displaying her curly hair in films. However, Ranaut played a curly-haired role in the film, Queen, where the character glows up by straightening her hair. Curly hair is demonized in the industry. In the movie Sanam in Teri Kasam, there is a scene in which the hairstylist takes the actress’s hair out of the braid and it begins to expand in frizz around her head and shoulders. The actress’s face is in despair. The frizz, texture, and volume are soon lost after it is fried with a “magic tool.” As she turned toward the mirror, a smile grew on her face. The industry’s ability to ma-

spring 2022| 29

nipulate the representation of curls encouraged desperation for straight hair.

Hopelessness stands amongst the numerous hair products for straight hair. Tons of information about styling straight hair is accessible through generations and online resources. Year after year, the Asian community leaves curly-haired individuals stranded.

As a second-generation Asian American with curly hair, I grew up with a lack of information about how to care for my curly hair. From primary school to middle school, my mother was lost on how to deal with my hair. We dug and dug through products of all promises. Nothing worked and I had no one to learn from.

Until one day, I discovered a whole curly hair community on YouTube. All of my knowledge about maintaining and caring for curly hair comes from Black women. Unlike the Asian community, caring for curly hair is a long-standing tradition in the Black community. Hence, I started to value my curls by observing how Black women cared for their curls. I realized that the lack of education about curly hair leads to a lack of acknowledgement for curly hair.

Amongst the learning process, there have been other Asians who suffered through a similar journey. Various Asian women have written blogs to share their knowledge about curly hair. Kanya London discusses that the curly hair movement is always catered to White, Black, and Latin communities where Asians are left out of the conversation. Supermarkets create aisles filled with products catered to the Black community.

Curly hair varies tremendously from texture to curl shape, requiring different products. Similarly, Rosie Chuong shares that the lack of education and inaccessible products for curly hair makes the process of appreciating curly hair difficult. During her journey, her family did not value curly hair, so she had to defend her coils. Nikita Rathod also learned to fix her curls on her own after the damage caused by the straightener. never really stood a chance to curl up at its length.” Curls fight

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to be in the spotlight but the glorified straight hair shields the curls from the light. Before, there was a desire for silky straight hair. However, each of these Asian women decided to leave the straightener. Rathod states: “While my mum and grandma treasured my long, healthy hair, it never really stood a chance to curl up at its length.” Curls fight to be in the spotlight but the glorified straight hair shields the curls from the light. Before, there was a desire for silky straight hair. However, each of these Asian women decided to leave the straightener in the drawer. Now, their curly hair products soak in the spotlight.

As the light shines upon the mirror, a reflection highlights the black, soaked ringlets. Now, the morning begins with a comb, leave-in-conditioner, and gel. The hums and beats in the back spark motivation to pick up the plastic strip with narrow teeth to thread my hair back, leaving it in a middle part. The unwavering tangles cry for attention as the beige cream paste is spread through the struggles, covering the unspoken damage. The curls grow as they are conditioned to move past the heat, leaving them to gleam in the sunshine. The conditioner and scrunches support the shining curls as they bounce in the joy that once was covered. Joy is held by the clear jelly that laminates the permanent coils. Once again, the mirror emphasizes the defined curls that seemingly lay entangled framing my face.

I gazed at the mirror, reflecting the strong shiny roots.

I wasn’t ashamed anymore.

I was proud.

Immortalizing International Mother Language Day When Pakistan gained independence in 1947, a divide was created between East and West Pakistan due to differences in culture and language. In 1948, Pakistan declared Urdu as the national language. However, East Pakistanis wanted Bangla to equally be recognized as a language, as a majority of the population spoke it. When the Pakistani government refused, students at the University of Dhaka began to protest, despite the fact that rallies and marches were outlawed. On February 21st, 1952, the Pakistani police force opened fire on the student protestors, mortally wounding Abdus Salam, Abul Barkat, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abdul Jabbar, and Shafiur Rahman, and resulting in a massacre of many others. Since then, it has been known as a day of mourning. In memory of the martyrs, students from Dhaka Medical College built the Shaheed Minar (Martyr Monument) to honor and remember the fallen students.

In 1998, two Canadian Bangladeshis wrote a letter to Kofi Annan, a Ghanian diplomat and the seventh secretary general of the United Nations proposing to declare February 21st as an

international holiday to preserve and protect languages around the world. In 1999, the thirtieth UNESCO General Assembly unanimously passed the resolution. After the UN adopted resolution 56/262 in 2000 to formally recognize it, the holiday has been observed internationally.

“ When you arrange something for them to participate in, they become more familiar with International Mother Language Day and know that their language is very important.”

- Dr. Israt Jahan Celebrating IMLD Today The weight of this remembrance day is not lost on the students at USF. The International Mother Language Day event, known as Ekushey February (Immortal 21) was held at the USF Riverfront Park on February 19th,

spring 2022| 31

photography/ photographer design / Padma Vasanthakumar

Today, there are more than 7,000 languages spoken worldwide. Language is the reflection of a culture, a tradition, an ideology.

It is what connects people to each other and creates a community out of individuals. Language is the expression of thoughts meant to convey emotions and ideas.

Without language, humanity loses an essential tool needed to understand one another and suffers from a lack of communication to drive cultural enrichment. The power of language can be seen every day and through it, one can seek to gain another doorway to wisdom, another way to see the world.

In celebration of the plentiful and diverse array of languages spoken worldwide, the United Nations declared International Mother Language Day to be held annually on February 21st. This holiday celebrates multilinguist and linguistic diversity worldwide, as well as the preservation and protection of languages. It is a result of the Bengali Language Movement by Bangladeshis as they fought for the recognition of the Bengali language.

The History and Creation of IMLD

WriterAnsari design/ Designer bybyFariah

“T

o have another language is to possess a second soul.”

The four smaller side frames of the Shaheed Minar represent the “sons,” or martyrs who died in the 1952 protests. The large central frame represents the “mother.” It is slightly bent at the top to show that the mother is bowing her head in respect and grief for the sons that she lost. The red sun behind the center frame symbolizes the blood shed from their sacrifice as well as the approach of a new day.

2022. The program was organized by the Tampa chapter of the nonprofit organization Distressed Children and Infants International (DCII Tampa), which is led by President Nafisa Uddin and advised by Dr. Israt Jahan. The event was open to all cultures, nationalities, and ethnicities and featured various cultural performances and presentations. Among the events was the Shaheed Minar procession, a ceremony in which wreaths were presented to a small version of the Shaheed Minar.

The procession was used to open the program and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for their language, similar to how one would bestow flowers at a gravesite. The atmosphere became quite somber as a hush fell over the 300 attendees and people bowed their heads in respect. Families and student organizations alike slowly approached the Shaheed Minar and laid homemade wreaths upon it in an acknowledgment of the lives that were sacrificed for the perseverance of their language. Even those who were unfamiliar with the ritual or what it represented

32 | spring 2022

understood the significance of the monument. Currently, DCII Tampa is leading an initiative to construct an official replica of the Shaheed Minar in Tampa as an emblem of Tampa’s diverse heritages.

This procession was followed by various performances, including solo numbers, a chorus, and dances from children and various student organizations. A performance that stood out was the song Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano (My Brother’s Blood Spattered), sung by seven students in English,

Spanish, Tamil, Welsh, Mandarin, Russian, and Hindi. The original song was written by notable Bangladeshi writer Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury during the Bengali Language Movement to convey the sorrow and pain of the people lost on February 21st, 1952. The melody was composed by Abdul Latif, a renowned Bangladeshi composer known for his patriotic works. Seeing how one song was performed by people of various cultures and backgrounds contributed to the significance of the event. Each language flowed with the music to make the song their own. The result was a creative and beautiful performance, and an impactful reminder about treasuring the beauty in the diversity of different native tongues. Despite the fact that Ekushey February began as a day to remember the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement, seeing how it has expanded to encompass and celebrate multiple cultures and languages made the attendees, myself included, feel seen and appreciated. Growing up in an area where one’s native language is not well-known or spoken can be quite intimidating to a young individual.

However, events like this one are

Students sing Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano in seven languages.

a great way to remind them to be proud of their heritage.

Another particularly significant performance was done by Nafisa Uddin and her chorus, when they sang Digontore Amor Ekushe Joog Joogantawre (Over the Horizon Immortal Twenty-First Heralds a New Era). Children in black and red uniforms danced along to the music in front of the stage, giving the performance a jovial atmosphere. “When we celebrated it two years ago in 2020, we involved kids who didn’t know about it before,” said Dr. Jahan. “Now they enjoy it and want to know more. When we do rehearsals, they come to me and request more parts. If you tell the kids their history, they may not remember it for long. But, when you arrange something for them to participate in, they become more familiar with International Mother Language Day and know that their language is very important.” Along the periphery of the venue, students and student organizations arranged cultural booths with tri-fold boards and even food samples that showcased their language and culture.

As attendees enjoyed the performances, they could learn about the linguistic history, significant figures, and simple conversation starters for a variety of languages, including Urdu, Mandarin, and Tagalog. “What my goal really is for this event is to make sure that young people and kids don’t have to feel ashamed of their language or identity, which I think is a problem

“ Your heritage is a beautiful part of who you are, and you should cherish it.”

- Nafisa Uddin nowadays,” said Uddin. “Your heritage is a beautiful part of who you are, and you should cherish it. The younger generations are the future of their respective cultures, so if we want to ensure that the world continues to see a diversity of cultures, we need to make sure that demographic feels proud about their heritage and desires to share their language with others.” This

is certainly true, with the growing diversity of the Tampa Bay area.

It is important that children are made aware of the significance of their culture so they can grow to have an appreciation for it. Allowing children to be familiar with and proud of their culture is an important value to instill in younger generations today.

The sheer effort it took to plan an event like this as well as the massive turnout of over 300 people shows the significance of International Mother Language Day. “It is our pride to do an event like this; to show the Tampa Bay community that this momentous occasion, this movement happened…it needs to be protected with so many languages that are disappearing nowadays. Hopefully this program will only continue to grow and be important to more people,” said Uddin. The event hosted multiple languages and cultures and inspired people to take pride in their heritage. It was a great way to showcase the ethnolinguistic diversity of Tampa Bay.

spring 2022| 33

After months of researching, I finally found the profession for me - Speech-Language Pathology (SLP). Every part of the job hit every mark and finally, I felt a spark in myself. I was excited about my future, this was something I felt so passionate about. When it came time to tell my mother about my change in major and career, I sat her down and told her, “Mom I don’t want to be a doctor anymore, it’s not my dream. I want to become an Speech Language Pathologist.” Not to my surprise, she lashed out at me. Blood pulled to her face.

She looked me in the eyes and told me, “You are embarrassing the whole family. Why not become a nurse? Being a nurse is better, becoming an SLP will bring you nowhere in life.” From then on, my mother kept attempting to coerce me into becoming

34 | spring 2022

a nurse, claiming that it would be better for me.

As someone who is half Filipino, it sounds a bit cliche, but I know a lot of Filipino nurses. Nursing and Filipino women are like bread and butter, one can be without the other, however, most times not. In fact, the correlation between nursing and Filipinos is actually pretty high.

According to NBC, “more than a quarter of immigrant nurses in the United States are Filipino.” I see this even in my own family, given that the majority of the women on my mother’s side of the family are either CNAs or RNs. However, it makes me wonder why a lot of Filipino women have chosen this profession. Maybe it is our filial duty to our parents to have a secure job with a decent income, or maybe it is because it is so indoctrinated into our culture

Designed by Prakash Vasanthakumar

oing into my senior year of high school, I was dead set on the idea of becoming a doctor.

Nothing could ever change my mind about being a doctor, no other career was good enough for me. That same year, I applied to the University of South Florida with the intent of majoring in Microbiology on the pre-med track. All was good, and my selfconfidence and my mother’s praises of me continued to grow until my second semester of college. I found myself constantly questioning whether becoming a doctor was even worth the stress and the crying. I wasn’t happy with myself, but my mother, oblivious to my failing grades, filled my head with bouts of grandeur admiration. To become a doctor was her dream and I slowly started to realize that it wasn’t mine. As the semester went on, the cons began to outweigh the pros and I couldn’t find a sliver of hope to hold me on to that dream. However, the thought of telling my mom that I wasn’t going to accomplish her dream terrified me. You see, my mother is a Filipina woman, born and raised in the motherland.

The idea of even going against her wishes sent a chill down every single bone in my body, but I was determined to make my own decisions for myself.

Written by Olivia Hemilton

Changing My Desired Path G

for the women to have the role of the caretaker.

Either way, there are so many other professions that adopt these ideals within their job description that it still makes me question, why are jobs that are not specifically highlighting these characteristics looked down upon so often by Filipino women?

Perhaps it is the lack of Filipino women in such specialities that bars them from entering. Nursing has proved to be a tried and true profession for a whole lot of Filipinos, however; the same definitely cannot be said for Speech-Language Pathology.

According to the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association’s (ASHA) 2020 Member and Affiliate Profile, “only 2.9% of SLPs were Asian and 91.6% of SLPs were White.” It is no wonder why my mom is so persistent for me to enter nursing, there are only a few and far between SLPs who self-identify as Asian. To be honest, when I first learned about those statistics, it felt very daunting.

Entering a profession where the majority of

people come from a completely different cultural background than me made me feel like an outsider, but it also brought more cultural awareness to myself.

This profession is in dire need of more cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is essentially the ability to interact, understand, and appreciate other cultures that are different from one’s own.The United States is a salad bowl of cultures; each culture celebrates its own

Cultural diversity plays an important role in a patient’s satisfaction and comfort, especially in the United States. uniqueness within the same country. If a practitioner lacks cultural competence, they may find that their patients may lack understanding between them and feel as though that they are not gaining the proper treatment that they need. Not all treatments are ethically compliant with all beliefs or cultures. It is important that we give our patients a treatment that aligns with their beliefs and what they are comfortable with.

Patients of SLPs would feel more comfortable if they saw someone with a similar background to them that could relate and understand their same values. By doing so, SLPs can create an unbiased treatment plan that does not misdiagnose a patient with a speech disorder instead when it may just be a speech difference. A lot of patients that SLPs interact with may be more fluent in another language. It is important that as SLPs we are able to work with their accents and not force them to pronounce English sounds in an ‘American’ way. Being able to represent my culture within such an ethnically white-dominated field, gives me hope that I can help lead a path for other Filipino women to follow. I want to be able to pave the way for others to have an open mind to their career path and not rely on nursing as their only career option. By choosing my own career and sharing my story, I hope that I can serve as an example to show how anyone, regardless of their sex, gender, ethnicity/ race, and background, should be given the chance to pursue their dreams regardless of other’s opinions.

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Looking at culture, society and politics through India’s urban art

design/ Ishita Sen photography/ photographer

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tation and social distancing guidelines, exists on nearly every block of large cities. Declarations in support of or against political parties and conflicting political ideals line streets through bold phrases, paintings of idolized leaders, and even satirical cartoons. Many artists also take to these public spaces to showcase their own talent, marking cities with life-size portraits of athletes, murals containing abstract patterns, and colorful images of nature and wildlife.

A number of Indian artists look to the streets as a blank canvas to convey their political stances. One foreboding piece, Still Hunger Prevails, One Loaf of Bread, touches on topics of government corruption and rampant inequity. Painted by an emerging artist under the pseudonym, “Bongster,” the piece illustrates a dark image of impoverished, starving citizens and grinning politicians, symbolizing the wealth gap and the looming issue of economic inequality in India. In an interview with Media India Group, he writes that the artwork depicts “crimes and hatred and dead sons and families in the name of religion, politicians stomping on the poor, corrupt media, and a deadly pandemic.” An example of the growing urban art scene in India, this piece serves to convey frustration with persistent corruption and socio-political instability and seeks to facilitate public discourse on these issues.

Another artist, anonymous under the name of “Tyler,” also addresses political issues through his collection of street art that he often shares on his Instagram page. In a controversial crowdsourced project he curated in Mumbai titled Walk of Shame, yellow tiles with names of public figures, such as celebrities, television anchors, and politicians, are laid out similarly to the celebrity-studded street of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In response to public

by Anushri Gade

From the backseat of a minivan, I stare idly out the window, absorbing the collective chaos on the other side of the glass. The city bustles with activity, everyone and everything seemingly lost in its rapid pace. Conversations are drowned out by the rumble of rickshaws. Clothing shops and food stalls span the entire block. Buildings dozens of stories tall tower over the city. But caught in the midst of all this is a splash of colors and hues. Walls and alleys are decorated with tiny scribbles of writing, banners of large text, paintings of admired figures, and murals of bright colors. I realize that through the vibrance of art, a concrete jungle of roads and skyscrapers has come to life as an exuberant city.

Urban art refers to visual art forms, such as graffiti, murals, and architecture that have been embedded in the urban landscape and lifestyle. Contemporary urban art rose to prominence as a medium for expression in the mid-20th century, with countless artworks appearing in public spaces in cities throughout the world. From the graffiti boom in New York City to the vibrant murals of Buenos Aires, urban settings have since then given a space for artists to convey cultural, social, and political viewpoints.

Contemporary urban art found its way to India not long after and has secured its place as a noticeable art form over the past few decades. Types of artworks range from independent paintings and murals to large-scale exhibitions and art festivals, often expressing bold opinions, political statements, and commentary on sociocultural issues. Wall art containing slogans, such as Swaccha Bharat (Clean India) and Save the girl child, and since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to practice proper sani-

demand through Instagram polls, he selected names of public figures accused of engaging in the spread of propaganda to call out in the display. Actor and filmmaker Kangana Ranaut, news anchor Arnab Goswami, and Sudhir Chaudhary, the editor-in-chief of Zee News, a major Indian news source, are only a few of the controversial personalities that feature on Tyler’s Walk of Shame.

Imprinted against a dark pavement, these names emboldened in bright yellow are almost impossible to notice for passersby. The artwork has been painted over numerous times and Tyler’s Instagram account of almost 70,000 followers was disabled after his Walk of Shame made news headlines. In an interview with VICE, when asked about the aims of his initiative, Tyler says, “A few weeks or months later, imagine a street famous for having the names of the most notorious and shameless people in the country painted on it, based entirely on people’s opinions gathered from a simple voting method.” His vision reflects that of many artists - to create something that audaciously expresses, criticizes, and represents.

Taking a more aesthetic, flamboyant approach to Indian urban art is the St+Art India Foundation, a Delhi-based non-profit organization that seeks to “make art accessible to a wider audience by taking it out of the conventional gallery space and embedding it within the cities we live in…” . Founded around 2014, the organization has since then refurbished residential buildings through art, hosted a multitude of art festivals, and connected artists from a wide range of backgrounds.

From walls decorated with radiant, abstract patterns, to large portraits depicting humans engaging in everyday life, the St+Art India Foundation shares the beauty and

allure of art and transforms an otherwise dull space to one of animation and color.

In addition to allowing artists to express their viewpoints and creativity, India’s contemporary urban art scene demystifies art by making it accessible through public spaces. It offers people the chance to reflect on their own beliefs and opinions through thought-provoking, and often uncomfortable, artwork. By facilitating uncensored discussions on politics, culture, and society, it keeps the urban landscape open for the expression of diverse and conflicting perspectives. Over the past few decades, urban art has become an integral part of shaping cityscapes, expressing diverse opinions, and bringing Indian cities to life. As a medium for conveying bold, direct, and sometimes provocative messages, it challenges the preconceived notions of what art should be and demonstrates the power of expression and creativity.

Photo from Archdaily

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FOURTH WALL they couldn’t shove Me underground, so they put Me on a plastic pedestal. a bed of flattery, underlined by mockery.

written by Isha Harshe

when they look up at Me it feels as though they are looking down. my feet long to be on the ground, mingling around, seeing eye to eye.

wherever I gaze, I am surrounded by haze. an illusion shrouded with hesitation. the glass fogs as it envelops Me. asking Me questions they knew I wouldn’t answer. offering a seat at the table that’s already taken. laughing at inside jokes I’m outside of. a Foreigner in the places I should belong the most.

designed by Linh Nguyen

I’ll never be one of them but will it ever be enough to be one of Me?

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अनुवाद: कथानकस्य आत्मां हरित। Translated Stories

Tales Lost in Translation

“W

e have so many diverse cultures and traditions, but whenever I ask about why we have to follow these traditions, no one can tell me why. What do all of our rituals, traditions, and shlokas mean?” I heard a friend ask when I was in middle school.

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The problem of translating these languages in texts has been a concern, as many texts have historical relevance. Hindu texts have often been victim to mistranslations over the past few decades. Recent examples include Rutgers University professor Audrey Trushcke’s mistranslation of verses in the Ramayana, where the Hindu god Rama is equated to a misogynistic pig. While this enraged Hindu sentiments, certain Sanskrit scholars have also called out Truschke for the inaccurate translations of certain Hindu texts. According to the author Amish Tripathi, using the words “misogynistic pig” may have been acceptable to use as an interpretation of the Ramapayana; however, the claim that this text was a translation was unethical.” Not only have mistranslations of Sanskrit texts emerged as an obstacle for Hindus in un-

design/ Ishita Sen

Language is an intrinsic part of a culture; we can’t understand how cultures view the world without understanding the language. However, the hard-

In a historical context, Asian languages are some of the oldest developed languages, since the Indus Valley and Huang He civilizations are some of the world’s oldest civilizations. Chinese, Tamil, and Sanskrit are considered to be some of the oldest languages, which have spread and influenced the creation of other languages throughout Asia.

by Anagha Hesaraghatta

Her question pestered me for days, and asking my parents didn’t prove fruitful either. No one knew the meanings of our religious hymns. This incident sparked my interest in learning Sanskrit and languages in general. Learning Sanskrit helped me connect to my roots and understand and appreciate my culture in a new way. Ultimately, I would say that my main goal in learning Sanskrit was to be able to find answers to my questions, but I was able to gain so much more after learning Sanskrit. One definite change I noticed in myself was my willingness to learn more about my Indian roots. I can recall that throughout middle school I despised my Indian heritage and wanted to assimilate into American culture as much as possible.

However, this incident made me question why I didn’t know more about my heritage and I began researching more about our history and background. More recently though, I have been able to find myself being able to understand many Indian languages, as well as understanding verses from Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and shlokas.

est part of learning languages is understanding the depth of meaning in words. Non-translatable words are a gateway into understanding the cultural nuances since these are words that are exclusive to that specific culture. For example, idiomatic expressions and sayings give us a lot of insight into the history, the values, and traditions of a culture.

derstanding their cultural roots, when translations are presented to an audience unfamiliar with an ancient language like Sanskrit, the true meaning of the works is erased and replaced with inaccurate interpretations. These misinterpretations of sacred texts result in naive readers gaining an erroneous understanding of Hinduism.

In a more global context, Asian culture in general has significantly grown in popularity with the introduction of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018, as well as the global interest in K-pop through groups like BTS. Personally, I have been greatly influenced by international culture, as I too watch a lot of Korean, Chinese, and Thai dramas and listen to music of various languages. One of the most unique things we get to experience living in a multicultural society is the experience of a myriad of different cultures that all come together. Watching these shows not only helped me experience these cultures, but also helped me learn these languages.

I also think that cultural awareness allows us to be more accepting of these unique and incredible traditions, which helps reduce cultural barriers and promote acceptance. Every individual has unique experiences that stem from their culture and being able to understand these unique perspectives help us promote inclusion in our incredibly diverse societies.

Most of these shows aim to attract a larger audience through the use of English captions. Captions make shows more understandable to a wider audience but are often not a true depiction of what is actually being said. While we can make an effort to try and understand the basic meaning of these shows, it can be difficult to understand the nuances and expressions unique to these languages. In addition, these captions are designed specifically to make it easier to read as the show is going on.

They are designed to be short, clear, and concise attempts at translating the show.

Recently, with the growing popularity of the Netflix original series Squid Game, its English translated subtitles were under a lot of scrutiny for its lack of accuracy. According to Youngmi Mayer, the New York-based co-host of the podcast Feeling Asian, watching a Korean show without understanding Korean means that you didn’t really watch the show. While this may seem a bit extreme, I think it is an accurate view since the depth of the meanings in the show are covered up with a superficial coating of subtitles to fit a global audience. These mistranslations often have deeper implications, such as leading to incorrect interpretations about the message of episodes and well as skewing character development. According to Tik Toker Youngmi Mayer, even the mistranslation of one line in an entire episode can make a huge difference. In the same sixth episode of the series, the character Oh Il Nam explains the concept of the marble game. The line in question was “ ” which was incorrectly tranlated as “you share things with them.” The correct translation was “there is no ownership between me and you,” which changes the message of the episode, which is that the marble game is split into teams of two, where the two players on the teams are opponents not allies. In the incorrect translation, the message of betrayal and manipulation are not as effectively expressed.

With the advent of new technologies, it is only right that cultures are able to reach global fronts for representation and appreciation. However, this comes with drawbacks in the preservation of these cultures, especially their languages. While accessibility is an important issue, accuracy is equally important. Thus, it is integral that translations of languages mirror the authentic meanings and intended messages.

Photo by GetReel Cinemas

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Now, aren’t you a little old to be this clueless?

At your age, is it that you’re innocent or dumb?

This line is important to the development of the character Gi Hun. The character is supposed to be an innocent, and naive character, which is one of the reasons viewers sympathize with him. (Ep. 2)

I’m not a genius, but I still got it worked out.

I am very smart, I just never got a chance to study.

The character Han Mi Nyeo is in line with a huge trope in Korean dramas, where characters, such as Han Mi Nyeo, who are clever and smart are not given the opportunities they deserve due to their lower socioeconomic status. (Ep. 6)

Just call me Sang Woo, ok?

Call me hyung, ok?

This line has more to do with the cultural meaning behind "hyung," which is a term of endearment in Korean. The mistranslation mentions to call Sang Woo by his name, but the significance of this line has to do with the changing relationship between Ali and Sang Woo. It also in important in developing the character of Sang Woo, showing that his character isn't truly evil. (Ep. 5)

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