Our Library of Lived Experiences
Great Expectations
Dawn shares the “birth of an overachiever” through her multimedia project, accompanied with interviews, collages, reflections, and illustrations. She challenges expectations of success and how to leave the social safety net.
metamorphosis
Growing up in Chinatown, Dawn assumed being Asian was the norm, yet she often felt disconnected from the cultural expectations tied to her ethnicity. Now, she’s learning to embrace her identity and prioritize balance.
Ethnic Studies and Identity Crisis
Jewel reflects on her own experiences in education, the need for ethnic studies, and how interpersonal and institutional interactions have influenced her academic life. This blog was written as part of the Youth in Power Internship program.
It’s All Relative
Luna grapples with the differing degrees of “Asianness” she holds in the worlds of public, parochial, and independent schools, and what constantly navigating those worlds has taught her about her own identity and the broader Asian American community. This blog was written as part of the Youth in Power Internship program.
The Blemishes of Internalized Colorism
Wendy, looks back at the internalized colorism she was forced to swallow and how it contaminated the way she perceived her own sense of beauty throughout her entire childhood. This blog was written as part of the Youth in Power Internship program.
Adult Doesn’t Equal Effortless
Emily Chen shares her experiences as someone diagnosed with ADHD and simply trying to make it as an “adult.” What does a typical day look like? Let her tell you!
On Grief (Part 1)
This is Part 1 of writer and artist, Melissa Chen's “On Grief” reflection where she talks about some of her personal encounters with grief and how she both sits with it and eventually learns to let things go.
Dear Mom and Dad
In response to not being allowed to attend the BLM protests during COVID-19, C teaches her parents about anti-blackness and how to dismantle these prejudices.
Decolonizing the Tea Trade: The Story of Uproot Teas
Founder of Uproot Teas, Cindy explores what it means to learn, reclaim, and decolonize a thousands year old practice. In doing so, she also finds herself.
Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder
Naomi provides culturally-responsive mental health care on the Anise Health platform, but that doesn’t mean the journey to self acceptance came easily to her. It’s only during her trip to Singapore that she finds a glimmer of hope.