BE WELCOME // ISSUE 7

BE WELCOME

FEATURING INDIE POP/ROCK BAND

MAYBE NO MOONS

A HELLO //

The past four years of high school has flown by and left me breathless, wondering where the time went and what it took with it. This ending is just a new beginning in disguise, full of the unknown and fear, but so full of possibility and hope. This issue is all about welcoming in these new changes and taking in all the mistakes we have made, all the bad, all the good, all the people we have let in, and using what we have learned to better us as people. Welcome in the good. We are ready for it. This is Be. With love, Jennifer Xia -founder & editor-in-chief

CONTENTS // March Tunes // 1 April Tunes // 2 May Tunes // 3 TheirStory: Maybe No Moons // 4 – 10 Light and Me – Photos // 11 – 16 The Call to Courage // 17 kid at heart // 18 A Walk in the Park – Photos // 19 – 20 Lean in – Poem // 21 Embrace // 22 Food for Thought // 23 Salty Sow // 24 – 26 Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill // 27 – 30 Amorino Gelato // 31 – 32 To Our High School Selves: A Letter // 33 – 34 South Padre Island – Photos // 35 – 40 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month // 41 – 42 Limbo – Poem // 43 this is see you later. // 44

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MARCH TUNES Anchor // Novo Amor Bloodsport ’15 // Raleigh Ritchie Capsize // FRENSHIP Coming Home // Leon Bridges Classic // MKTO Don’t Leave // Snakehips Don’t You // Quinn XCII Drinking About You // Jake Miller Gorgeous // mansionz Grow As We Go // Ben Platt Habit // Still Woozy Let’s Fall in Love for the Night // FINNEAS nobody’s home // gnash Not Giving In // Tom Walker Pink + White // Frank Ocean Preach // John Legend Remind Me to Forget // Kygo Retrograde // James Blake The Joke // Brandi Carlile Therapy // Khalid Through and Through // khai dreams Utican //Novo Amor Weak When Ur Around // blackbear What Are We Waiting For // Leslie Odom Jr. feat. Nicolette Robinson When I Die // Quinn XCII white roses // Greyson Chance wish you were gay // Billie Eilish You & Me // Marc E. Bassy Your Side Of The Bed // Loote 21 Sadness // Mike Stud

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APRIL TUNES Complicated // Alexander Oscar Connection // OneRepublic Coll Again – Stripped // Shoffy Entertainer // ZAYN Firestone // Kygo feat. Conrad Sewell I Don’t Want To // Alessia Cara i love you // Billie Eilish I Won’t Let You Go // Switchfoot Kings & Queens // Mat Kearney listen before i go // Billie Eilish Love Is In The Picture // Jamie Cullum Love Me the Same // Dan Caplen Malibu 1992 // COIN Mean Somethin – Stripped // Jaguar Dreams Only Love // Jordan Smith Rainbow // Kacey Musgraves Rise Up // Andra Day Sober – Stripped // Chelsea Taylor Soldier // James Tw Star // Bazzi Strip That Down – Acoustic // Liam Payne Sue Me // Sabrina Carpenter Tequila // Dan + Shay The Chain // Ingrid Michaelson The Flower // Michael Franti & Spearhead Valentine // 5 Seconds of Summer Walk Me Home // P!nk We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off // Ella Eyre Wrong Kind Of People // Baker Grace You Don’t Know Me // Peter Manos

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MAY TUNES All Night // The Vamps Ashes // Grace Carter Been Thru // Ady Suleiman Blinded By The Lights // Dan Caplen Cecilia And The Satellite // Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness Feels Like This // Maisie Peters Fortress // Lennon Stella Had It All // Parachute Happy Accidents // Saint Motel High Hope // Patrick Droney Hollow // Tori Kelly How It’s Supposed To Be // Mike Posner Ivory Black // Oliver Riot Inevitable // Lauren Daigle I Will // The Beatles Little Notes // Ben Hartley Little Pieces Of You // Ben Hartley Love’s On The Way // Sebastian Kole Mice // Billie Marten Movement // Hozier Overnight Sensation // BORNS Real Estate // Adam Melchor REASONS // Cautious Clay Rebel Heart // Lauren Daigle Rebels // Ivy Adara Stay Awake // Dean Lewis Surround Me // LEON The Nights // Avicii thinking 2 much // Jeremy Zucker Was There Nothing? // Ásgeir

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MAYBE NO MOONS

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MEET MAYBE NO MOONS Music is a fundamental aspect of almost everyone’s life: from waking up to that morning jam, humming to songs in the car and shower, to attending concerts. Maybe No Moons is an indie pop and rock band from Plano, Texas, that is taking their passion of music to a new level. The band is currently comprised of five members: Abbi on guitar and vocals, Jake on bass and vocals, Sarah on keys and vocals, Michelle on keys and vocals, and Colman on drums. Despite their young age, they have gone on to perform at the Dallas Museum of Art, sell their own t-shirts, record an album at Fifty50 Studios, and they have even been discovered by sound engineer Calvin Lauber.

Like most things, the band was created from its members finding mutual passion for a shared thing: music. “I met Jake at a debate tournament and we started talking about music. He told me that he was doing a project with Abbi and I brought up the possibility of starting a band with the three of us, plus a drummer. I’ve been writing songs for myself as long as I can remember, but had never made

music in the context of a band. This was the perfect opportunity,” says Sarah. From then on, their band only grew, both in members and drive.

Maybe No Moons falls under the Indie Pop/Rock and slightly under the bubblegum pop genre (pop music with an upbeat sound and romantic tone). “Our music has got a playful, fun energy to it. We’ve been told that we sound similar to Yo La Tengo, or even The Magnetic Fields,” Jake says. The band’s sound is heavily influenced by indie rock and pop of the 2000s as well as many bands from the 60s, 70s and 80s, such as The Beatles. If you have heard The 1975 and Fleetwood Mac, you will love the style of Maybe No Moon. “Personally, Kanye west, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, and Gorillaz inspire me as an artist with their experimentation and originality. When it comes to lyrics, I hope to write even half as well as Jason Isbell,” Sarah says.

Not only do these musicians derive sound and lyrical inspiration from other artists, they also have been pushed to learn new instruments. “I got a mandolin because of Chris Thile and a banjo because of

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Sufjan Stevens. I’m planning to start writing bigger songs with strings, winds, and brass,” Jake says. It is evident that the members of Maybe No Moons are passionate about the music they create and the growth they pursue in the sound they can make, always striving to grow as artists.

But how did the band’s name come to be? ‘“We kept coming up with names with the word “moon” and “Maybe No Moons” just sort of stuck. I tried to avoid it but I guess it was our destiny,”’ says Jake. Amidst the many names they suggested, Maybe No Moons was a name the band never got tired of. Abbi says, “You think you have a bunch of great names, but it all sounds lame after a while. But Maybe No Moons is special because I never get tired of it.”

“Our music has got a playful, fun energy to it.”

The love for music in each individual member is what runs through the core of their dynamic as a band. Each member was introduced to music in some way at a very young age, fueling their appreciation for the art from the beginning. “I’ve been surrounded by music for as long as I can remember,” Jake says, “whether it was Bob Marley or Beethoven. My parents always made sure that I was listening to great music.” Many of the band’s members have classical foundations, which allowed them to gain a great appreciation for composition and knowledge of theory that was helpful in writing songs and learning new instruments. “I studied the violin soon after beginning my studies in piano.

That’s when I officially took a step towards entering the world of music,” Michelle says. Watching them perform at a school talent show, I saw how confident the band was in operating their equipment and performing, and I can see that it is a direct result of their genuine love for what they do. “Music is everything. To me, it is the vehicle through which anything and everything can be expressed. Lyrics can be anything from an abstract portrait of societal problems to the recounting of a simple childhood love story. And when you get into harmonic relationships or some of the tools that good film scorers use, music has the ability to convey and represent characters, situations, and thematic elements. Someone’s personal experience with a song can include a memory, a person, or a place,” Jake says. Beyond the ability of music to convey a story of memory, the understanding that humans are able to share across music through a common emotion of experience is powerful. “There’s almost something mystical about music because of its universality and inherence in all of us. To me, experiencing music is about tapping into that transcendental feeling. There is a large community aspect to musical performance and we get to establish a human connection through sound and rhythm,” Sarah says.

“There’s almost something mystical about music because of its universality and inherence in all of us. To me, experiencing music is about tapping into that transcendental feeling.”

However, starting a band is no easy feat and writing original songs is a challenging process of its own. For Maybe No Moons, songwriting is a very organic process, sparked by random bouts of inspiration and ideas. ‘“When something cool pops into my head, I take out my phone, voice record it, and figure out the chords and the rest of the lyrics whenever I find the time. I actually wrote “Walking Paradise” in Physics while the teacher was doing a lesson,”’ Abbi says. Sometimes, song ideas become

8 lost in this organic process, forgotten lyrics and melodies. “To be completely honest, I write songs when I’m not focused on writing songs. I’ll be doing homework and then I’ll start singing a melody, adding words later on. But unlike Abbi, I don’t pull out my phone immediately to record, so a lot of my songs become lost as I finish my homework,” Michelle says. I think this says a lot about how inspiration can be fleeting and random, appearing in the least likely expected places. This can be a frustrating aspect of creating art, but the determination to seek out inspiration and continually create is what defines Maybe No Moon’s success. ‘“The song I wrote called “Met at the Met” was inspired by an Instagram comment that chronicled the journey of two of my close friends in New York City. I’ve never been to New York, but I went on a Skype call with the two of them and took notes, which were later reorganized into the song,”’ Jake says. Since their first produced song “Salt and Ice”, Maybe No Moons has come a long way.

At the beginning of the formation of the band, Maybe No Moons focused more closely on playing 80s covers and writing songs that emulated the 80s. However, since then, they have developed their own style as their personal music tastes continue to grow. “We’re getting to that point where the new songs we write naturally feel like a Maybe No Moons song. There have also been changes in the members of our band. The natural ebb and flow has left us with 7 total people who have played with us at some point in time,” says Jake. The band has since performed at many gigs, one of their favorites being at Spinster Records, a vinyl record store located in Dallas, Texas. “Even though my guitar was out of tune at Spinster, it was a super exciting show, with it being our first gig. That performance opened my eyes to what being a musician outside of classical music really was. Seeing people like our music after hearing it for the first time made me love what I was doing even more. It’s a great feeling I will never forget. That first gig had me hooked,” Abbi says. If you see Maybe No Moons perform, their genuine joy for performing truly shines through as they steal glances and smiles at each other while performing, showing the music through more than just the notes. ‘“My favorite song to perform is probably “Sweet Scandal”. It’s just fun and the guitar loop is great, but that’s a hard choice because all of our songs are a blast to perform. “Take On Me” is probably our most consistent hit when it

comes to having fun with the audience,” Sarah says.

“I also really liked our goodbye album release party.

I was about to leave for college, so it was extremely sentimental. We performed a song I dedicated to Plano at the end.” Maybe No Moons is more than just a group of passionate musicians. It is a family.

“One of the most rewarding aspects has been getting to know everyone in the band. We all have various dynamics and it’s so amazing to see all of these dynamics come together to compose and perform music. I never thought I would ever see myself in a band like this, so being involved in the existence of this band itself is the absolute most rewarding aspect.” Michelle says.

“That performance opened my eyes to what being a musician outside of classical music really was.”

With half of the band going to college, Maybe No Moons is prepared for the new changes this will bring as they continue working on playing more gigs, spreading awareness of their music, and releasing their debut album. However, the band doesn’t let these changes stop them from pursuing their love for music. “You’ll continue to see music being made by all of us, but we might not be playing under the name Maybe No Moons for much longer.

You can never be sure of what the future has in store,” Jake says. At the core of what they do, Maybe No Moons simply wants their music to allow people to embrace the joy of listening and being a part of music.

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Maybe No Moons has two singles out on Spotify and Apple Music!

To anyone looking to start their own band, here is some advice that Maybe No Moons offered from everything they have learned. “Planning is key.

You will have lots of gear that you’ll need to carry around. You will have practices to attend. You will have shows that you need to arrive to in order to set up. Have a clear schedule so that everyone is on board and things will run more smoothly. In the end, don’t let things stress you out. Having the best gear doesn’t make you the best band, and you don’t need to feel like everything has to be perfect. Your first priority should always be to have fun,” Jake says. Often our idealized visions of how we want things to turn out can deter and discourage us when we meet pitfalls and obstacles, but Maybe No Moons has courageously thrown themselves into their music and let their passion guide them. In the end, if you want to start something, create something, lead something, you have to initiate and put in the work.

“Just do it! Just find some people and jam together, and the rest will follow,” says Sarah.

“Having the best gear doesn’t make you the best band, and you don’t need to feel like everything has to be perfect.

Your first priority should always be to have fun.”

@MaybeNoMoons

“Salt and Ice” So catch me in the moonlight I want you I want you to come down And capture me in silence While sirens are sounding all around

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THE CALL TO COURAGE I recently watched the documentary The Call to Courage by Brené Brown and several points stuck out to me. My family was never comfortable with vulnerability, so we suppressed how we truly felt and let our emotions come out in different ways.

Apologies were spoken through cooked dishes on the dinner table and pain erupted in angry outbursts.

This was a common thread I heard about in other Asian American families. Vulnerability was viewed as a weakness and a sign of ungratefulness. Our parents had to get through life in survival mode, learning new languages, scrapping for money, and acclimating to an entirely new culture. As a result, I learned to associate feeling bad as a sign of being ungrateful for everything my parents worked tirelessly hard for and everything they endured. But Brené Brown highlights that although vulnerability is the root of fear, shame, and scarcity, vulnerability is also the root of joy, love, and belonging. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we allow ourselves to process through bad emotions and let in the good.

While it is easy to hold resentment towards our parents for their harshness and tough love, what I learn more and more is the love and genuine care that guides each of their actions. And while this is not an excuse either for their emotional unavailability and misunderstandings, there is compassion to be had here.

So what is vulnerability? Vulnerability, as Brené Brown puts it, is “risk, uncertainty, and emotional exposure.” It means breaking down the barriers that we all hold up for protection, letting go of our fears of being judged, misunderstood, undermined, and letting people in to see who we are outside of our presented selves. My sister was a huge influence in helping me open up, and the important thing to know is that it will be uncomfortable. But discomfort and pain, is what healing and growth often feels like. Sharing your story will be hard, but if you want to do you and your story justice, you will be honest about what you go through. However,

I liked one thing that Brené Brown said. “Your story is a privilege to hear. Share it with people who have earned the right to hear it.” Who you choose to be vulnerable to is so important and not everyone should be trusted with your story. So value yourself to take control of your own story and who you allow to hear it.

The next thing that really stuck with me was this quote. “Lean into the joy. Joy is the most vulnerable emotion because of our fear that it will be taken away.” To choose joy is scary. It is something we want to feel so much that allowing ourselves to feel it is terrifying. There is something comfortable about sadness and often we let ourselves fall into it, wallow in it and accept that we deserve to feel this way. But life is too short not to grab hold of any goodness we can get out of life. When I am at the crossroads of falling into a pessimistic mood, I take a step back, and actively choose not to let myself fall.

Sometimes, it doesn’t work. Sometimes, how we feel isn’t a choice but often it is. It doesn’t mean it’s an easy choice, but it’s often there if we let ourselves have the choice. What helps me is making a list of what I’m grateful for in that moment: my dad cooking me breakfast before leaving for work, the sun streaming through the leaves as I ride past on the bus, the fact that I’m alive. Gratitude helps bring us perspective on the magnitude of what others do not have or what they have lost. It keeps us present and mindful of all the good we have to appreciate.

Brené Brown also mentioned something called a picture memory, of taking in a good moment to just commit to that feeling so you have something to hold onto when you forget that good exists in this world.

The lasting message Brené Brown left was to show up in all aspects of life. Answer the call to courage. You’re worth being brave. Face the things that scare you: all the pain, the joy, the unknown.

You do not want to go through life wondering “What if I would have showed up?”

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kid at heart

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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salty sow

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HOURS

LOCATION

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Sunday – Thursday, 4:30pm – 10pm

1917 Manor Rd.

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Friday & Saturday, 4:30pm – 11pm

Austin, TX 78722

Happy Hour Daily 4:30pm – 6:30pm

(512) 391-2337

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SALTY SOW CHARCUTERIE & CHEESE BOARD $19 This board was really fun to try a bunch of different spreads and toppings. My favorite one was the salmon one with the pickled red onions on top of the bread. All the toppings were extremely salty, but our waitress brought us out more bread once we finished the first round so that was extremely nice!

TRIPLE FRIED DUCK FAT FRIES $8 The fries were really crispy, but soft on the inside. For me personally, the egg was not to be desired because the texture was extremely gooey and made the fries soggy, but I would still definitely recommend these fries.

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HOURS Mon-Fri: 11am – 2:30pm Lunch Buffet Mon-Thurs: 5pm – 9pm Full Service Menu Sat-Sun: 11am – 3pm Lunch Buffet Fri-Sat: 5pm – 10pm Full Service Menu

LOCATION Ali Baba Mediterranean 2103 North Central Expressway Richardson, TX 75080 (972) 437-1222

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WEEKEND BUFFET $17 I came for the lunch buffet service, which was bustling and busy with the inflow of people.

Everything is an authentic dish of Mediterranean cuisine and food is constantly being replaced with hot, fresh trays. However, I would advise not loading up your plate so full that your food becomes cold before you get to it. My personal favorite dishes were the saffron rice, gyro, and beef moussaka.

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HOURS Mon-Thurs 12pm – 11pm Fri 12pm – 12am Sat 11am – 12am Sun 11am – 11pm LOCATION 7700 Windrose Avenue, Suite G157 (972) 943-8534 LARGE GELATIO FLOWER $7.25 We got the large gelato flower, which means you get to choose three flavors. If you choose to get the gelato macaron, it’s an extra $2.30 but I say if you’re going to indulge in an aesthetic dessert like this, go all out! We chose passion fruit, chocolate, and the hazelnut one. I would definitely not recommend the passion fruit together with the chocolate but individually, all the flavors tasted great! If you’re unsure of whether you’ll like a flavor, they’re happy to let you taste test a spoon of it so don’t be shy! If you’re ever in the Legacy West plaza, definitely stop by and try a bite.

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TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL SELVES, This is a collective letter from graduating seniors containing advice to our high school selves.

Dear High School Selves, You will go into these next four years thinking you’ll know what to expect, all the ups and downs, the stress, the adventures, and the new people you would meet. You will discover that you really know nothing at all and that you have so much to figure out: about yourself, the people around you, and the big world. You will find that it is okay that you are still figuring things out, and that most people are. In fact, everyone is in one way or the other. You will struggle to keep in mind that you are not alone in this unknown, this limbo of whether you are doing enough in preparation for the scary future looming ahead.

High school will bring the worst and best out of you. Your insecurities will emerge, mean and brutal. You will be broken and wonder whether you will forever be this half-broken person. You will wonder if you are trying hard enough at being the good person you always want to be. And yet, you will be shown compassion and taught how to live with empathy and kindness and understanding. You will mend and be broken and mend again. You will lose and love and lose and still learn to be kind. You will continue to believe in the goodness of people, and learn forgiveness for yourself and others. You will meet people who make you cynical and you will meet people who inspire you to be your best self. I promise that even in your worst moments, when you stare at a blank wall for hours and feel nothing, when you are holding back the darkness spilling from your lips, when you forget that hope persists, you will find something that brings you back.

You will find that sometimes you still feel like the new kid in a new school, that socializing is something that takes initiation and practice. But as scary as taking that leap can be, the effort will be worth it and you will meet so many lovely people. So be brave even if you are scared. Your time is something that is ever fleeting, and these four years will pass by like a blur. Don’t assume that time will

wait for you. You will make excuses and have regrets, but you will learn that you will make time for the things you truly want to do. You will wish that you had quit that activity you weren’t passionate about. You will wish you had done your homework right when you got home so you had time to do other things. But even with regrets, you will learn something new about yourself.

You will learn that it is okay to be more vulnerable with others, that you don’t always have to be the girl with the smile or the boy that is stolid.

You will learn that it is okay to ask for help, that you are more than your best self. You will learn not to look at yourself as an exception to what you tell others. You will also be a hypocrite, a lot. You will frustrate people. You will test their patience. You will be difficult. But you will never be a burden, and you will find out who your true friends are. You will learn that the people you surround yourself with are more important than you thought, and you will learn not to let temporary people waste your time: the guy who never respected your body or mind, the girl who betrayed your secrets, the boy who talked to you as if they were above you, the girl who judged you when it wasn’t their place. You will hold resentment and anger towards the people that hurt you, especially the people you trusted the most: your family, your partner, your friends. But you will learn forgiveness and understanding and let the pain and anger go. You will learn that everything happens for a reason, even if it can’t be seen in the moment.

You will learn slowly to hold confidence, in yourself, your work, your voice, and your purpose.

You will pursue your passion and leave old ones behind. You will decide whether you are living to someone else’s expectations or living for your own and decide what is more important to you. You will find teachers that believe in you and support you.

You will find likeminded passionate individuals that inspire you in your craft. You will learn. You will learn. You will learn. And you will learn that there is so much still to be learned. We are wishing you the best. You will make it. We believe in you.

Sincerely, Your Graduating Selves

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Do not be afraid to ask for help from teachers! Develop a relationship with your teachers and they will be able to guide and support you best.

Meet new people outside of your tight knit circle.

Be open to the good.

DO MORE. Participate in clubs you’re genuinely passionate about.

Lead a club of your own interest and hold yourself accountable.

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ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH May is Asian Pacific American Heritage

Month, a month set aside to celebrate Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. If you are anything like me, I wasn’t even really aware that this month existed. But I think it’s important to celebrate our heritage, something fundamental to who we are and who our family and friends are. May was chosen in order “to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869,” according to the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month site.

Growing up, my parents were my greatest role models. My mom had me while she was still finishing her schooling. I was even induced early so that she could take an exam. The strength and drive she exemplifies never fails to baffle and amaze me. I have so much respect for the compassion she still gives to the world with the pain and discrimination she has faced because she is a woman and Chinese.

My dad practically raised me on his own because my mom lived in a state 1,398 miles away for her job.

He tied my ponytails for dance class when I was a little girl and never failed to help me when I had questions about homework in high school, staying up late hours despite having to wake up early the next morning. I celebrate all the sacrifices they have made for me in order to give me choices they didn’t.

My sister is a powerhouse, outspoken and incredibly empathetic. Asians are often stereotyped as submissive, unseen, but hardworking. While my sister is intelligent and driven, she is nowhere near quiet and she is bold in her opinions. I think it’s so important for us as Asians and Pacific Islanders to be seen and heard. My sister has taught me the importance of establishing my place in the world, of creating space for myself when no one else will. For one thing, there is a clear lack of Asian representation in media. We are confined to very small roles and never get the romantic interest roles.

A New York Times article stated that a study by the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism showed “Asian Americans representing only 1 percent of all leading roles in Hollywood.” Only recently has that changed with actresses such as Sandra Oh being nominated for an Emmy for her lead in “Killing Eve” as Eve Polastri and films such as “Crazy Rich Asians.” As someone entering an unconventional major of Journalism in college, I am so grateful for Asians and Pacific Islanders who are actively paving the way for other Asians and Pacific Islanders to break boundaries of what we are allowed and accepted to do. We are often described as the “model minority”, what The New York Times describes as “competitive, goal-oriented, and hardworking (but, notably, lacking in creativity, charm, sex appeal and humor).” This kind of label pigeonholes us into the kind of people we are accepted to be, but we are more than this label. We have faced great challenges: immigration quotas, racism, discrimination, language barriers, and hard labor. I watch my parents work tirelessly, staying late at work for meetings and working late at home, and yet, they barely make their way up the career ladder.

But we are more than these struggles. We are our victories.

So I see this month as a celebration of everything Asians and Pacific Islanders have done to pave the way for us, and the work that still needs to be done, starting with our own lives. Although it is terrifying to enter a field that is not entirely stable and a field that deviates from what my family has traditionally pursued, I am determined to show that Asian Americans too have a place in the creative arts. I hope to one day empower someone like me, someone terrified but passionate at what they do.

So, what do you wish to celebrate? What do you wish to change? Who do you wish to empower?

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this is see you later