Building and Dreaming Asian American and Pacific Islander Transpacific Futures

Now that I have finished the PhD and graduated, I’m excited to share that I’ve transitioned into a faculty role at UC Berkeley School of Education and a member of an interdisciplinary cluster hire for Asian American and Pacific Islander Transpacific Futures. Today marked the first in-person gathering of the new hires and the co-constructors of the initial proposal for this campus wide initiative. I am so thrilled to be a part of this group of critical scholars and this explicit commitment by the institution to improve the visibility and representation of research, teaching, and service for AA&NHPI communities. Although the four new faculty are housed in different departments — education, ethnic studies, geography, and public health — our scholarly interests heavily intersect, opening possibilities for inter-departmental connections and increased campus awareness.

AAPITF Cluster (L to R): Colleen Lye, Ida Yalzadeh, Charmaine Chua, Long Le-Khac, Thomas Philip, Brian Keum

While there were a number of highlights during today’s retreat, including a lovely walk through the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, I am continuing to ruminate on a discussion about Asian American and Pacific Islander narratives posed by Jeff Chang. A public intellectual, historian, and author, Jeff spoke about a need for contemporary narratives for AA&NHPI living on the continental U.S. to unite and mobilize around. Our subsequent conversation revolved around being honest about the histories and realities of intersectional labor and political struggles and the expanding geographical contours of Asian American Studies. I came to this conversation and this faculty position as a wahine ʻŌiwi born and raised in Hawaiʻi with very little relationality to xučyun (present-day East Bay). However, I recognize there is a rich history of social change movements and Asian American organizing, and I am looking forward to building relationships with local organizations to begin to learn some of these historical and contemporary narratives that could spur action in favor of the protection of environmental rights, academic freedom, free speech, and democracy locally and nationally.

AAPITF Fall Retreat Attendees (L to R): Karthick Ramakrishnan, Long Le-Khac, Ida Yalzadeh, Charmaine Chua, Nicholas Vargas, Colleen Lye, Jeff Chang, Thomas Philip

With this in mind, I hope to expand my own engagement with public scholarship to disseminate the value of community-engaged research and higher education. I feel very fortunate to be able to explore my interests and write stories in my current position, and I am also firmly committed to uplifting PI perspectives and voices in these intellectual spaces. Until next time, a hui hou!