This is a collaborative memoir of our relationships with our maternal grandmothers, who we lost in the spring of 10th grade. Our relationships mirror each other’s in many ways, especially as daughters of immigrant parents.
Asked and Unanswered
AAPI Art & Writing
Mahiha, an Excerpt
Mahiha is a girl who is transitioning from high school to college life. She experiences being in love and feeling sad because of fake friends.
preparatory nostalgia for someone still here
This poem encapsulates, for me at least, the painful feeling of loved ones growing old. It also conveys the struggle of watching a grandparent with Parkinson’s diminish as the years go by.
Sloth
My parents did not talk American politics but when I entered high school, I discovered everyone around me does.
The Monsters in Our Midst
Since 2020, Asian Americans have faced two, intertwining monsters: the COVID-19 pandemic and racism.
Pale Pale Fire
A somewhat satirical account of the life of a fictional protagonist who would be born in the year of the cat.
On Poetry
This is a vignette-style epistolary piece that relies on several different narratives to reflect on what it means to be a poet.
Floating
Floating is a piece about how my perceptions of strength changed throughout my life, and how I’ve found my own strength through “floating.”
Her, An Indian Girl
“Her, An Indian Girl” reaches out to girls who may feel low about their appearance or features. It teaches her to love how she looks and how she has been crafted.
Banana Bread and Lemon Glaze
A short story about code switching and living between two worlds.
Commuting Up
Shuttling between two neighborhoods, Flushing, Queens, and the Upper East Side, this story follows a girl’s journey to school. Along her commute, she discovers her identity and the meaning of hard work and perseverance.
Butterfly 蝴蝶
“Butterfly 蝴蝶” is an ode to my great-grandmother, who passed away a few years ago. On occasion, the butterfly of her spirit still flies by.
Full House (with the K.M.A)
My family and the K.M.A are as tight as sticky labels on glass bottles: they’re hard to separate, but they often look better together.
Bruised Pork
Emilee finally returns home to Chinatown after a long semester, welcomed by her family members who have been preparing for their restaurant’s opening. But before she even sets foot in their door, an unexpected trip happens.
5 Ways to Celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year From Home
With the impact of COVID-19, events have continued to move from large, in-person celebrations to virtual gatherings, including the 16-day Lunar New Year.