This piece is about America and how it’s affected my family and others. It may come off strong, but don’t panic, it’s just my thoughts. Thank you.
Nonfiction
The Monsters in Our Midst
Since 2020, Asian Americans have faced two, intertwining monsters: the COVID-19 pandemic and racism.
Your(s), friend
In this fictionalized letter to a lost friend, the author reflects on what happened to one middle school friendship. By exploring her memories, she realizes that not all relationships are forever.
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.”
Diet Woes: Will Polar Bears Make It?
No other animal seems more threatened by climate change than polar bears. Will these icons of the Arctic be able to adapt their diets to survive in their rapidly transforming environment?
Stolen to be Given
Stolen to be Given is a piece connecting my name and religion. Two things that were chosen for me and their role in shaping my identity.
Passing the Time
In this collaborative pair project, we collected and reflected on the things that have helped us pass the time in—as we often hear now—such an unprecedented time.
Twitter Girls
“Twitter Girls” is a satirical experimental prose piece that deals with the insecurities of a young writer.
Sonder
(noun) the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own
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.
The Places I Call Home
I put together this collection of photos as a tribute to the places that are part of my life and feel like home. For me, home is both places and emotions. That is why I included photos of the physical places and descriptions of my memories there. Since moving from Peru to the US two years ago, I’ve been reflecting on my sense of identity and what home means to me. I know that many people who immigrate feel this way. This piece sends the message that it’s okay if you feel like you come from more than one place or have more than one home.
Evolution of Nylah and Kathleen
It’s hard to maintain a relationship for more than three months, let alone three years. Follow our journey and become inspired to start your own. It can be with your little cousin, your mom, or even a cactus!
Running Different
Caster Semenya is a South African runner who has been banned by the IAAF from competing with women because she was found to be hyperandrogenic, meaning she has a higher level of testosterone. This whole investigation was based on the opinion of fellow athletes that she looks like a man. As a result, she must either take testosterone decreasing drugs to compete with women or run with men. As of now, Semenya is still fighting the case, not just for herself but for the human rights of all women.
interludes
This piece is inspired by my love for dance and my team. It is a reflection on the moments from dance I find myself thinking about and the reasons for my passion for it.
Strange Combination
Although this piece is not tied to the theme “Taking Our Place in History,” it does take place in my own history of living in a world where someone of my shade of color grows up Hispanic.