When creating this piece, I wanted to embrace a little piece of cultural diversity in the U.S., but also show that historically, diversity hasn’t been welcome here. The piece is a reminder that just because we get along better now, there are still societal problems that aren’t solved.
Video & Visual Arts
Girls on Film
Something that has always plagued me about female characters is whether they offer an accurate representation of women or are just “[women] written by socially awkward men who’d like to believe that [these] kind of [women] exist and might kiss them” (Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn). This idea is something I tried to explore in my multimedia presentation.
Freedom
There are many ways to experience this stunning short film. Close your eyes and listen to Rachel read her poem. Really try to soak up the meaning in the words. Or you can mute the sound and look at the amazing shots by Lauren.
How to be Asian-American
This is a video inspired by an excerpt from my memoir piece. I wanted to create it for the same reason anyone wants to be a writer—to tell a story. More specifically, I want to tell my story. But as the video blossoms into something magical, I realized that in telling my story, I am also telling the stories of many Asian-Americans. This is how to be Asian-American.
pink
“pink” is a poem rooted in social commentary. In this poem, I examine my own internalized misogyny, and how it influenced my actions as I was growing up. The history of “gendered” colors is a fascinatingly peculiar one, as blue was once considered tame and feminine, while the “blood-resembling” pink was gallant and masculine.
Moments Committed to Memory
Junior year was full of me running around to so many different places all over NYC. I was always on the subway, always tired, and always wanting to go home. This year has taught me how to balance my personal life with work, but especially when it comes to family and friends. So this is for them because, without their support, Lord knows I would’ve collapsed by now!
City Symphony
Sounds—we hear them all the time in the city, but we don’t necessarily register how much of an important role they play in our understanding of our surroundings. This piece is about sounds you hear in New York City, how those sounds translate into snapshots of other people’s lives, and how they affect your own.
Friends
My multimedia piece, “Friends,” is my way to give back and showcase the amazing values that all of my friends and family have.
Hold On
Hold On is a song that can mean different things to different people. I am someone who tends to carry her emotional baggage around with her. It sits heavy on my back and pulls me away from being the person that I am capable of being. I wrote this song to remind myself that true happiness cannot be found in the perfection of the imperfect world we live in.
Reimu and Marisa
The project is an animation about two girls named Reimu and Marisa, who battle monsters with their magical powers to protect their town, Genso. For this project, I was inspired by a video game called Touhou. It represents my best work in the program this year because I put so much time and effort into thinking about the story and plot; planning it out; and creating it.
Her
“Her” tells multigenerational female narratives from real young women who shared their thoughts and experiences with me. They talk about their mothers, themselves, their fears, regrets, and hopes. I created a found language audio poem using their interviews to combine their voices and express a piece of what it’s like to be seventeen/eighteen and a young woman navigating changing relationships.
What the Scissors Taught Alana
Today, we’re constantly being criticized for how we look, what we wear, and how we act, and we’re forced to change ourselves to avoid criticism. Alana faces the same problem. She loves her long, jet black hair. But as her hair gets increasingly longer, people are starting to talk about her, and especially her hair. Feeling pressured, she decides to cut her hair short. She feels bold, but something doesn’t feel right…
The Tree Comedian
My name is Oakley. I am a tree comedian. I do comedy for trees.