In the May issue of spring semester, we are highlighting Asian American stories. As a North and Central Asian in the U.S., I understand the diversity of our community and want to share a variety of stories. We do not all look the same, and we come from disparate regions of the continent, but we can stand together against hate toward each other.

Amid the growing prejudice against Central Asians and Indigenous peoples in my country of birth, Russia, I feel emboldened to be as loud as I can about the beauty of our people. Many Asian people are not seen, heard or considered in conversations of Asian communities. As a Sakha and Kazakh person, I know the feeling of being unnoticed within the community, and I know many others from various ethnic backgrounds can relate.

It is also important to recognize the diversity of Asians outside of ethnicity. Everyone has an intersection of identities, including ethnicity, gender and sexuality, which should be celebrated in all aspects of life. The feature story highlights Dr. Joshua Chow of University Counseling Services, who is a queer Chinese-Taiwanese cisman. Chow and others are unapologetic in their love of their identities and the identities of the people around them. The Media Querencia stories highlight various films and songs by Asian Americans in media, which serve as reflective for some and educational for others.

Each story aims to bring attention to the diverse Asian diaspora in the U.S., and it is an honor to play a part in telling our stories. We hope to continue highlighting Asians from more ethnic backgrounds and always improve our reporting. As a university news source, one of our main goals is to constantly improve so we can better tell people’s stories. It is a privilege to tell stories, and I am happy to highlight Asian Americans every day of the year.

Thank you,

Sasha Alikhanov