Quiet, submissive, unopinionated—these are sundry deep-rooted stereotypes for Asian women in American society. Nothing about me has ever fit this description. In my childhood, I thrived on hamburgers, screaming contests, and stubborn quarrels defending my opinion. I never considered race, gender, or any outward differences between those with whom I interacted. Yet, as I grew up, I noticed and soon loathed my peers’ labels for Asian girls like me: weird, geeky, shy. Refusing to be shepherded into such boxes...

To promote awareness of discriminatory tendencies at my school, I formed the Social Justice On Campus club. During meetings, club members converse on community-based and global social justice issues; the club has also taken action on causes like increasing faculty diversity and advocating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Through Yale’s Ethics, Politics, and Economics major, I will form interdisciplinary connections between these three crucial fields in order to continue on my path towards social change. I believe that this uniquely unified...

The uniqueness of Yale’s EPE major, in which I may take stimulating courses such as the “Political Economy of Poverty Alienation” and “Intergenerational Perspectives on Social Justice,” spurs me to apply. Moreover, research conducted by professors like Dr. Frances McCall Rosenbluth on women in politics is both timely and important; I hope to assist such scholars in their pursuits. At the Institution for Social and Policy Studies, I am eager to attend and aid in seminars such as “How...

1. Who or what is a source of inspiration for you? The animated films of Hayao Miyazaki thrill me with their unbounded imagination and nostalgia of childhood joy. They always remind me to take my work and passions seriously but myself lightly. 2. If you could live for a day as another person, past or present, who would it be? Why? Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Her spunk and determination to champion women’s rights, despite years of gender discrimination, remind...

A Starbucks in Somerville, Massachusetts is my second home in the evenings. Although I spend most of my time doing homework or reading books, I often go to this Starbucks to converse. Maybe it's the long, communal tables, which are always filled to the last seat, or maybe it’s the atmosphere of bustling momentum, but in this Starbucks, it is quite common to see strangers laughing, bonding, and furiously discussing everything from the meaning of life to the best...

I am spurred to apply to Emory by the uniqueness of its Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture major, through which I may take stimulating courses such as Ethics of Leadership and The Culture of the University. Moreover, I hope to assist professors like Peter Wakefield with research on the effects of classism in education, a timely, important topic. I am also eager to learn from experts on contemporary social issues like policing bias and the importance of the Voting...

My second home is a local Starbucks where strangers are constantly laughing, bonding, and furiously discussing a wide range of subjects. I’ve met many fascinating people there, from a local immigration advocacy leader to a homeless woman who sits in the cafe for warmth. I love hearing snippets of other lives and sharing segments of my own, and I’m never afraid to begin conversations on controversial topics like the model minority myth and racial rhetoric in the recent...

A Starbucks in the next town over is my second home. Maybe it's the long, communal tables or the atmosphere of bustling momentum, but in this coffee house, it is quite common to see strangers laughing, bonding, and furiously discussing everything from coffee preferences to the meaning of life. Here, I’ve met dozens of new people, from a local immigration advocate to a homeless woman who sits in the cafe for its heat. I love hearing snippets of other...

Working with the Welcome Project, an immigrant advocacy organization, introduced me to the amazing world of nonprofits. As a result, I know that my ultimate objective is to further equality and promote social change through these channels. USC's unique, interdisciplinary NGOs and Social Change major will give me the foundation I need to pursue this extensive work. I am eager to take courses like Black Social Movements in the U.S., so that I can examine historical and modern social...

Describe yourself in three words. First Word: Perceptive Second Word: Tenacious Third Word: Candid What is your favorite snack? Green Tea Ice Cream Mochi Favorite app/website: The ‘Dogspotting’ Facebook Group Best movie of all time: The Little Prince (also my favorite book!) Hashtag to describe yourself: #KeepLookingForward Dream job: Clerkship for Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg What is your theme song? Kim Possible Theme Song Dream trip: Lunch at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Japan. I’m a lover of good...

Volleyball is one of the few sports that completely relies on teamwork and not each person individually; the six people on the court have to work together and support each other. Thankfully, the young women on my varsity volleyball team are some of the most mentally tough and competitive people I know. We see each other's rawest forms during matches, witnessing how we respond to pressure, success, and loss. We work out and strategize together. We have pasta parties before...

In my early years, I was very reserved. I avoided being the forefront of decision-making or leading, two tasks I now readily undertake. That said, my youthful reticence did make me a profoundly empathetic listener. As an only child, I spent much time alone with my parents, and my father, a spirited, talkative man, would often unthinkingly discuss topics with me that a 5-year-old girl would know nothing about. However, I would still listen carefully and try to absorb as...

My worldview changed in 2014. The shooting of Michael Brown and the subsequent Ferguson riots gave me an unfiltered view into American race dynamics. The library where I had innocently devoured self-help books suddenly became a haven for contemplating social justice. I spent hours devouring Audre Lorde's poems on race politics and Loretta Lees's works on gentrification in major cities. In my community, I tuned into conversations on microaggressions, disproportionate judicial penalties, and white feminism. Growing up, I had actively attempted...

I started junior year feeling uneasy about having signed up for AP United States History. I valued the interesting global patterns I had studied in AP World History the year before and how I had connected to various parts of the world that we discussed, including China, my ethnic home, and Canada, my childhood home. However, I had never felt a similarly deep connection to America. I didn’t really understand the pride my red-white-and-blue-painted peers clearly felt during spirit...