Asian/Pacific Islander Identity Exploration at Penn

Growing up, I did not have many opportunities to connect with my Japanese culture. When I came to Penn, I was excited to explore all it had to offer. One day, another incoming student reached out to me on social media and asked if I was interested in joining the Japan Student Association with them. We actually ended up doing this, and I was happy to find that the group welcomed students who did not necessarily speak Japanese.

Later on, a co-presenter in Cognos actually recommended that I apply for a program under the Pan-Asian American Community House (PAACH) called APALI (Asian Pacific Islander American Leadership Initiative). While I did not know much about the program at the time, it turned out to be an extremely impactful experience for me. APALI brings together students from all corners of the Asian American community at Penn to have open discussions about Asian American challenges and our cultural identities. Hearing students open up about their own experiences, struggles, and journeys changed my view on how beliefs form and develop. Additionally, APALI introduced me to a new group of students that I never would have met otherwise. Even years later, after many members of my cohort have graduated, we still keep in touch.

In an interest to continue exploring this identity, I took a course on Asian American Popular Culture. The course itself was integrated with outside activities, such as exploring the architecture of Chinatown or attending speaker events with visiting authors on campus. Throughout our discussions, we unpacked the historical context that predates our contemporary pop-culture climate. At the recommendation of students that I met through these experiences, the following year, I became involved as a mentor for the student group PEER, another PAACH organization that pairs upperclassmen with incoming Asian/Pacific Islander students at Penn. PEER, like APALI, introduced me to yet another community of people with diverse backgrounds.

This year, as a senior, I am now a facilitator for APALI. This journey has taught me so much that I cannot fit easily into words. The people I met have continued to shape me throughout my time at Penn, and I have no doubt that this impact will continue to resonate after I graduate. I think it is important to emphasize how much experiences lead to each other at Penn. Looking back, I never would have guessed that joining College Cognoscenti could lead to my involvement in multiple student organizations and new courses. 

At the end of the day, what makes Penn unique is the people. The world is vast, but I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to explore it with other students that both challenge and empower me to understand my place within it.

- Daniel K.