Name: Katherine Kouot
Year: Senior
Majors: English and French
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

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What motivates and inspires you?

In short words, it is my community. I use the word “community” in its singular form because I have discovered through my experiences at USC that all the facets of my identity—all of the communities that I consider myself part of—are intersectional, intertwined, and impossible to pull apart. As a member of the USC, APA, Angeleno communities, I assert that these communities are all so closely tied together and every day that I get to spend being a representative of these collections of identities inspires me to continue to work to better my community.

What Asian Pacific American issue is most important to you and why?
The model minority myth leads mainstream America to believe that the Asian Pacifc American community is without struggles and without hardship. My experiences as a Chinese-Cambodian American directly contradict these stereotypes that say all Asian-Americans are high-achieving, well-off, and “assimilated” into American society.

My decision to commit myself to social justice and activism is directly connected to my identity as a Chinese-Cambodian American. I am the daughter of Chinese-Cambodian refugees who managed to survive and escape the Khmer Rouge genocide. My mother’s story is but one, however, in the narrative of marginalized people of color. Poverty, lack of available resources, immigration reform, mental/physical health issues—these are all issues that affect Asian Pacific Americans and yet most folks are not aware of the struggling Asian Pacific American communities across our nation. Bringing these issues into the light—raising awareness about the struggles of our community—is the first step in creating change for our Asian Pacific American community.

Why is it significant to learn about our heritage?
Growing up in inner city Los Angeles, I was never quite aware of my identity as an Asian Pacific American. Being one of very few Asian Americans in my neighborhood and at my high school, I never really thought to explore my identity and how it has shaped everything that I am. When I got to USC, I joined USC CIRCLE at the urgings of my older brother, who himself had come to learn more about our identity as children of Chinese-Cambodian refugees. When I began to connect the dots between my family’s experiences and the experiences of many Southeast Asian immigrants across America, I—for the first time in my life—began to feel like my struggle was not only my own and I was overwhelmed by a sudden attachment to my Asian Pacific American community. Learning about my Asian Pacific American roots brought me into social justice and activism; learning my past, my identity, my history gave me community and my community gives me purpose.

Who is an Asian Pacific American leader you look up to and why?
To be quite honest, my growth as an APA leader and activist has not been influenced by one person solely, but by the strong group of APA leaders both on and off the USC campus that strive to become catalysts for change in our Asian Pacific American community. More specifically, I find myself constantly inspired by the folks who have sat on the executive board of USC Student Coalition for Asian Pacific Empowerment (SCAPE). My brother, Tony, who was a co-founder of SCAPE, was the person who brought me into the APA space. Albert Lê, former president of SCAPE, was the person who showed me that the work we do for our community is just as important as individual success. Jennifer Mo, our current Vice President of SCAPE, demonstrates every day how hard work and commitment can bring about great change and movement for the APA community. All of the folks who have come into the SCAPE space in general are inspirational in ways I could hardly put into words. I could go on for hours about my mentors, peers, and friends that continue to remind me every day why the work that we do is beautiful and worth the entire struggle.

Tell us about one of your most memorable moments at USC.
During the May commencement of 2012, I had the honor of walking the USC Nisei students down the procession line and participate in their graduation ceremony. As I and other students who worked on the USC Nisei Diploma Project were waiting in Bovard auditorium, we had the chance to speak to the Nisei students about their experiences and their lives after leaving the internment camp. Just as we were about to start the walk down the procession line, one of the Nisei who had been sitting in his wheelchair stood up and proclaimed that he would be walking to his seat in the graduation. At that moment, we were all moved to tears by his strength and his determination to walk, just as he would have done seventy years ago, down the USC procession line to receive his diploma. At that moment, I felt like all the work we had put into the USC Nisei Diploma Project had made a difference and had given these students their right to receive the diplomas they had earned.

All money aside, what is your dream job?
If I could spend the rest of my life working towards progressive change for all communities—I could die happy. Between being individual success and wealth and the growth and betterment of my community, I have no doubts about what is more worthwhile. My community will always come first.

Name: Cecilia Chung
Year: Senior
Major: Double Major in International Relations and Public Relations
Hometown: Honolulu, HI

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What’s your personal story? How did you first get involved with the Asian Pacific American community?
I first walked into the APASS office in the second semester of my freshman year to turn in my application form for Alternative Spring Break to Manzanar. The trip was amazing and it really sparked my interest in Asian Pacific American history and issues. From there, I started getting involved in the Asian American Tutorial Project as a tutor–teaching kids in Chinatown who are mostly from low income, immigrant families. In the same year, I started going to USC SCAPE meetings, where I was really taken in by discussions of issues that affect the current APA community today. Back home in Hawaii, I had never talked to people about my APA identity. It just never came up. Coming to USC and becoming involved in APA organizations and APASS has really given me a new perspective.
What does being Asian Pacific American mean to you?

Being APA means knowing your roots. Being APA means that I have a dad who was born in Korea and traveled to Canada then the U.S. with one bag and one dream. It means having a mom who left her home country at 19 and met my dad. It means I was born in the U.S., am a proud American, but also know where I come from- my roots. Being a hyphenated American means many things to me. It means pride, culture, history, strength, kimchee and clam chowder. It is a big part of my identity and I am very proud of be Asian Pacific American.

What/who motivates and inspires you?

My grandmother motivates and inspires me. She lived through the Korean War at 18 years old, raised three kids (and lots of grandkids..), can’t speak English, finds trouble walking at times…but still manages to get up every morning and tend to the garden, cook us the most delicious food, knit our sweaters, watch her K-Dramas and most importantly, give time to lend a listening ear. My grandma inspires me to be someone who can be a source of comfort and strength. She is someone who motivates me to try my best and still be okay with failure. She reminds me of how lucky and privileged I am to have what I have and in turn, motivates me to work hard. Halmuni, saranghae!

All money aside, what is your dream job?

All money aside, my dream job is to be a world traveler. I want to travel the world with just a backpack full of things, documenting my travels, and meeting people from all over the globe. I feel like I haven’t expanded my bubble enough- though I’ve traveled to Asia, I would love to travel to places in Europe or Africa.

Describe your dream date.

It would start out with a good old game of Super Smash Bros. on the GameCube. The loser of the most games will buy a fancy dinner, concert tickets to Maroon 5 and/or a backstage pass to meet Anderson Cooper. Hint: I don’t intend on losing.

What advice do you have for aspiring Asian Pacific American leaders?

One piece of advice that I have learned from one of my APA role models (Albert Le :]) is to never forget who you are and where you come from–always give back to your community. This is so important in so many ways. Don’t forget how you got to where you are and don’t start hacking away at your roots to get to the top. Give back to your community, your parents, your friends, because they helped you get to where you are.

Explain in detail your involvement in the Asian Pacific American community on and off campus.

I am currently the Program Coordinator for PEER (Positive Experiences, Enriching Relationships), a mentorship program under APASS (Asian Pacific American Student Service department). The mentorship program matches first year APA students at USC with a trained mentor who has the experience to guide mentees through their first years.

I am also the Administrative Director for AATP (Asian American Tutorial Project) and on the SCAPE (Student Coalition for Asian Pacific Empowerment) eBoard, as Historian. Our next big event is InspirASIAN and it’s going to be awesome, so look out for that in March!

I will also be going on the Alternative Spring Break to Hawaii with APASS as a student assistant, exploring Hawaii’s history and issues of sovereignty.

I was a CIRCLE participant and a TA in the past (reppin’ the Tuesdays!) as well as an APA Student Welcome Advisor. As a CIRCLE TA, I led weekly sessions and a retreat, exploring APA history, identity, and issues in race, class and leadership.

I absolutely loved and love all of the things I do and hope to find even more opportunities to work in and for the APA community.

Anything else you would like to add – shoutouts, thanks to anyone for support/ encouragement, etc.

Shout outs to my APASS family, my PEER mentorship community, awesome AATP tutors, SCAPE peeps, and the mentors in my life that keep me going.

Name: Michelle Pang
Year: Junior
Major: Double Major in Business and Philosophy, Politics, and Law
Hometown: Toronto

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What’s your personal story? How did you first get involved with the Asian Pacific American community?

When I first came to the States, I honestly knew nothing about the Asian Pacific American community and identity. I kind of stumbled upon the APA community here by accident. I remember being at the involvement fair and like every other eager freshman, signed up for literally everything I could possible sign up for. A few days later, I kept receiving a call from someone at the APASS office asking me to schedule an interview for this program called CIRCLE. At the moment, I did the interview only to stop receiving the calls. And well…I guess the rest is history because I’ve been involved with APASS and CIRCLE for three years now! The program is amazing, and the people you meet are so passionate and motivated! I stay involved in the APA community because there’s always so much to learn. The social issues that our community faces are very much alive today. And when you hear these stories from your peers, they become more personal. It’s good to know that you can actually make a difference, whether it’s by educating yourself or physically going out and giving back to the community.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?

Hands down, “I Don’t Want To Be” by Gavin DeGraw. Why? One Tree Hill. That’s why. I feel like by now, the whole world knows about my not so discreet obsession with the show. That show pretty much defines my life, haha. So yes, the opening song for that show is rather fitting.

All money aside, what is your dream job?

All money aside, my dream job is to be the owner of some hipster coffee shop in a quaint little town. Yes, those specifications are necessary because the right kind of coffee shop is hard to find. My coffee shop will have awesome pastries. I want to have the most delicious chocolate croissants, tea time scones and blueberry cheesecakes with blueberry sauce smothered all over the top. I love coffee shops so much and my favorites ones are those that once you walk in, the smell of roasted coffee beans just waft in the atmosphere. Along the walls will be bookshelves packed with old tattered hand-me-down books and board games.

What’s the most interesting fact about you?

I’ve been to all the Disney…world, lands, parks in the world! I think my favorite one would have to be the one in Florida, because it’s so huge! And the weather is always so lovely there.

What advice do you have for aspiring Asian Pacific American leaders?

Be passionate about what you do and what your values are. Learn about yourself and don’t be afraid to explore your identify. Once you’ve got these things down, you will be able to follow through in achieving your goals. It’s important to realize that your goals take time to achieve and that it’s ok to take things slowly. I think that it’s hard, especially for Asian Pacific American leaders to sometimes get involved in activism because it’s just not something that a lot of people like to actively do. But I think it’s important to find a support group, especially with the leaders here on campus who have similar interests as you. Just remember that at the end of the day it doesn’t matter whether a lot of people are doing something that you believe in, because sometimes it truly takes a leader to pave the road for something bigger than he or she imagined it would be.

Expain in detail your involvement in the Asian Pacific American community on and off campus.

APASS CIRCLE and Peer Mentor.
Previously: SCAPE, the only APA advocacy group on campus; Kollaboration Creative and Marketing, a local non-profit marketing and advertising agency with the mission of fostering underground APA youth talent.

What does being Asian Pacific American mean to you?

I think this is an interesting question only because I’m from Canada, so I always like to think Asian Pacific *Canadian* in my head. But in all seriousness, it means being comfortable with your identity and where you come from. A lot of what makes who we are has to do with our background, whether that’s influenced by our family, friends or society. It’s important to understand the struggles our community has faced and where we go from here. Each individual’s APA identity is unique but we still have common issues that we all face and that’s brings our community together. Learn from the people closest to you, so talk to your parents and your grandparents. I think we often times overlook their stories and focus on our own.

Anything else you would like to add – shoutouts, thanks to anyone for support/encouragement, etc.

Friends and family. And my favourite person of all time, you know who you are.

APA Leader: Cody Vu

What’s your personal story? How did you first get involved with the Asian Pacific American community?

If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?

Why is it significant to learn about our heritage?

Learning about our heritage benefits us in many ways.  First, it gives each of us a distinct personal flavor.  Even among people from the same country, same city, same social background, they can all have very different back stories.  Second, heritage helps develop our character.  It connects us with our parents, with their parents, and further back.  When we understand the struggle our parents went through to ensure our future, and their parents for them, we can truly appreciate where we are in life now and realize the privelege and opportunity we have.  Third, it helps us build pride in our identity.  I am proud to be many things, a Bell (’09), a Zeta, a Trojan, an American, but through all of those I am proud to be Vietnamese.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave at USC?

Part of the reason I stayed with heavily involved both VSA and Zetas is because I adored the upperclassmen.  I loved that even as a freshman, they would take me under their wing and so readily welcome me.  Around my second semester junior year, I realized that with the old guys graduating and new guys coming in, all of a sudden now I’m an old guy to all these new guys.  Ultimately, I hope to be remembered, that someone down the line will recall of that guy who was the only dude on VSA eboard (’10-’11) or that active who joked all the time but knew when to get serious.

Explain in detail your involvement in the Asian Pacific American community on and off campus.

What does being Asian Pacific American mean to you?

Being APA means understanding the past from which our parents came in order to provide for us.  It means having pride in our heritage and always being willing to learn more about the culture.  It includes keeping up to date on current issues in one’s native country and striving so that people back home enjoy the same rights that we do in America.  It means staying knowledgeable so that we can educate the next generation, friends, and anyone who would like to learn.  It means identifying with both the ‘Asian’ and the ‘American’ aspects and realizing that they are not mutually exclusive, that both are parts of one’s inner fabric.

Shout-outs/thanks/support

Do you know someone who is an APA leader in the USC community?? Nominate them here! We will be choosing two winners every week this February!

A premiere event in the Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival. Don’t miss out!

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ABOUT KAL PENN
Kal Penn is an Asian-American actor, producer, and civil servant. As an actor, his most well-known roles include the character Dr. Lawrence Kutner on the television program House and the character Kumar Patel in the Harold and Kumar comedy films. He is also recognized for his performance in the critically acclaimed film, “The Namesake.”

In 2009, Kal Penn joined the Obama Administration as an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement. Kal Penn has also taught at the University of Pennsylvania as a visiting lecturer in the Cinema Studies Program.

This year, APASA proudly presents Kal Penn as our keynote speaker in our annual American Pacific American Heritage Festival! Come hear him talk about his identity as an APA as well as his journey in the entertainment industry.

Through this event, we want to empower students and to encourage them to honestly and openly discuss their heritage and identity as an Asian Pacific American.

APA Leader: Vicki Chu

What’s your personal story? How did you first get involved with the Asian Pacific American community?

I started out living my life being really ashamed of being Vietnamese–mainly because I grew up in a dominantly Caucasian environment. My school had probably 20 Asian girls (I went to an all girl’s school) and even less of any other minority. So growing up, I really didn’t’ want to differentiate my culture from anyone else, so I attempted to suppress it. I never talked about the different food I ate at home or the unique traditions that accompanied with being a part of the Vietnamese Culture. I was embarrassed that I couldn’t just be “normal” and live the same life as many of the girls that I came to know so well. But as time went on I became really curious about who I was, who my parents were, and the struggle of the Vietnamese people. It wasn’t until college when I became really involved with USC Vietnamese Student Association and their culture night that I developed a passion for understanding the deep struggles of our community and the traditions that I so haphazardly put aside throughout my life.

The culture night that year talked about two different views on culture. One was a girl who wholly embraced the Vietnamese culture and its struggles into her life, and the other—was one who suppressed those traditions and attempted to melt more into the people around her. As the lead that year, that later character was so inherent to my own that I felt a deep regret for not recognizing the importance of my own culture and the disappointment it caused my parents when I denied that part of my own identity.

My “Aha” moment was fifteen minutes after VSA culture night when I went to find my parents in the crowd. As I walked over, I saw something I rarely saw from my very traditional parents—Pride. That moment was when I realized how much my parents meant to me, and how much their culture has helped to really develop the girl that stood before them.
My story isn’t a common one, but it isn’t wholly unique. I constantly hear stories from many people that tell me of the similar struggle to understand and relate to a culture that seemed so distant. But what I found to be beautiful as I met more and more people in the APA community was the commonality and that “AHA” moment of realizing that culture differentiated us from the larger population. It gave us a cause, a purpose, and a motivation to carry on our traditions and especially in my case, a connection to my parents and a viewpoint into their world as I had never seen it before.

If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?

The inspiration for this song was actually from a Dr. Pepper commercial, and it’s one where everyone’s wearing these shirts with a word depicting who they are. The song is titled, “I’ve Gotta be Me” by Ryan Tedder. It’s such an uplifting song that really recognizes the importance of being unique no matter how different you may be. The song incorporates the importance of persistence and a carpe diem type message of living life to the fullest and being you at all cost. I think it’s really reflective of the my personal identity issues and struggles and the place that I am now, fully supportive and proud of the woman I’ve become after overcoming so much and being loved by so many people.

Tell us about one of your most memorable moments at USC.

Whenever this question is asked, I always want to think of my first day of school as my most memorable moment. However, upon further reflection I think—no, the first day of school I was lost, confused, overwhelmed and seriously in over my head. So I have to say that the most memorable moment at USC for me was the second day of school. I remember it quite clearly. No map was needed to navigate around the corridors of USC, no confusion or question-asking, just comfort. Class had just ended for the day and I stopped by the lot for a Red Mango. The rest of the day quickly escaped time as I just decided to let myself get lost in the school. USC. U S C. For the months leading up to college I had dreamed of what it would have felt like to step in a dormitory like Pardee tower or learn in a classroom like SGM. I spent the rest of my day walking around in a daze. Sitting in Alumni Park, laying in McCarthy Quad and just enjoying the sunshine that accompanied southern California during the end of August. It was beautiful. People watching, eating frozen yogurt and just letting it finally set in that I am here, and I will be here for the next four years of my life. I suddenly recognized the potential of the next for years and how in love I would be with this campus for the rest of my life.

What’s the most interesting fact about you?

A really interesting fact about me is that, despite the confidence and forward-thinking necessary to be in the leadership position that I’m currently in, It took me several tries to figure out which direction I wanted my life to go. In high school, I was all over the board with what I wanted to be, what career to follow, what life to live. So in applying to colleges, I applied to 12 different schools with 12 different interests. So upon being at USC, I started within the school of Music, and slowly drifted to Aerospace Engineering, and then Biology, and finally found my heart in Environmental Studies.

I find this extremely interesting, because it just really goes to show that no matter who you are, there is always a journey behind every person. You don’t always need to know your career path or what you want right away. It actually takes trial and error, changing majors, and talking to different professors to even attempt to pin point the way your life will end up. But the most important thing to learn from my uncertainties was that every step and every change helped me to develop more into a dynamic person. Music gave helped me to recognize my creative passions, aerospace- my knack for building things and developing projects, biology- my need for understanding the basic laws that surround me, and Environmental Studies- the love I have for the world that I live in. My interesting fact lets me have the experience to tell others that you should never limit yourself to just one area of interest, but to really spread your point of view and create a dynamic background of experiences to build your life upon.

Why is it significant to learn about our heritage?

I think it is significant to learn about our heritage for two really distinct reasons. The first, is that it really differentiates us from the communities that surround us and gives us a unique voice on an international level. It helps us to recognize why our priorities are different from others and why issues held at international levels must be addressed within the states. The youth movement that we see in the APA community is one that has a lot of power to change and influence a lot of oppression that we may feel disconnected from. For example, the human rights issue that currently exists in Vietnam has been so heavily ridiculed by Vietnamese youth groups within the United States that the US government is actually starting to take action to prevent further oppression of rights in Vietnam. We have a direct line for change that only exists because we have a different point of view and live in a country that embraces culture and differences.

The second reason we must learn about our heritage is that it creates a segway into our past, our traditions, and the stories of our families. The APA struggle should always be remembered as the greatest sacrifice many of our families have ever made in their lives for US. The decision to leave their homeland, their families, and to create a new life in a completely different environment for the future of their children is a series of decisions that will always stand as reason for our respect and gratitude As I became more aware of the obstacles that my parents and grandparents faced I recognized the unique life that I came to live in the present. The fact that I was able to be sitting in a classroom, getting an education, pursuing a career—was all only possible from a series of luck and quick decisions. I began to recognize how lucky I was to be in the place that I was, how incredibly indebted I was to my parents who had sacrificed so much, and how important it was for me to carry on the traditions that I have come to learn so much more about.

Explain in detail your involvement in the Asian Pacific American community on and off campus.

Since freshman year, I’ve been very involved in the Vietnamese Student Association at USC. I began, like most people—a member. But it wasn’t until Culture Night that year that I realized how much I belonged with this group of very quacky but greatly smart and passionate people. Ever since, I served on E-board as PR Director, External Vice President, and this year as President of VSA. I can’t say I ever thought before this year that I would continue to be so enveloped in VSA. But I can easily say that it has really helped me develop into a better leader and a more compassionate friend. My years within E-board not only helped me to recognize the best methods to connect with others but the best way to be a great leader and president.

In my year as EVP, I also served on the Inter Collegiate Council for the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations, representing USC throughout the state and the country at large. I subsequently became very involved in the political movements associated with the Vietnamese community, including the current conflict over human rights especially seen in the oppression of speech as well as worker rights and conditions. I have protested, spoken against, and fought very hard for many issues outside of campus and have worked hard to incorporate it into VSA’s current issues to address.

What does being Asian Pacific American mean to you?

Being Asian Pacific American really means being a passionate person for issues that affect my community. It means representing, through either word or action, the obstacles that my ancestors, grandparents, and parents fought in order to pave a better future for their children. We so easily forget how we came to be where we are in the present. Being Asian Pacific American means recognizing the immense struggle it took to have faced all the obstacles our parents faced while creating a life for us here that has resulted in our success at USC. In addition to working tirelessly to preserve our traditions and culture for our future children while working to progress and aid our communities in our homelands. Being Asian Pacific American means preserving the past that our parents fought so hard to save while fighting for the future of our own communities in our homelands so they may recognize the same rights as we have within the US.

Shout-outs/thanks/support

I definitely must give my biggest shout out to VSA!! Without VSA I never would have recognized my potential as a leader or the passion I now share for the Vietnamese community. They have supported me through everything and have helped me mature into a woman that I currently am, and I can’t be more proud of the leaps and bounds VSA has made through the past four years. They have matured so much and have grown to represent more than just an organization; they’ve really become a very close-knit (and small but strong) family.

Do you know someone who is an APA leader in the USC community?? Nominate them here! We will be choosing two winners every week this February!

If you weren’t at Ground Zero last Friday, you missed out big time. Guess you should have taken note of all that Facebook spam, after all.

Thanks to an awesome line up of talented performers, entertaining judges, and the professional GZ staff, APASA’s Got Talent was a smashing success with around 200 attendees! The free milkshakes didn’t hurt, either.

GZ Milkshakes always hit the spot.

Shawn Halim and Morgan St. Jean opened the show with an acoustic guitar and vocal duet, taking home first place, a $50 book store gift certificate and endless smiles. A group of four freestyling b-boys known as Street Dance Society (Derek Tai, Joseph Cho, Matthew Mori, and Jackson Chan) popped and locked their way to second, and vocal soloist Hannah Chang stole both the judges’ hearts and third place with her sweet rendition of Mandy Moore’s “Only Hope.”

 Shawn and Morgan woo the audience with a sweet melody.

Who knew our judges had just as much swag as Street Dance Society?

 Hannah bares her soul for a captivated audience.

The winners weren’t the only champs, though. Four other acts also wowed audience members. Hannah Ott and Angelica He harmonized to an original medley of their favorite songs; MZ freestyled across the floor with booty pops and hip thrusts; Jonathan Louie tickled the ivories with “Butterflies and Hurricanes” by Muse; and Kim Chu, Linh Nguyen, and Danielle Dayto belted to Mariah Carey’s “Hero.”

MZ whips out a freestyle solo for the judges.

Commentary from our three judges, Michael Alvarado, Carissa Rae and Nate Tao, followed each performance. And when the judges took to the stage, we pretty much choked on our Banana Spilt milkshakes. Chemistry sizzled between Michael and Carissa (that’s right, first name basis!), two married singer-songwriters with a knack for bananas and a whole lot of musical genius. There’s something about two artists making eyes at each other while singing a duet that just makes your heart melt. If you didn’t get a chance to see them, be sure to check out their first album, “Bandcamp,” (http://haveyouheardofus.com/) and their performance of “Sway” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qCULJXxquo).

 Michael and Carissa sing a tribute to Carissa’s sister, who recently passed away from cancer.

Nate Tao, our third judge, is also a force to be reckoned with. Anyone who can sing “Love on Top” without thoroughly embarrassing himself deserves mad props—especially when he’s a guy who can hit a high C with soul. Nate graced our stage last year at APASA Idol and returned this year to blow us out of the water, yet again. Winner of Kollaboration LA 2012 and current contestant on Season 12 of American Idol, Nate left us with mouths gaping and eyes shining after his performance of “For Once In My Life” by Stevie Wonder and Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On.” Be sure to check out Nate’s American Idol audition (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ELh0qrzDD4) and his awesome mash up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scSzxaZ3d3g&list=UUqA_CLBnKjYLksk1j-jkebg&index=2) of “Say My Name,” by Destiny’s Child, “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys and “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson.

Nate shows off his vocal range while covering Stevie Wonder.

Long story short, we’re thankful we had the chance to be in the same room as our talented performers, let alone breathe the same air as Michael, Carissa and Nate. We also definitely couldn’t have done it without your support. So, a huge thank you from our E-Board and interns to all those who came out to support, and we look forward to seeing you at our next APAHF event!

Many thanks from all of us at APASA! We hope you had an APAwesome time!

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How would you describe your community at USC?

APA Leader: Kevin Liu
Year: Junior
Major: Electrical Engineering/Business Administration
Hometown: Irvine, CA

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What is your personal story? How did you first get involved with the APA community?
It was probably the 2nd week of my freshman year and I was walking along Trousdale when I saw two TAs (I think one of them was Amy Huang) tabling for APASS’s Critical Issues in Race, Class & Leadership Education (CIRCLE) program and after a brief conversation with them about the program, I was sold.

Those who know me well enough to see the irony of who I am and the work I do will remember that, beyond all my involvements within the Asian Pacific American community, I only barely fit the APA mold. I only recently immigrated here to the states in mid-2008 and while the APA experience is something new to me (a work in progress), the values we hold and the issues we face as a community are experiences that surpass geography and nationalism. When I was living in New Zealand, I was already very intrigued and felt strongly about issues of Asian empowerment and leadership. I never quite understood why there was a perception that Asians [living in foreign places] could not achieve certain things such as higher roles on corporations and in government. I also did not understand why we, as a community, had such a small voice. It was not until I started working with APASS that I had the right vocabulary to articulate my feelings and position.

What motivates and inspires you?

I love working with amazing people and using that combined talent to make a difference. As CIRCLE Co-Coordinator [with Michelle Pang] this past semester, I had the opportunity to work with over 50 amazing students and some very talented teaching assistants. What really motivated me throughout my tenure were the special “UH HUH!” moments from students when their questions about certain APA issues were answered. Being able to help develop future APA leaders and seeing students appreciate the work we do really inspire me to think bigger and do more for our community. Oftentimes when I am working on projects, I forget to step back and see the big picture and for CIRCLE, that “big picture” culminated in our beautifully successful retreat.

What advice do you have for aspiring APA leaders?

Dream big. Do not ever let society or your own reservations limit the dreams you could achieve.
Remember that a little over 40 years ago, there was no such thing as a collective Asian Pacific American
movement. Individuals who dreamed of a better future for future generations strove to transform the
visions in their minds to reality.

Describe your dream date.

So… my roommates put me up to this one. I figured I would give it a shot without being too cliché. I
would love to sit at a café and have a very engaging conversation for hours on end – over great coffee. I
love listening to peoples’ stories and experiences and it’s always a nice surprise to be in awe of another
beautiful individual.

All money aside, what is your dream job?

I hope to eventually open up my own coffee shop. There is a vision in my head where I am sitting
idyllically sipping delicious espresso at my little boutique coffee shop somewhere in Europe – perhaps. I
want to spread delicious liquid heavens to everyone and wake up to the smell of freshly roasted coffees.

Explain in detail your involvement in the APA community on and off campus.

CIRCLE (Program coordinator), SCAPE (Treasurer), PEER (Mentor)

What does being APA mean to you?

It means not only embracing your own ethnic identity but also celebrating a greater community of diverse
peoples, experiences and stories.

Do you know someone who is an APA leader in the USC community?? Nominate them here! We will be choosing two winners every week this February!

Do you know someone who is committed to the APA community at USC? Does he or she go above and beyond in spreading the APA love?

If someone comes to mind, nominate him or her as a 2013 APA Leader!

A total of eight APA Leaders will be recognized during the month of February. APA Leaders will be interviewed and featured on APASA’s social media outlets. They will also receive a $25 gift card to the USC Bookstore.

(Please note you may not nominate yourself or a member of the APASA E-Board. Only USC students may be nominated.)

Here is the form to nominate!