Staff Writer Asta Huang ’27 interviewed several Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students about their experiences for AAPI Heritage Month.
Youden Lama ’26
I take a lot of pride in my culture, and I have been able to educate many of my friends on it. I am especially proud of being a Sherpa. My grandparents and my ancestors live in the Himalayas of Nepal, and my dad used to work at the base camp of Mount Everest as a mountaineer.
I feel quite a strong sense of community at Hotchkiss, even though the South Asian community is not as big as the East Asian community. The South Asian Student Association creates spaces to connect with people who have the same lived experiences as I do. Mr. Pierre Yoo is instrumental to this sense of community, as he helps a great deal with the AAPI clubs on campus.
A challenging part of my AAPI student experience is the lack of alignment between my cultural holidays and the school’s. I celebrate a New Year called Losar. It’s usually around the same time as Chinese New Year, so it’s nice having decorations and the FFC meal. But when I’m back home, I usually go to the temple with my parents. I would go every month, but I can’t do that here.
AAPI students shouldn’t be afraid to show their culture. At our school, everyone embraces each other.
Ethan Li-Kato ’27
Connecting with other AAPI students through my Japanese heritage in cultural clubs has made me more open-minded. The faculty advisors of the AAPI-related clubs I am in, especially the Asian faculty, are so passionate about what they do and are a huge resource for me.
Some challenges I’ve navigated as part of the AAPI community are related to cultural differences. For example: shoes. When peers come into my room, I have to ask them to take off their shoes before they step on my carpet. In addition, recent DEI bans across the country are an important topic for me.
Living so far from home, I am part of so many culture clubs, because I am working to maintain a sense of stability here. I lead the Japanese Culture Club, which aims to share and inform Japanese culture.
On a brighter note, I am glad that the sushi nights that we have every year have great turnouts. Even though the food is not technically authentic, it makes me happy that it’s a food linked to Japanese culture.
It’s really important for AAPI students to participate in clubs related to Asian identities. If you email me or any leader and indicate you would like to help during AAPI month, everyone will be more than happy to include you. Be active and vocal in the community.
Sia Reddy ’26
As an AAPI student, I often have experiences that grant me a sense of community. Some are good, like shared celebrations, while others are negative, such as experiencing microaggressions. Yet, having undergone these with other people gives me a sense of solidarity that is often reassuring. Discussing these experiences with others has opened my eyes to the value of standing up for my beliefs and supporting others.
At home, I had the comfort of family traditions as a foundation to my identity, whether that be cultural food, clothing, or celebrations. At Hotchkiss, I had to learn to navigate my identity alone. This meant practicing prayers on religious holidays in my room and adapting to meat restrictions in the Dining Hall.
When I was a Prep, I began attending Pan-Asian discussions on topics that ranged from beauty standards to family diasporas. While I often related, I feared that people would judge my experiences. As I started to open up, I realized that many of the experiences I had were shared. While it felt counterintuitive, being vulnerable helped me become more comfortable and confident in my identity.
