# @ucsandiego on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CsZCllzLvj2
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/75465151-ucsandiego-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/bbd11b392c.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-05-18T16:30:26.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** UC San Diego / UCSD (@ucsandiego) — https://gondola.cc/ucsandiego

## Caption

“My mother is a Taiwanese immigrant who moved to the U.S. with my father and two suitcases in search of a better life. Growing up, I was inspired by her courage to leave behind the life she knew in Taiwan despite the prejudice and discrimination she faced due to her indigenous Paiwan roots and poor socioeconomic status. She worked hard to create a healthy family environment that embraced our Taiwanese identity while adapting to American society.

As an adult, I founded Lotus Magazine (lotus_mag), a bimonthly digital zine to amplify Asian and Pacific Islander American (AAPI) voices and build community. My mother's resourcefulness and courage has taught me to navigate challenges and uncover opportunities for growth. The way she fearlessly blends her heritage with American culture, encourages me to embrace my unique roots and identity as an indigenous Paiwan-Han Taiwanese American woman.

My mother's strength and persistence serve as a reminder that courage is necessary to make a difference, no matter how big or small. By building each other up and sharing resources, we can strengthen and empower the AAPI community. As we embrace the multifaceted dimensions that make up who we are, we can break free from labels and categories and create a more representative and inclusive world.”

-Alyssa Chiang alyssaaa5168 (she/her/hers) 4th Year Graduate Student in Bioengineering, top award winner of the APIA Heritage Celebration Scholarship and Essay Contest #TritonStories #AAPIHeritageMonth #UCSanDiego

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 1,612
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 6

## Credits

No public credits are recorded here. This does not identify who made the post.

## Tags

tritonstories, aapiheritagemonth, ucsandiego

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