Sam - University of Michigan
“I want to be seen as a person, not a color.”
From Me, The “Other” film
The stereotype of Asians only being good at math and not in sports still exists today. As I don’t fall into this stereotype, I find myself being looked down upon and questioned by the Asian community who call me an ” Asian disgrace” or question: “What kind of Asian are you?!” Hollywood has typically portrayed Asian males as desexualized, de-masculinized, and socially inept which festers the Asian stereotype. I’m a gymnast and majoring in Screen Arts and Culture in the hopes to change this portrayal of Asians. I have felt oppression from those in the Asian community for being “the other” and outside the community as “the other Asian.” Hopefully my story can give courage to those who are oppressed and hurt by stereotypes to raise above them and show the world that the other’s ignorance does not define who they are as a person.
Who is a hero or heroine in your life?
I’ve never had a personal hero in my personal life, but I do admire different people for different reasons. For example in acting, I admire the performances of Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Jake Gyllenhaal, and so many more. Another example is Bill Gates and Steve Jobs not only for their genius-ness, but their generosity. In short, I don’t look up to a certain person in particular but I do look up to their specific qualities that stand out to me. Despite saying that, I would love to meet Grace Kelly because she’s absolutely gorgeous and she starred in one of my favorite movies, Rear Window.
Not many people know this about me because I’m a closet nerd, but I collect vintage Star Wars memorabilia. Ashamedly I’m not a reader, but I do enjoy the casual read of Samuel Clemens.
