MEET OUR BOARD!
Without our wonderful E-Board, planning this event would be on par to flopping around like a jellyfish. Meet the amazing people bringing this event together for you to experience!
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Ting-Ting Zhou
Hello, I'm Ting-Ting Zhou, President of Asian Student Association, Executive Director of TAASCOn 2013, and a second semester senior who refuses to accept the idea of taking it easy in her last semester at Duke. I'm loud, opinionated, and I also refuse to tolerate bullsh*t or incompetency from anyone. I am committed to racial and gender activism, transformative leadership, and promoting consciousness in almost every aspect of life. I cannot stand still and that's why I'm a double major in Environmental Sciences and Policy (environmental justice encompasses racial, socio-economic, and political dimensions!) and Political Science (aka the psychology of great powers) with a minor in Economics (market forces affect everything whether we like it or not).
I'm involved in the Movement because I'm concerned about the prevalent desire to gain proximity to whiteness, and deeply related internalized racism, in the AAPI community, especially the community at elite institutions. I am passionate about these issues because I have personally experienced this in myself and my closest friends. I was unable to process and rarely wanted to engage with my race and ethnicity until I became a student at Duke University. I've been told to put my head down and create a stable future for myself. Many of my AAPI peers have been told the same. We are AFRAID TO ROCK THE BOAT. It is much easier to be white than to recognize our real racial position and see it for all its raw reality.
Ian Zhang
I am a Junior undergraduate studying History, Chinese, and Computer Science. I'ma fan of of culture, language, history, and how all of those interact and mesh with technology. Since my freshman year I have been active in AA politics on campus. I am a former cultural chair for Lambda Phi Epsilon Fraternity, Inc., a former presenter for Duke ASA's Voices series, a former workshop leader for ECAASU 2012, and am this year's co-Programming chair for TAASCON.
I grew up in a not-very-Asian suburb outside Seattle, so my childhood was interesting to say the least. College has represented a sort of cultural rediscovery and done some weird things to my identity. Still figuring it out. I'm excited to meet and have some crazy discussions with all of the other student leaders who will come to campus on 4/20!
Amy Wang
Hi, I'm Amy! I am a freshman at Duke studying Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science (as of now anyway) and I am super excited to be on the TAASCON board this year as Programming Co-Chair. I love food, playing soccer and ultimate, media, and adventures.
Growing up, I had always thought Asian and American were mutually exclusive; this resulted in me trying to be "super Asian" or trying to be as white as I could be, disowning my color. I was unaware of the effect my Asian American identity had on me until all of the microaggressions I experienced reach a breaking point. One can only take so much "No, where are you really from?", "Wow, your English is so good, when did you move here?", and being called the "Great Wall of China" until the realization that others see my race whether I choose to acknowledge it or not finally hits. As a result, I delved into exploring what it meant to be Asian in America - I discovered that an Asian American community exists and continues to grow. I want to contribute what I can in helping our community find solidarity and push for Asian Americans to be seen, heard, and at the table in our nation today. I learn so much all the time about Asian American identity and community, and I love that I have the honor to foster exploration of this for my APIA sisters and brothers!
Julia Zou
Hey all! I'm a sophomore at Duke University, recently declared a Sociology major with a Markets and Management Studies Certificate. I enjoy music (I play the piano and cello), playing RPG video games, reading, anything artsy, yoga, sudoku, travelling, and all in all new experiences.
To me, the disparity among races is a problem we, as a human race, are slowly overcoming. While my childhood has been marked by the occasional racist comment, I would never let it get to me. I am careful to embrace my Chinese heritage, but at the same time I am not able to identify myself as anything other than Asian American. Having been born and raised in America, I have been blessed to have been raised learning about and understanding both cultures, making my viewpoint on issues more understanding. I will not deny the fact that many of my friends identify as I do (Asian American), but I have also had the opportunity to have a diverse friend group of all different backgrounds, who help me to learn and grow as an individual. I am so excited to be one of the Entertainment chairs, and getting involved with the Asian Activism happening on our campus and hope to stimulate it within the Triangle Area through TAASCON.
PROGRAMMING CHAIRS
ENTERTAINMENT CHAIRS: The Julias
Julia Ni
Hi! My name is Julia and I am a junior math major from Orlando, FL. I am interested in education policy and social activism and hope to do something one day that combines both! I also love writing, reading food blogs, discovering indie bands, and traveling.
I went to a racially-homogeneous high school, but ironically wasn't aware of what "being Asian" meant until I came to Duke. For two years, I pushed aside my racial identity, and was largely unaware of and passive to issues affecting the Asian American community. After going on a retreat (Common Ground shout out!) last semester that really made me think critically about race, I realized how much I cared about Asian/Asian American issues. Sounds simple, right? Not quite. This is only the beginning of the journey. I am still processing, thinking, and learning, and I am really excited to be a part of TAASCON this year!
FINANCE CHAIR
Joyce Wang
I am a sophomore at Duke, majoring in Neuroscience, and I am honored to be a part of the board for TAASCON 2013. Growing up in a community in which Asian-Americans were a very small minority, I nevertheless integrated my Asian and American identities and values throughout my life, for which I am very grateful. Whether it was a result of my parents or my understanding community, I come to Asian-American issues with a hopeful eye and the drive to bring the same fusion of self-understanding with all events.
HOSPITALITY CHAIR
Michelle Dang
Year: Sophomore
Major/Interest: Economics, Philosophy
Why did I join TAASCON? As an international student who has lived in Hong Kong for the past fourteen years, it was a huge culture shock coming to study in the United States. Though I was brought up in an international environment and attended an international school, the culture I was part of was primarily Asian. It became obvious that the traditions I grew up with in Hong Kong were twisted and reinterpreted to become part of the stereotypes propagated here, in a country that is known for freedom and unity. I am tired of hearing people say " _____ shouldn't be so sensitive, it was just a joke." Hopefully, through events like TAASCON, Asian-Americans - and in fact anyone who has felt the prejudice of another - can stand up and let their voices be heard.
LOGISTICS & CATERING CHAIR
Jina Yun
Hello! My name is Jina Yun and I am thrilled to be on the TAASCON board this year!! I am currently a sophomore majoring in biology with a concentration in pharmacology. Some of my hobbies include playing piano, playing lacrosse, horse back riding, and listening to music.
SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBMISTRESS
Becca Bau
Hello! I hope you are liking your exploration of this site! I'm a sophomore at Duke majoring in Electrical & Computer Engineering, and pleased to be part of the conference board this year. I love anything internet and computer related, and enjoy music and photography on the side.
I underwent multiple identity crises growing up as I tried my best to assimilate into an American culture that was strictly "unAsian," competing with my "Asian" upbringing. I do my best to look upon my experiences with racial slurs and indignities in a positive light, convinced they have only made me stronger and more resilient as I came to terms with my seemingly dichotomous identity. The conglomeration of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities shaped my self-image. My definition of Asian American expands with every interaction I have with another student of "my color." They bring not only old traditions and perspectives, but shed new light on upbringing and behaviors. This exploration will likely never end, but I have come to accept myself and my ethnicity as I mature. It is this concept, understanding that we are all individuals, not to be lumped under a stereotype, that applies to individuals of all colors. Our commonalities do not define who we are, but our differences and how we apply them.
REGISTRATION & OUTREACH CHAIR
HEAD DESIGNER
Tianyu Shi
Hello! I am a junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering/Computer Science, interested in software engineering, at Duke University.
PUBLICITY CHAIR
Katherine Zhang
Hi! My name is Katherine, and I'm a junior double majoring in English and Economics. I was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, although my family originally hails from Shanghai, China. My sophomore year, I became involved in Asian American issues by co-teaching a house course on Asian American social justice, which ultimately produced The Multitudes Project exhibit in Perkins library. Since then, I've served as co-president of Asian American Alliance (AAA) and interned at the Asian American Writers' Workshop (AAWW) in New York City. More importantly, I engage in daily informal conversations about race, power, and activism with my friends. In my free time, I also enjoy running, playing the piano, and discovering cool Durham dives and cheap eats.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Jeff Hou
Hi! I'm Jeff. I'm Class of 2016 at Duke University, interested in Computer Science/Economics/Mathematics.
Katie Ni
Hello! I'm Katie, class of 2014, majoring in economics at Duke University.