“Tell me about yourself”

“It felt unjust, as if my prior efforts and achievements were being dismissed or wasted.”

Creator:
Rowan (she/her)

When people migrate to a new place, the first things that they want to do usually include finding a home and getting a job – all in an effort to find stability and restart their lives in a foreign land. In this comic created by Rowan, it’s clear that a whole host of obstacles prevent newcomers from getting settled and stabilized. For example, what happens when an employer only wants/values local experiences, eschewing whatever relevant work and education experiences the applicant had back home? This effectively forces newcomers to start their careers from scratch, ignoring the expertise that they may have already gained and demonstrated previously. Not only does this have implications for financial outcomes, but also for one’s self-worth. Have you experienced something similar? How do you think this system more appropriately assess an applicant’s international qualifications and experiences?

(Food + Cultural) Insecurity

DLLM! You can’t even make simple hot white rice?!

Creator:
Amber Leung 梁逸然 (she/her)

When someone lives in a foreign place for a long period of time, one of the most pressing needs for any diasporic individual is to find a taste of home. It transports them back to a particular time, being around particular people, experiencing particular emotions. Food is such an important vehicle for the conveyance of culture that the lack of appropriate food options leaves diasporic individuals feeling distressingly isolated from their cultural roots. In this panel full of angst and comedy, Amber shows the thoughts and emotions going through one’s mind as they struggle to find appropriate food options to allow them to remain connected to their heritage culture. It may sound simple; but as a student, it quickly becomes apparent the structures in place that deprive them of such cultural connections. So where do you get food that reminds you of home?

Hybridity

AM I, THOUGH?!

Creator:
Ashley Card 黄福劍 (she/her)

Cultural identity can be a confusing concept for any individual at the best of times; but it becomes even more complex for someone who has relocated between cultural environments. Now imagine someone who went through international adoption into an environment with an already complicated identity that is fraught with political implications and history – and then throw in even more complications. Enter Ashley’s internal turmoil and identity tailspin that I (accidentally and inadvertently) sent her into with a deceptively simple question. Through a compelling and moving series of comic panels, Ashley presents to the viewer her complex migration history, how it coincides with her complicated process of coming to grips with her identity, and all the emotions that come along with it. Join Ashley as she takes you on a journey where she explores her own identity and I encourage you to place yourself into her shoes – how would you reconcile all the different cultural forces impacting identity formation that Ashley experiences?

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