Oxford Junior Karina Li and former social studies teacher Ms. Eunice Ho are instructing a program called “Love Through an Asian American Lens” (LTAALENS). Running until December 13 after school in room 905, this program merges Asian American studies with photography to capture and spread narratives of love and compassion within Orange County’s Asian American communities. 

“Last winter, I attended a program called the PhotoVoice Project by the Asian American Youth Leaders, [aiming] to provide students with the opportunity to get involved in their community by learning about Asian American studies and civic engagement, “ said Karina, “As a result of my experience, I [applied] for AAYL’s community engagement fellowship [to] creating a similar program. After winning the grant, I began working with Ms. Ho to make [LTAALENS] happen and share my experience with AUHSD students.”

In LTAALENS, attendees will delve into the multi-faceted history of Asian Americans, including immigration stories, cultural traditions, and the AAPI community’s daily challenges. The program allows students to represent themselves and showcase their unique stories through Photovoice, a teaching tool combining photography with storytelling to enact social change.

“Photography is accessible to students. Most of the students I met in the PhotoVoice Project had almost no experience with photography, but with help, we were able to take meaningful photos to showcase at the end. We didn’t need advanced skills or prior experience to begin using PhotoVoice to share [our] personal and impactful experiences,” said Li.

The LTAALENS organizers aspire to create a lasting impact on AUHSD students. They intend to foster cultural awareness and empathy among the participants through lessons on the Asian American movement, microaggressions, and intersectionality. Members will express themselves creatively via projects like a media remixing collage, challenging harmful media-propagated stereotypes. This way, LTAALENS educates and empowers students, helping them gain the confidence to share their perspectives and stories. 

“Besides the Asian American Studies and photography skills, I hope they have an opportunity to grow self-love and practical skills for agency and social change,” said Ms. Ho.

Ultimately, “Love Through an Asian American Lens” strives to ignite the next generation’s zeal for civic engagement, building a more inclusive and diverse society. The organizers stressed the value of ethnic studies for students of all backgrounds, encouraging them to learn from each other and unite in solidarity to drive social change.

“Ethnic studies create empathy in students. They begin to see themselves in other people’s stories, [which] makes for a better world if we can understand and love each other,” said Ho, “These young people are the leaders of the future. And if in your K-12 experience, you had time and opportunities to develop empathy, then you can bring that into adulthood.” 

The program concludes with a celebratory photo exhibit on December 16th, and while there are only plans for this semester, Karina and Ms. Ho are optimistic about what lies ahead.

“[I want to continue] it every semester and possibly [pass] it on to another student when I graduate,” said Karina, “I hope that [LTAALENS] can serve as inspiration for other students to take on social issues influencing their community.”

Though applications are closed, interested students can still participate by contacting Karina through Instagram (@kkarinalii)!