Faculty of Art
emily law 羅穎賢 is a 2nd-generation Chinese-Canadian settler who grew up on the ancestral, traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. She is graduating with a BA in Psychology and English Language and Literatures, and a minor in Asian Canadian & Asian Migration studies. She is also the Dialogues Coordinator & Facilitator at ACAM.
Throughout her undergraduate studies, emily has sought to understand the individual in both intra- and interpersonal levels: Through concepts such as belonging, culture and community, and how the interplay between the human mind, societal and cultural factors influence and create one’s identity. emily is especially grateful to have been able to explore these interests during her time in ACAM.
In her spare time, you can find her reading, making music, building models or walking along False Creek!
What is a favourite memory or story you have from ACAM?
This year I had the honour and privilege of co-leading the ACAM Dialogues Cohort. At the beginning of the year, as we were getting to know one another, we were discussing and grappling with some pretty tough questions. Questions about identity, belonging, community-building, racism… The hardest part was recognizing that many of the hard questions we were asking didn’t have simple answers, and that we’d somehow have to be okay with that.
I remember, early on, in a moment of collective discouragement and heavy feelings, I said something along the lines of, “It’s okay. These experiences we have and carry with us are valid, simply because we exist to tell the story. And sometimes, that’s all the world can ask of us.” I remember not being sure of whether that was the right thing to say, or if I believed it entirely.
Fast forward and the school year comes to an end. 8 cohort meetings later and this group of strangers have become some of the most inspirational people I know. Months of discussion, sharing ideas, listening to each other’s stories, and fun times have built such strong and meaningful relationships between us. I’m especially grateful for their vulnerability and honesty, for the conversations we’ve had inside and outside of our monthly cohort meetings, and for their willingness to listen and learn.
At our final cohort meeting, the very words I had said 8 months prior had never felt more right. Though we may not have all the answers to those very same hard questions, we’re able to engage with the world with much more courage and curiosity knowing that our experiences are valid, simply because we exist to tell the tale.
Why did you declare a minor in ACAM? What drew you to the program?
Like many, I was in Dr. Christopher Lee’s ENGL371 course, Asian Canadian & Asian Transnational Studies. During one class, amanda wan (ACAM alum ‘20) came to share some advice and tips regarding our final projects. Before they left, they mentioned that applications for the ACAM Dialogues Cohort had opened. I found it interesting, applied and the rest is history!
To be honest, I wasn’t intending to declare a minor in ACAM initially. With my double-major, it wasn’t technically “feasible” under UBC’s specialization policies. But once I got into the program, I didn’t want to get out. The interdisciplinary nature of the program intrigued me, and it encouraged me to bring my majors together to study and explore topics I was interested in and passionate about. Furthermore, the program provided me the space to be creative and try so many new things in combination with my studies. Most importantly, I appreciated how the program invites students to come as they are; to share their thoughts and experiences, so that we can learn from one another.
What is one piece of advice you would give your first-year self?
You’re going to learn a lot, but sometimes you’re going to be uncomfortable with what you learn. It’s okay. Keep going. Ask the hard questions and question the world. But most importantly, remember to keep walking by grace, through faith.
Have you completed any projects through or related to an ACAM course?
Tributaries will always have a special place in my heart because it allowed me to rediscover my love for storytelling.
Tributaries volume 4 kickstarted my journey in and passion towards undergraduate journal work. That summer, I had the opportunity to serve as a contributor, editor & designer of the journal. I was fascinated and thrilled by how much creativity was involved; how it didn’t focus solely on academic work but invited various other mediums in response to our theme. The most meaningful part was bringing this journal to life. I loved the conversations I had with the contributors as we shared ideas back and forth, trying to find the right words and phrases to convey their ideas and thoughts. Seeing it come together visually was like the cherry on top! Each piece had a design that both responded to their work while connecting it to the broader theme of the journal. I will forever be appreciative and grateful for the trust our contributors had in allowing us to help bring their ideas to life.
We’re currently working on Tributaries volume 5, and I’m excited for you all to read it!
