Faculty of Art
James is a sixth generation Canadian of Scottish ancestry raised on the ancestral land of the Songhees and Esquimalt nations. He is graduating with a BA in Korean Culture and Language and a minor in Asian Canadian and Asian Migration studies. These programs have guided him in understanding the importance Asian Canadian histories of the local community in British Columbia. He hopes to focus his studies on assisting racialized communities within the province.
Why did you declare a minor in ACAM? What drew you to the program?
As a Korean Culture and Language student, the majority of my courses were within the Asian Studies department. Despite having a general focus on Asian communities globally, I hoped to focus my studies more locally after graduation. After searching electives for the term I came across an ACAM course and it was exactly what was missing from my education. I hope to use my degree to assist local communities, which can only be accomplished in understanding the histories all Canadians.
Name an ACAM faculty whose class had a significant impact on you and share why.
Dr. Desirée Valadares who taught GEOG 328, was unforgettable. With a focus on community engagement and reliance on local archives, her teaching methods have given me a necessary set of skills to continue my education. Her constant insistence to question the histories taught to us, question who is behind each story, has forever changed my perspective on how history is portrayed.
What is one piece of advice you would give your first-year self?
I would tell my first-year self to not be afraid to try something out of my comfort zone. Do the creative art piece instead of the essay. Make a video over a discussion post. The creative you is not, and should not be, separate from the academic you.
