Faculty of Art
Moira Henry is a fifth-generation settler of Japanese and Scottish ancestry living, working, and learning on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ land. Graduating with a major in English Literature and a minor in ACAM, she is interested in storytelling as both a mode of resistance and a means of connection. Throughout her time in the program, Moira felt she was able to cultivate a sense of belonging through community-engaged learning in ACAM courses and her work with the Initiative for Student Teaching and Research in Chinese Canadian Studies (INSTRCC).
What drew you to the ACAM program and why did you declare it as a minor?
Discovering ACAM was a happy accident. I was scrolling through available courses during registration time some years ago and happened upon the “ACAM” course code. I was super intrigued because I never knew there was such a thing as Asian Canadian Studies, and it sounded exactly like what I wanted to be learning. The first course I took was Asian Canadians in Popular Culture with Dr. JP Catungal. It was an incredible feeling to have the course material genuinely resonate with me; I felt seen. Through the program, I began a journey of self-discovery and started to unpack the complexities held within the many facets of my identity. I was also lucky enough to build some beautiful friendships and meet some distant relatives through ACAM! I think years from now I’ll still remember this kind of mundane moment of selecting a random elective as a pivotal point in my life. ACAM has truly opened up my world, and my life wouldn’t be the same without it.
What are you most looking forward to in the future?
I’m looking forward to continuing the practice of being in community and learning from my peers. I’m looking forward to appreciating the beauty and resilience in the world, and cherishing my friends and family.
