Some very personal facts:

Part I

Growing up, I witnessed the power of generosity and spirit before my eyes. My parents, Zhuang and Uchumas, came to the United States in 1984 with $20 dollars in hand. They were always kind and quick to help others and live with an innate sense of fairness and compassion. I think I’m lucky to be born to these nurturing humans who make me laugh a lot. I also have a sibling, Parida, who is two years older.

I’m from the tiny town of Walnut, a part of the rolling suburbs of greater Los Angeles. In a nutshell, my small town values and big dreams for the future have carried me to cultivate empathy and understanding where I can.

Part II

I am fascinated by the orchestration of cities. The loaded histories of streets, buildings, blocks, and most importantly, the people who breathe life into them. The disparate distribution of resources allocated across communities that are nonetheless interconnected. The push, pull, and reorganization of the urban ecosystem through resistance to oppressive structures. These things make my eyes open wide.

I love learning about cities through spatial analysis and GIS is my platform to promote civic engagement and participatory practice. I believe that all inhabitants of the urban ecosystem deserve the tools necessary to thrive on their own terms as well as feel belonging and empowerment in their environments.

Part III

I live with a strong affirmation that We the People have what it takes to take care of each other through this moment and then some. I believe there are compelling alternatives to the modern structures of US society. My hope is that we can share what we’ve gathered to either introduce new perspectives or affirm our own beliefs in generative justice and radical care for one another.

In a liberated world, I imagine strangers meeting each other for the first time and feeling familiarity, ease, and eagerness. I may not know you well or personally, but I will always stand and fight with the side of the oppressed. If you do too, I think we’ll get along. Let’s see where that takes us.