What's up, everybody? Are you ready to do this? Time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Van Anh Tran.
Who are you?
Van Anh Tran-daughter of refugees, friend, lover, scholar, facilitator, activist.
What are you?
Asian American. Vietnamese American.
Where are you?
I am currently in my last year at Stanford University and freezing my butt off! Winters in NorCal are so much colder than what I'm used to. Nervous and excited for the future, though, and constantly on edge because I am not sure what that will entail.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Garden Grove, CA. I lived in the same house my entire life until I left for college. Definitely took my community back home for granted and never miss an opportunity to visit when I get the chance. I miss the good (and CHEAP) food everyday.
What do you do?
I am a student majoring in Public History/Public Service, but that comes second to my involvement in the different communities at Stanford and beyond. When I am not working on my Honors Thesis (which is almost never and this will change soon!), I am going to meetings and helping plan events to make Stanford a more inclusive, aware, and holistic place -- a place that I would be proud to call home. Currently, I am most involved with planning Stanford's annual Asian American Issues Conference Listen to the Silence. This year's theme is "Click, Connect, Engage: From Social Media to Social Justice" where we hope to provide an outlet to discuss the role of Asian Americans in social media spheres and empower the community to take advantage of this new frontier to work toward social justice.
Other than that, I keep almost everything that was ever handed to me in the hopes of making an extremely epic scrapbook later on in life. In my procrastination time, I watch a lot of TV show eat.
What are you all about?
Critical thinking and analysis -- and encouraging others to engage in them as well. I hope to become a teacher and one of the main reasons is that there are so many issues out there -- all of which affect us on some level -- and I want to provide the tools for others to be able to sift through the information that they receive and really reflect. I am all about raising awareness and acting on these issues.
What makes you angry?
Oppression. Racism. Classism. Forgetting where we have come from -- losing institutional memory and knowledge. Not checking our privilege. Acting to promote solely individual goals and not realizing how collective action and goals are beneficial. Close mindedness. Addressing immediate needs without a long term vision. Not following through. Condescending attitudes. A lack of appreciation for others.
