Okay, good people. It's 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 Kristina Mascarenas, student at Loyola University Chicago.
Who are you?
Kristina Mascarenas, but more commonly known as Kai Kai!
What are you?
A second generation Filipino American who is constantly busy doing who knows what.
And yes, here it goes... shameless in giving a little shout out to some fellow AAPI Heritage Month planning committee members: Jason, Jack, Purvi, Joe, and Daus! Haha.
Where are you?
Currently in my living room watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan.
Where are you from?
Chicago, of course! And I mean CHICAGO, not a nearby suburb. I'll admit I'm one of "those people."
What do you do?
Press the snooze button at least twenty times before getting up. Laugh during awkward situations. Check my e-mail every five minutes. Eat constantly throughout the day. Sing in the shower. Watch documentaries. Dance on my way to class. Skip on my way home. Repeat.
When I'm not busy reading and doing assignments for school (yeah, okay), you'll find me in a meeting or an event of some sort. Kapwa, NUFP, LUCES, USGA... every acronym that otherwise seems like jargon to you all.
What are you all about?
Simplicity. Hearing people's life stories. Taking full ownership of what you believe in. Being conscious and aware of your various identities and environments. Educating oneself about history and current situations. Personal growth and development. Critical dialogue. Fighting for what's right. Open-mindedness. Safe spaces.
Although I don't buy into the education system and the notion of credentials, I do believe in the potential that students have in creating positive change. It's my goal to continually expand opportunities for underrepresented communities. To sum it up, I'm all about social justice, diversity, solidarity, equity, access, and equality.
What makes you angry?
The word "minority." People who don't acknowledge and understand the privileges they may have. Apathy. Ignorance of other cultures. Stereotypes. Those who think that racism doesn't still exist. How Illinois hasn't passed the DREAM act yet. Decreases in ethnic studies (even my own school, Loyola University Chicago, for eliminating certain core classes). How my friends on Facebook can like my status on spam, but when I post an article I believe is important to our community, no one responds. GOP trying to cut NPR, PBS, and Planned Parenthood out of the Federal budget. Instructors and students who expect something different from me solely because I'm Asian. And all the -isms you can possibly think of.
Basically, living in this white, male, abled, heterosexual world around me. Why must we try to check off little boxes to fit in?
