Published: May 24, 2024 by Kesheena Doctor

At the beginning of spring semester, the iSchool welcomed a new student group, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) iSchool Student Group. In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I got a chance to email interview the AANHPI leadership team to learn more about their work.

Please tell us who you are and your role with AANHPI.

My name is Kristina and it is my last semester in the MLIS program. During my time at SJSU, my focus has been on Archival Studies and Record Management. My feelings are bittersweet as my time at the iSchool comes to a close. I am grateful for the connections I’ve made and the opportunity I’ve had to help this group build its foundation. I have assisted with setting up social media platforms, creating graphics to promote monthly Teatime events and working with Allison to set up the group’s website.

Hi! I’m Allison Law (she/her), and I am in my second semester of the MLIS program focusing on public libraries and youth services. I am Chinese American and particularly interested in multicultural library services, so I was very excited to help when this AANHPI student group got started. My role is Secretary and Co-Webmaster together with Kristina, and it has been so much fun working with everyone to launch this new group!

Hi, I am Erica Vu (she/her). I am a second-year student in the MLIS program, and I am interested in both public and academic librarianship. Before becoming an iSchool student, I had never attended a fully online program. I was afraid the experience would be isolating, but I have found that isn’t the case at all! Being part of the AANHPI iSchool Student Group, in particular, has allowed me to work with and get to know this incredible group of peers. I am the current Chair of the student group. My duties are mainly administrative, driven by our foundational goals to find ways to uplift our fellow students and cater to their interests while also building awareness about AANHPI topics.

Hi, my name is Cat (she/her), and I am the current Vice Chair of the group. I started the MLIS program in the spring of 2023 and am passionate about public librarianship and youth services. I currently work for two public libraries and cannot imagine being in any other setting! I am Chinese American, and I wanted to get involved in this group because I didn’t see a lot of AANHPI representation when I entered the LIS field, so I hoped that the formation of this group would raise awareness of AANHPI presence in the field and create a space for AANHPI-identifying professionals to connect. As Vice Chair, I assist where I am needed, like by conducting outreach and promoting the group, helping to build organizational infrastructure, and organizing events.

Hi, I’m Quarry Pak (she/they) and I’m the Treasurer for this group. I started the MLIS program in 2023 and my focus is open right now, mainly special libraries or academic libraries. I’ve enjoyed starting up this group this school year and participating in events— we’ve had great guest speakers!

My name is Indira (she/her) and I am the 2024-2025 Social Media Manager and will also be the Co-Webmaster with Allison. I started my MLIS program in 2021 and plan to graduate in Spring 2025. I am not dedicated to a particular focus, instead choosing the “create your own adventure” path. I’m jointly pursuing a certificate in digital asset management and I’m leaning toward a career in government librarianship or special librarianship. I am an Indo-Guyanese American and an advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and accessibility. The AANHPI diaspora is enormous and I’m thrilled that this group exists for community connection. I look forward to seeing this group grow.

How did AANHPI start?

AANHPI: The formation of this group was Dr. Anthony Chow’s idea. He recognized the need for BIPOC student groups due to the highly diverse student body that makes up the iSchool. Erica was able to meet him during the California Library Association (CLA) 2023 Conference and volunteered to reach out to classmates to gather interest. Our officers have been working together since last summer to create the student group. In February 2024, the group was officially recognized by SJSU, and Dr. Michelle Chen joined us as our faculty advisor.

How is a student organization created at SJSU?

AANHPI: Because our group had support from the iSchool administration before we formed, we can’t speak to how students typically propose their groups for approval.

The steps we took involved forming a core group of students who were willing to dedicate time to building the group. To become a recognized student organization at SJSU, we followed the steps required by the University, which include creating a constitution, filling out an application, and filling the formal positions of president/chair and treasurer, and having at least three other student members.

After we got the green light from Dr. Chow, the iSchool administration (i.e., Bethany Winslow, Sonia Belasco, Abigail Laufer, Nicole Purviance, and Bob Lucore) provided and continues to provide support in guiding us towards success. They helped us advertise the group to students, instructed us on how to form our website, and provided us with other tools we needed to function properly.

What type of events and support do you provide students?

AANHPI: We host monthly Teatime meetings over Zoom the last Thursday of each month. Our Teatimes are casual gatherings open to all students to meet each other and connect.

We plan to offer a greater variety of activities and speaker events in the future, and we welcome students’ new ideas and suggestions.

Students can also engage with us on Instagram and our LinkedIn group.

You recently had an event with ALA president, Ray Pun and SJSU alumni/current employee, Neil Poʻokela Ordinario. How was it being in conversation with these librarians?

AANHPI: Our group has been able to meet and make connections with various LIS professionals by attending conferences and being proactive in reaching out to established groups and organizations, such as APALA and CLA’s AANHPI Library Workers Interest Group. We were fortunate to have Ray and Neil join us as speakers during our March Teatime, and we had a wonderful time discussing career journeys and the value of exploring different pathways and professional interests with them! They provided insights into what they felt are current trends in library technical services, which was informative for students beginning to enter the workplace, and overall we felt refreshed and reassured by being in conversation with them.

What plans do you have for the future?

AANHPI: We just presented a Student Spotlight during the iSchool’s AANHPI Heritage Month 2024 Symposium. For this year’s symposium, we suggested the idea of highlighting iSchool students who are leading efforts to support AANHPI communities through their original educational, personal, or professional work.

On the last Thursday, May 30th, we will be hosting Iced Teatime, a get-together to celebrate the beginning of summer break.

We are also recruiting for the following officer positions to start this summer: Webmaster and Social Media Assistants. Please email us at sjsu.aanhpi@gmail.com if you would like to apply.

Overall, we want the group to become a meaningful one for students – a safe space where they can come to learn and feel supported, have open discussions, and share their stories, thoughts, and questions without judgment.

Finally, do you have any favorite books or other media you have been into?

Kristina: I recently read and enjoyed She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. The fantasy adventure novel takes place in China in 1345 C.E. and centers around gender, sexuality, and diasporic identity. I am also reading the popular fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I also enjoy listening to podcasts. One of my favorites, Archivist’s Alley, is a safe conversational space that encourages discussions about preserving cultural history and identities, especially within marginalized communities.

Allison: For non-fiction, I’m currently reading The Library Book by Susan Orlean, which is about the history of the Los Angeles Central Public Library. For fiction, I’m in Part II of A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I’m also reading a children’s book (for myself): From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg. Right now, I am very much into reading Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad series to my 4-year-old at home!

Erica: My educational background is in illustration, so I have a great appreciation for stories told through images and sequential art, both in books and film. I love picture books. Since we are a cultural student group, I will mention Shaun Tan’s The Arrival as one favorite. It is an outstanding graphic novel about a man’s experience immigrating to a strange, unfamiliar land.

Cat: My favorite book is The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, and I will never not take the opportunity to promote it! If you’re interested in Korean mythology and enjoy strong, smart heroines; a good slow-burn romance; intricate worldbuilding and an unforgettable cast of characters; exploration of biological and found family relationships; and beautiful cover art, then I highly recommend it! I also love Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu, and recently the graphic novel Himawari House by Harmony Becker made me alternate between side-splitting laughter and tears. When I’m not reading, you can find me listening to Kpop—I’ve been a fan since 2015 and I’m always happy to talk TXT or SHINee. 

Quarry: I just finished Crying in H-Mart which has been on my list for a few years. Michelle Zauner writes about grief, food and family in a way that is vivid and familiar to me as a Korean American. I’m also revisiting Lynda Barry’s works. She is an amazing cartoonist and novelist who has a Filipino heritage and great prompts for journaling and drawing. I took a workshop with her on comics and storytelling and highly recommend studying with her if you have the opportunity!

Indira: Lately, I have been trying to read more authors from the Indo-Caribbean diaspora. I just started Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture by Gaiutra Bahadur. My favorite TV and movie genres are comedy (especially dark comedies) and psychological thrillers.

Thank you so much to the AANHPI student group leadership team for taking the time to be interviewed. If you’d like to learn more about AANHPI or would like to become a member, please visit their website! Membership is open to all iSchool students. Please let us know if you’d like us to interview another student group in the comments.