AANHPI students perform and share their stories at community event

The Korean word “gojip” may be defined as stubborn, but Mercer Island High School (MIHS) student Grace Go aims to give the word a new and positive meaning.

While speaking at the Make Us Visible WA community mixer on June 20 at the Newport Yacht Club in Bellevue, the rising senior told the crowd that the word “can also mean that you’re brave and courageous and you’re willing to stand up for your people.”

AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander) students from Islander Middle School, MIHS and the Bellevue School District took center stage at an event that was focused on uplifting the voices and lived experiences of the diverse AANHPI population, according to Bellevue’s Angelie Chong, director of the Make Us Visible WA chapter.

“We believe that education, especially at the K-12 level, is the only long-term solution to combating anti-Asian hate, anti-Asian bullying and racism,” said Chong, adding that the chapter is one segment of a larger national coalition that advocates for the inclusion and integration of AANHPI history and stories in schools.

Along with students — including one from Kamiak High School in Mukilteo — relaying their testimonials at the mixer, others played piano and violin and grasped onto guitars, microphones and traditional Mongolian instruments to display their talents as attendees smiled, bobbed their heads, filmed the performances and filled the air with applause.

Angela Bahng, who serves as co-vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion with the MIHS PTSA, helped arrange the event since she’s part of the Make Us Visible WA steering committee. Her daughter Lila, an Islander Middle School sixth-grader, jumped into Taylor Swift mode by playing guitar and singing the star’s song “All Too Well” with instructor Clark Grogan of Music Works Northwest by her side.

On the student testimonial front, Angela explained: “I think it’s really important to hear personal stories, especially from the student perspective about their own immigrant experience and also just the way they form their own Asian American identity on the Eastside here and in the Seattle area.”

While speaking to the Reporter before the event, Go said that her “gojip” stemmed from receiving racist remarks in the past at school and confronting the culprits. She got into trouble with teachers for her actions, which she felt were justified.

“I’m going to be talking about why that’s important when we’re fighting our fight in our Asian community, getting our voices out there. I’m talking about why having that ‘gojip’ is good,” said Go, who hopes that she can inspire others with her message and that Make Us Visible WA can implement change in the world.

Another MIHS rising senior, Nick Chou, spoke about befriending the only other Asian player on the varsity soccer squad during his freshman year. The youngster made a vital connection with senior captain Josh Chang, who was a stellar player, leader and role model. Chou wants to emulate Chang’s solid skills during his upcoming senior year.

“I want to represent my group of people, and not only in soccer but our entire school,” Chou said. “I want to inspire athletes to be proud that they’re Asian like me and that their skin color shouldn’t decide how good they become and how much they could achieve.”

Riddhi Bukka of Islander Middle School also delivered a message at the student showcase about the importance of reconnecting with one’s heritage and traditions.

“The key message of my speech was to say that despite the fact that I am disconnected from my past, I don’t think it’s ever late enough to discover more about your identity no matter what part of your identity. You see it in books and movies. Why not in real life?,” said Bukka, adding that the critical event tapped into highlighting cultures that can sometimes be overlooked and misrepresented.

During his moments in the spotlight, Mohamad Imran discussed overcoming immense challenges to shine at MIHS and Bellevue College (BC). He said that his BC classmates from China, Japan and other countries inspired and pushed him to learn something different each day.

Imran escaped the violent surroundings in his former home of Myanmar by boat at the age of 12, leaving his family behind on a harrowing journey, according to a previous Reporter article. After being held captive for a year in a brutal detention center in Malaysia, he received help from the United Nations to come stay with a foster family on Mercer Island.

Smiling at the crowd, he said that attending the June 20 event made him feel like he truly belongs to his culture and his family.

Islander Middle School sixth-grader Lila Bahng performs the Taylor Swift song “All Too Well” with instructor Clark Grogan of Music Works Northwest. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo

The Mercer Island-based ZJE Mongolian Music Ensemble — Temuujin, Temuulen and Anu-Ujin Batbaatar — perform a traditional Mongolian tune. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo