Alex Tom studied from 1994 to 1999 at UC San Diego, studying both Political Science and Ethnic Studies. He was also an active student leader involved in Asian and Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APSA), OASIS, Summer Bridge, Associated Students, and more. In his interview, he shares his experiences with being a student-leader and the student-activist community at UCSD during his college years, and he reflects on how these experiences have shaped the person he is today and the work he is committed to.Read More →

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Joseph Allen Ruanto-Ramirez (he/they) was the former Access Programs Advisor for UC San Diego’s Student Promoted Access Center for Education and Service (SPACES), who held that position at the time of this interview. This interview covers topics including the Coalition for Critical Asian American Studies (CCAAS), Critical Asian American Studies, student advocacy for Asian American Studies at UCSD, staff and community center support for student activists, and the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Studies minor. Read More →

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Matthew (Matt) Vu studied from 2007 to 2012 at UC San Diego, majoring in General Biology and Ethnic Studies. He was also actively involved in Summer Bridge, the Cross Cultural Center, Student Affirmative Action Committee, Kalbigang Pilipino, Asian and Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APSA), and the Coalition for Critical Asian American Studies (CCAAS). This interview also covers topics regarding the 2010 Compton Cookout incident, student activism at and beyond UCSD, and the advocacy efforts for and excitement surrounding the establishment of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies Program at UCSD in 2020.Read More →

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Michael Tea is the co-founder of the Cambodian Student Association (CSA). He studied at UCSD from 2000 to 2007 as an undergraduate majoring in Ethnic Studies. This interview covers the topics of Michael Tea’s experiences and motives in founding CSA and the challenges he encountered. Read More →

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Vibol Hou is a co-founder of the Cambodian Student Association (CSA) at UCSD. He studied at UCSD from 1998 to 2005 as an undergraduate majoring in Cognitive Science. In this interview, he reflects on his journey as a student leader of an organization dedicated to celebrating Khmer heritage and building community.Read More →

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