Lauren Liu
Asian American, womxn of color activist
Her quote of embodiment:
“It’s time for us to move like water; infinite like the ocean, with the strength and direction of a thousand rivers carving routes to freedom; unafraid.” – Climbing Poetree
Why do you do activism work?
“My activism is grounded in my great grandmother, my mom, and their resilience. It’s grounded and rooted in my experiences as a Asian American womxn of color. Growing up in a low-income, single parent, immigrant household, knowing where I come from, the communities I come from, and that history…I’m ingrained in that. I do the work that I do because I believe that another world is possible. I know that sounds cliché, but I believe that it’s possible that there can be another world where people can be fully seen, and people feel enough and whole. Our communities that are low-income and marginalized deserve to not only just survive, but to thrive fully. Things don’t have to be this one way, because history has shown us all the movements that have happened, and I see all these movements of change, all these communities, and pockets of resistance.”
How do you define resistance, and what does it mean to you?
“Resistance to me means love and worth for ourselves, communities, and for people that know that we’re worth enough to resist against things that tell us that we’re not worthy. Resistance… I don’t think I’ve ever defined it. I know of ways of how people resist, but I think that my definition of resistance is rooted in self-love and love of others.”
How do you resist?
“I resist by continuing to survive, resist and love in a world that says we’re not worthy to do that. I resist against how people see Asian-American women and how they are. I do that by striving to speak my truth and being, and just trying to be my truth. I want to stop the self imposed silences. I also resist by actively healing, like working to unlearn all the harmful beliefs and behaviors that aren’t helpful to myself and communities.”
Photos, edits, and words by Alice Kuang.
