Serena Li

It’s a big year for African elections, with 19 African countries holding major elections in 2024 alone. Eight elections have already occurred, with some more unpredictable than others. If you found yourself in South Africa on election day this year, you’d witness a nation teeming with hope for change, albeit unsure where it might originate. Meanwhile, in Rwanda, the president of 30 years experienced immense support from his people with a landslide win.

On March 16, 2021, a mass shooting occurred across three spas and massage parlors in Atlanta. Of the eight victims, six were East Asian women. The shooter told authorities that he had a sex addiction and that his shooting spree was an attempt to eliminate his “temptations.” This event unfortunately shed light on a harsh reality for many AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) girls and women.

Lunar New Year, 2018. My family of eight was gathered around a table piled high with traditional Chinese dishes—glistening meatballs nestled in steamed bok choy, chilled lotus-root salad, delicate poached fish garnished with ginger, shiitake mushrooms swimming in savory brown sauce—the best that diasporic Asia had to offer.