How did you become interested in the CAH project you are working on this year?/Tell us about a transformative or eye-opening experience you have had in a humanities or arts course at SCU. What did you learn or take away from it? How did it change you?
In the spring of 2025, I took “From Emaki to Manga,” an art history class focused on the evolution of Japanese narrative art. During that course, I learned more about Buddhism and East Asian perspectives on death. I found comfort in a lot of the concepts as I was mourning my father and felt inspired to bring them into my art. Additionally, I felt inspired to look into other ideas around mourning and death from cultures all over the world. This project was an amazing opportunity to incorporate this research into my art through symbolism, and I’m excited to share what I’ve painted with everyone. I hope that exposure to some of these ideas will bring comfort to others in a similar situation.
What does (re) imagining futures mean to you?
Sometimes, looking forward can seem dark and it feels like there’s nothing we can do in the grand scheme. To me, “(re)imagining futures” means taking charge of your future and becoming the change you want to see. It is understanding that the future doesn’t have to be one way or the other. It all starts with imagining a clear vision of what you want, no matter how small, so you can take the necessary steps to achieve it.