priya keralam. you sound so foreign in my mouth. just a whisper in my memories. yet you feel so safe. what a difference two years can make. all i remember is the scent of the munnar tea plantations. the sounds of the river, in the afternoons, and my grandmother's rosaries at night. monsoon nights where the rain beat the devil in the sky. masses at holy magi that i never understood, the tenderness of my family's love, the sweet crunch of gulab jamaan, the tearful embrace of my grandparents as i left for america. somehow, you hold the most painful and beautiful of my memories. nyan maari, kerala. i've grown into my own person. when i left you, i had no purpose. i was lost, my thoughts fluttering in the wind with no resting place. now my tongue cannot form the dialect it was so carefully taught, i can count to one hundred in spanish now, yet i can't remember ten numbers in malayalam. i know exactly who i want to be, yet i can't remember who i was. but somehow, kerala, you are still a paradise in the foggiest of my memories. it entha ithe? the taste of you will never leave my lips. will you still accept me, kerala? i know my feet don't sink smoothly into your perfectly green grasses. yet i need you more than ever, kerala. you are a reminder of my identity, where i came from, the source of the most pure beauty my eyes have ever laid sight on. every time my feet step onto kerala soil, i assimilate all the knowledge i once lost. all the memories i thought would disappear. they come back to life as vibrant as my dreams. ente pranayam, kerala. somehow every moon reminds me of you. This piece is a poem I wrote about how I've changed since I've visited Kerala three years ago and how I've grown in my identity. Kerala is the home of my extended family, and it holds a very special place in my heart. I hope you enjoy! Biography: Ashlyn Roice is a high school junior from Mountain House California. Her work on identity and social issues has been recognized by Defiant Magazine and the Scholastic National Art and Writing Awards. Cover Photo Source: https://medium.com/@keraltourism12/an-aesthetic-beauty-of-a-state-6257cc3e6b

There’s an extremely powerful scene in critically acclaimed NBC show, The Good Place, where one of the four primary characters, Tahani Al-Jamil (played by Jameela Al-Jamil), has an aching realisation that her much loathed, millionaire artist sister had been symbolically reaching out to her their whole life. I, and surely many others, cried their heart out when the sisters tearfully reunited, overcoming years of conditioned competition and rivalry. Powerful cinematography and symbolism aside, the scene made me take a step back and rethink the competitive spirit between my younger sister and myself. I remember blurry instances of marksheets being compared, and veiled taunts undermining one in areas the other would have succeeded in. Things like this; a constant background noise to our impertinent childhoods. You see, when someone says the same thing to you over and over again, it doesn’t take long before you start saying it to yourself. Sure, sometimes you still need a little bit of prodding and poking, often in the form of emotional and mental gaslighting, but before long you learn the way of things. In our case, it was the haughtiness before every match, the trash talk before a performance or debate, and the unending coldness at the end of another hurdle being passed. There seemed to exist, in the deepest crevices of my parents unconscious, the idea that a little competition between the two of us (thankfully, my youngest sister, born much later, was too young to be included in this plan) would push us to work harder, smarter, and, in simple words, just more. They weren’t wrong though…but at what cost? By the time I was sixteen, my sister and I had unconscious lines drawn between ourselves: a means to ensure that we wouldn’t have to fight unnecessarily. We’d divided everything between ourselves from talents to hobbies to art. She got sports, I got public speaking. She got watercolours, I got mandala art. She got math, I got English. She took on science, I fell for poetry. Sure, some things flowed naturally, like my love for literature, but somethings could’ve been avoided, like how she pushed herself to the emotionless end of the spectrum just to avoid colliding with my overflow of emotional expression. Some was healthy; most parts were not. A lot of this was unconscious, and you have to believe me when I say that till this day I bear no ill-will towards my sister. I actively try to support her endeavours, unlearning the idea that I will succeed only if she doesn’t or that competing with her will instantaneously improve the quality of my work. But it is hard to love someone when in the innermost, secret parts of your mind, you are convinced that their success will lead to your failure. The only advice I have for you in a situation like this? Love anyway. Sometimes it not about the success you have on paper, but the success of that one blooming feeling in your chest, the one you will experience when your once-rival makes her graduating speech…and says that none of her victories would’ve been won without you. Because at the end of the day, it’s not ALL about the battles you’ve won…but about the people you won along the way. The aim of this piece is to gently unpack the way the Asian spirit of competition sometimes fosters an unhealthy spirit of rivalry...and the things to remember in times like those. Biography: Sarah is a kind, hard-working individual. When she isn't busy obsessing over poetry, you can find her making funny videos with her sisters at @sarahmathaii.

Dear Asian Youth, Whenever I listen to someone nag me, I tend to lose focus on what they are saying, and start hearing the teacher’s voice from Charlie Brown, “Wah wa WA Wah WA wa.” It may be inevitable throughout life to avoid a friend or family member who may find fault in what you do and decide to nag you enough to the point of insanity. For example, in third grade, I had the habit of forgetting my deadlines. My parents then barraged me with questions every day, after school, to remind me of any due dates. Even after I fixed that habit, they still nagged me about my deadlines and kept reminding me of what happened in third grade. After experiencing many scenarios like this, I have thought of a solution to hold on to my mentality when a person constantly tells me to do the same thing or calls me out on the flaws they think I have. I hope my tips can also come in handy for my Asian brothers and sisters who may also undergo the immense academic pressure that comes from nagging. So, how can you deal with these naggers? Solution: To give a proper walkthrough of my solution, I will use an example some of you might have gone through at least once in your lives. The two words, “Go study” have been the two most prominent words of my childhood. 1. Approach with enthusiasm. Whenever my mother walked upstairs and saw me read a comic book, she would frown and say, “Go study instead of reading a silly book!” Now, if I refused to do anything about this incessant reminder, I would only waste more time. Thus, my first step: you should try to approach the nagging with enthusiasm. Try not to overlook the situation that just transpired. Instead, see this as an opportunity for you to improve. If not, you will end up making the same mistake again and have another person nagging you again in the future. 2. Take a break but don’t forget. After listening to my mom lecture me for around 15 minutes, I decided to finish my book. Why? I didn’t want to feel bad throughout the day just because of a 15-minute lecture I had just heard. Instead, I recommend keeping the nagging in your mind so that you can recall it, but don’t let it affect your mental and emotional health for the remainder of the day. 3. Set goals and follow them. After I ate dinner and had time to rest my stomach, I set goals for myself: study for school and study for the PSAT. Hence, my last step was making goals, then following them. This step is, personally, my most challenging step because I tended to forget the goals I set forth for myself. If you seem to also have this issue, I recommend your buying sticky notes and keeping them on your desk at all times. Make notes of your goals on the sticky notes and post them near a place where you can see them, so you don’t forget your goals. You could also use the sticky notes app on your computer. 4. Personalize. One way to make this procedure less organized but more enjoyable is to make it personalized. For example, when I grow up, I want to be an engineer. Therefore, I should focus my studies primarily on math and science. However, if I were told to study my language arts and writing, should I really put much effort into making it an A+? Personally, doing that may not be the best use of my energy when I could focus on other subjects I am more excited about. It would be best if you put enough effort into where it’s good enough for yourself. You don’t want to fail a language arts class, but you don’t have to perfect it. One point I would like you to remember is that you make your own path in life. Remember William Earnest Henley’s words, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Please try your best not to be dragged around the expectations of others. What You Shouldn’t Do There are many things you should not do when trying to deal with your typical naggers. ● Do not lose your cool. ● Keep your mentality straight. ● Do not be their puppet. ● Do not think that it’s not okay to cry. ● Do not badmouth the nagger. ● Do not forget who you strive to be. - Joshua After experiencing and seeing many other people around me succumb to negative feelings because of educational pressure, I decided to give some tips to other people so that they might help. Biography: Joshua Ha, a high school sophomore who dislikes wasabi and likes to eat kimchi, is a fun-loving and shy Korean-American. He strives to be an engineer someday and enjoys talking to his friends, playing video games, and playing outside in his free time. Cover photo source: Richard Gunther https://www.christart.com/clipart/artist/richard-gunther

When we were younger, we talked. We said People in the movies are fake But we tried to be like them anyways, Make your skin whiter Make your face lighter Turn your voice into silent gold. We said We knew we are real people But we tried unrealistic things anyways Waists can’t be that small Thighs are never that skinny But that never stopped us from running more And eating less. We said Who cares what they think? But we cared more than anyone. We heard every word they said Our eyes were too dark Our hair not fair enough We saw no one like us on tv. As we grew, we learned otherwise. We learned That when we sit in the sunlight, our skin shines golden and our hair becomes vibrant shining and hued We glow in the lighting we were made for. We learned That skinny thighs come with a price Far greater than what we could pay When we saw so many people Fading away before our eyes As they tried to look like the ideal, They lost the health That we retained. We learned That our eyes are pools of obsidian, Deeper than any ocean and if people are not careful They will get lost within our depths. If you are one of us And you have heard the whispers Know that your eyes glitter Your hair is beautiful your skin is not too dark You are meant to be this way You are meant to be here the way you are now. - Lakshita This piece was written after I considered how my confidence in my appearance had changed over the years, and how other girls who looked like me would struggle with their self esteem. This was made to reflect upon my thoughts, and to lift us up when we are feeling low. Biography: I’m a junior from Massachusetts. I’m a writer, artist, and musician trying to make a difference for the world. Poetry is how I reflect upon my thoughts and actions. I hope this poem has an impact on you. Instagram: @lux_mika Cover photo source: Ashley Seil Smith http://designcrushblog.com/2019/03/22/ashley-seil-smith/

I feel like we often focus on the white man's assumption of being a foreigner in America, but we never focus on the perpetual foreigner's search for each other. I've had multiple interactions with Asian people and people of other ethnic groups, and the first, and sometimes only, thing they say to me is: "Where are you from?"-- I think I've even gotten this question more from them than from white people. Ever since I was younger, at nail salons, at sushi bars at the grocery store, or even at school on the rare occasion that we’d have an Asian exchange student join class, I’d be asked about where I was from. But in these situations, I never feel the urge to reply with a bitter tone or to say: “I’m from Tampa Bay” even though I know what they’re really trying to ask. Once when I was at work, a Hispanic man came in with his wife and came up to me and asked, "How long have you been here (in America)?" From the way he delivered the question and the way he searched my eyes, I somehow knew what to say. I knew he wasn’t just asking about my origins, but that he was asking for familiarity. Instead of telling him I was raised here and was adopted, I kept my story vague but true by answering, “I came here when I was only 10 months old, but my grandfather had come here in the 1940s.” At my response, he became more relaxed and started relating to me with his experiences in America. He ranted to me about how he’d gone to a Cuban sandwich shop only to find two ‘gringos’ behind the counter. His chosen terminology caught me off guard, for it was the first time I’d heard the word ‘gringo’ used in a real life conversation. It had also struck me since he used it so casually, as if it were an inside joke we had. Similarly, my longtime friend and, at one point neighbor, was also a Chinese adoptee, she and I always shared some sort of subconscious understanding. From the faces I can remember, she, my sister, and I were the only Asian kids, or even people, in the neighborhood. I don’t know if it was because we were enrolled at the same school or if it was because of our ethnic and adoptee background, but I always felt at ease with her. It also may have been due to the fact that we all had been called each others’ name at least once during our elementary school career. But even after elementary school, when we were able to understand the absurdity of the false idea that “we all look the same,” we banded together and felt comfortable with each other to a point where we could turn others’ misconceptions into our own inside joke. An inside joke similar to the Hispanic man’s. These interactions make me consider this question from a different angle. How "perpetual foreigners” seek each other out... for comfort, relatability, or just for someone who won't see them as a perpetual foreigner. To be seen as a perpetual foreigner means to be seen as an outsider, a misfit. It makes you feel like you don’t belong. Even if one identifies as an Asian American, Asian is usually the only thing people see. It doesn’t matter that I speak perfect English or even if I tell them that English is the only language I know, my Americanism is never assumed, and my citizenship is always returned to China. It’s as if my US Certificate of Citizenship came with a “Made in China” sticker, just to help clarify that I am not (just) American. Another common question I receive is, “Do you speak Chinese?” Although I am Chinese, I am also adopted. And although my adoptive mom is half Chinese, she never learned the vernacular. So, my answer to this question is always no. My answer, no matter what race the questioner identifies as, always brings disappointment. My no means no possibility of a reply to the eager demand for me to, “Say something cool in Chinese!” But it also means no to the opportunity for someone to be able to communicate with me in the language they dream and think in. For their words to flow fluidly and their tongue to taste the familiar dialect they know so well. To be able to share secrets that only we can hear. Though, there are two sides to this assumed foreignness, just as there are two labels within my cultural identity. The label perpetual foreigner isn’t just a reminder that “you are not one of us,” but it serves as a reminder of the distance that each of those cultural labels create. Visually, an Asian-American is not American and culturally, they are not Asian. This sense of cultural disconnection creates common ground for deemed perpetual foreigners, one where they can identify their differences, but also share the difference others see in them. Their ignorance is our inside joke. We may not know it, but we all understand it. Editors: Lang D., Joyce P., Leila W. Photo credit

my heart is too big for my chest and you smile like the world isn’t ending soon catch stars as they fall in the west sky and i wanna bleed till i’m empty too / / where are you? this city is a planet / radioactive and my parents wonder why i’m acting out fissile skin / summer sin / things that split uncontrollably making stars out of chain reactions darling / i need things / to hang on the ceiling i’m bored / wanting / more early mornings / learning warnings off my bedroom floor the walls are too close to touch and nobody here talks much i hate the quiet just like i miss home this city is all panic / stirred out of static burning houses leaking at the mouth fickle rain / running paint / think i wait for you constantly paper hearts drying in the bathtub darling / i need things / to cover cracks in the ceiling i won’t / watch them / grow early mornings / searching warnings for things i don’t know maybe i want too much and pretty things hurt to touch i love the broken glass like i loved you this city is erratic / it looks like your absence i think the sadness is a habit now i grab the sun on its way down ’cause darling / i need things / to leave on the ceiling and your / boarded / door early mourning / curdling warnings just beneath my pores fissile skin / running thin / and my hands full of you and me making stars out of chain reactions Editors: Claudia S., Leila W.

i. Being at school from 6 am to 5 pm, carrying family expectations as well as our status as a sandwich generation, and a burning desire to achieve more: being one of the many ambitious Indonesian students is a story that has not yet been explained to the whole world. Each one of us possesses the thirst to fly, to spread our wings, and to sharpen our blades. Drawn in ecstatic, for whom are we trying to prove ourselves? Is it social expectations or just to feed our hunger to explore the world? ii. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In Indonesia, the equivalent proverb would be “Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit di junjung tinggi” or “Where the earth is trodden, there the sky is held high”. It simply advises us to follow the local norms, and be respectful towards the local communities and their beliefs. To live here means to live in a world full of culture and traditions, where we need to follow the rules not merely due to obedience but also due to respect and acceptance. From Sabang to Merauke, we are more than 5000 kilometers away, with different languages, different cultures and traditions, but we still consider ourselves as one. iii. Is Indonesia located in Bali? This question, honestly, makes us bloated. But we replied with a smile, sometimes with a small laugh, “No, Bali is actually located in Indonesia instead.” Perhaps, mayhaps, we are not that well known. But we exist, we strive, and we roam to prove ourselves, to level up ourselves. iv. To represent and uplift our country is not an option, it is a need. Tell me, how do you define a stereotypical Indonesian student? A thousand reasons to give up, but I choose to stand still. Unwavering. Carrying the voice of my people to be recognized. Terbang dan mengangkasa, to fly to the sky. Editors: Uzayer M., Alisha B., Blenda Y.

Skipping verses Jump Across the galaxy Skipping stones across The pond Splashing waves, Ripple across your face Words that sing From your lips, red Waves emanate Softly pushing Air across The vacuum Of space Silence, gentle, violent, ominous Waves that spread Words that sing From your lips, blue Kissed by death The ice that brushes Your skin Gently, Gripping Your cells, tearing Membrane, skin Ending, you You, you You, deep down Into abyss, Strange, the verse The multiverse Multiple verses Skipping across The pond, the lake Ripples in water Still Kiss, Blue lips Red lips Reality Fractures.

On February 1, 2023, in Yogyakarta, Indonesian icon of LGBTQIA+ rights and trans woman Shina Ratri passed away at the age of 60. Ratri was known as a leader of an Islamic boarding school and provided safety for trans women. According to the New York Times, she passed away due to a heart attack. Ratri transitioned as a teenager and has since been a key figure that has demonstrated how Indonesian individuals can practice their faith regardless of cis-heteronormative expectations. In 2008 with two colleagues, Ratri founded Pesantren Wariah al-Fatah, a school and simultaneous safe space for transgender women to have in a largely Muslim region where men and women often pray separately at Mosques. Researcher Kyle Knight had sat down with Ratri to talk about militant Islamists who forced her to shut down the school during the ‘fever pitch’ of an anti-LGBTQIA+ campaign that started in 2016 in Indonesia. Knight reported that in February, the Islamic Jihad Front (FJI) demanded for the school to be closed down. “Two nights later, the FJI summoned Ratri to the community meeting hall. [...] “I told them about how Islam accommodates diversity: people with disabilities, waria [trans women], all kinds of people deserve Allah’s love,” Ratri explained. “I recited passages of the Qur’an, and explained how we teach waria [the Indonesian word for trans woman] how to face death as Muslims, how to pray as Muslims. I told them about how I was a boy when I was born, but my soul is that of a woman.” (Knight, 2016). Many Indonesian individuals cherish the impact that Shinta had on LGBTQIA+ rights and the safety of transgender women to practice their religion in a safe space without discrimination. This is especially needed after a new law was passed in Indonesia in December 2022 that reportedly banned sex outside of marriage with additional limitations on free speech. This new rule can oppress transgender women and same-sex couples who are legally forbidden to marry. Therefore, Shinta’s school is even more needed for trans women and couples to be safe from anti-LGBTQIA+ oppression. According to Italian photographer Fulvia Bugani, who lived with waria in the school for almost three weeks in 2015, “They come to Yogyakarta just because they know about this school. [...] they know that there they can pray and live like a woman in a good atmosphere”. It is an achievement for the school to be recognized by the many that need or respect its purpose and bring hope for people to continue using the spaces she cultivated for safety and inclusive faith. Shinta has demonstrated an inclusive and open heart for people regardless of gender or sexuality. In October 2021 on the Metro TV talk show “Kick Andy”, Shinta stated that “it is our destiny to be waria; it is not a choice” (Knight, 2016). For many transgender Indonesian individuals, it may be comforting to know you do not hurt your faith for who you are – being Muslim and being LGBTQIA+ is a valid experience. Our condolences and rest well, Shinta. Editors: Danielle C., Lang D., Joyce P., Leila W. Photo Credits: La Prensa Latina Bilingual Media

* The land of temples, Tamil Nadu﹘ Reverberation deep in my heart, From the bells and the chants That echo through the hollow halls * The country of agriculture, India﹘ Loam and dirt under my feet, For the coconut trees tenderly planted That give coconut tender so sweet ~ It’s in my blood To care about Mother Earth As the divine spirit, a goddess; To take her abundant riches graciously And consume with mindfulness: Supporting my being ~ It’s in my blood To care for one another As godly, spirits meant to meet; To center people and community Around what makes our life full: Solace, Soil, & Soul Cover Photo Source: Amy Adejokun, easyvoyage.co.uk

The 2022 G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, was successfully held on November 15–16, 2022 and marked the end of President Joko Wido of Indonesia’s presidency in G20. As the the most-awaited annual agenda of the G20 itself, this global scale summit was attended by the representatives of 17 out of 20 members of the G20 including the United States President Joe Biden, China’s President Xi Jinping, and the European Union’s President Corales Michel, as well as other leaders and representative delegates from each country and institution. One of the many outcomes of the summit was the G20 Bali Leaders’ Declaration, which highlights aspects of global economic stability, recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change issues, and many more topics. Apart from the fruitful political discussion and resolution presented by each member’s representative during the summit, one interesting aspect found at the event was during the Gala Dinner. As a multicultural country, the vivacious cultural performance that was conducted at the Gala Dinner showed the grandeur and diversity of Indonesia’s culture, gaining many positive responses from the G20 delegates. Notably, at the Gala Dinner, the majority of the attendees were dressed in Batik, Indonesia’s traditional attire. Wearing the cultural clothing of the host country has always been a part of the G20 Summit tradition, however, given the public nature of the Gala Dinner, this detail regarding the Batik dress code has garnered much public attention online, and even some controversy. One thing that has quite provocatively raised Indonesian netizens’ tension was some of the snide comments from people who were unaware of Indonesian culture and Batik itself: “What on earth are they wearing,” “Why are they all dressed the same,” “What’s with the ‘weird clothes’ they’re wearing?” Many Indonesian netizens snapped back after reading these comments, resulting in some apology statements and clarifications from the people who made the snide remarks about Batik. Getting to Know More About Batik As one of Indonesia's many traditional fashions, Batik is a pictorial cloth, both an art and a craft, that is made explicitly by applying wax and dye to the material and being processed in a certain way. This particular fabric art technique is quite similar to various cultures around the world; its history can be traced back more than 1,500 years ago from Ancient Egypt, Nigeria, India, Sri Lanka, China, and many other regions. That said, Batik is an art form from a rich and long acculturation process. In Indonesia, the Batik art has been traced to have evolved from Java, as the word Batik originates from the Javanese word “tik” which means to dot. Among all the traditional clothing that each country in Indonesia has, Batik is the most widely known attire and is the nation’s national costume. Interestingly, each region has its own take on Batik, especially the pattern, which may show different philosophical meaning and uniqueness than other areas. Despite the regional differences, Batik always has a special meaning for Indonesians. The Art of Being Kind and Respectful The Batik polemic at the 2022 G20 Bali Summit that occurred on the internet, highlights how important it is to always respect others’ cultures. It is vital to be understanding and especially mindful when facing new ideas and cultural values from other countries. Editors: Alisha B., Phoebe H. Photo credit: South China Morning Post

In 2016, the coming-of-age comedy, The Edge Of Seventeen, filled the hearts of lost teens across the nation. The film follows a 'seventeen' year old girl named Nadine, played by Hailee Steinfeld, who is burdened by the loss of her dad and fails to understand and accept herself and therefore those around her. One of the misunderstood characters who cross her path is Korean-American teen, Erwin Kim, who is played by Chinese-Canadian actor Hayden Chun Hay Szeto. Erwin approaches Nadine with a crush, but instead of accepting his feelings, Nadine 'crushes' them. While Erwin is a fictional character, (and we don't need more of them to fall in love with) he is a boy that deserves more love and appreciation for his efforts-- and not just from Nadine. He's a talented guy with a quirky, sometimes awkward, personality. He is bold in expressing his feelings, yet respectful and understanding; even when he fails to make a move on the ferris wheel, he makes up for it by stopping the entire ride to end Nadine’s (and his) embarrassment. Throughout the film, Nadine discovers more about herself and Erwin, learning that he is a very talented cartoonist and animator. The film ends with Nadine attending her school’s film festival, which features Erwins animated short that happens to be based on Nadine’s rejection. Erwin Kim is an underrated breakthrough character for Asian representation, being a forerunner for male, Asian love interests. Additionally, Erwin’s character could also stand as a metaphor for how Asian actors have been overlooked and not taken seriously in Hollywood. Throughout the film, Nadine only sees Erwin as the “Korean guy from Chem Class” (which was how Erwin was originally introduced in the 2011 draft of the script) and makes many degrading, stereotypical comments at him. After interacting with Erwin for the first time, Nadine insists to her best friend, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), that she “would freaking love him” and that he’s adorable. Krista then asks, “So are you going to hook up with him?” To clear up any confusion, Nadine immediately clarifies, “No not like that, like pathetic adorable. Like, I want to carry him around in a baby bjorn.” Later in the film, after Erwin apologizes for his failed attempt to kiss Nadine on the ferris wheel, she explains how she isn’t ready and that she’s been going through a lot lately. Being the understanding guy he is, Erwin reassures her and apologizes again. We then finally hear Nadine acknowledge Erwin’s kind heart by saying, “You’re a really great guy Erwin.” However, the compliment is completely killed when she starts to unpack what she meant: “I look at you and I just see this really, really, really old man…I just, I see this very kind, very gentle, very wise, old man. In a convalescent home, in a wheelchair.” All of these comments from Nadine display how she does not take Erwin romantically or seriously as an individual, similar to how Hollywood hadn’t taken male, Asian love interests seriously till the rise of Henry Golding in Crazy Rich Asians. But just like Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick and Jimmy Oh Yang in Love Hard, even after rejection Erwin pulls through and proves to both Nadine and the audience that he deserves better. However, unlike the alien in his short film, Erwin gives Nadine a second chance. Erwin’s development in the film is a true victory, shedding light on the potential of Asian love interests. However, Erwin’s story didn’t always end with a complete win. In addition to just being the ‘Korean guy from Chem,’ in the 2011 version of the script, titled “Besties,” Erwin never achieves the high ground, but is resolved as a mere afterthought. At the beginning of this version, Nadine confronts Erwin’s crush head-on, telling him “I don't really see you like that. Like at all.” Even with this automatic rejection, Erwin continues to be a good friend to Nadine by listening to her never-ending rants, letting her copy his homework, and even allowing her to use her stress as an excuse for why their relationship is one-sided– framing Erwin with the Hollywood stereotype that portrays Asian men as docile push-overs. Still pursuing his crush, in addition to a kiss on the ferris wheel, Erwin also shoots his shot by asking Nadine to prom. With their primary meeting place being in chemistry class, Erwin presents his promposal by arranging his hairs on a microscope slide to spell out “WILL YOU PLEASE GO TO PROM WITH ME?” And as you might have guessed, Nadine says no. As a result, Erwin is crushed and later calls Nadine out on how selfish she’s been acting. Erwin and Nadine’s arc in this version of The Edge Of Seventeen ends with Nadine decorating Mrs. Kim’s van as an apology and reversing her answer to his promposal. The 2011 Erwin Kim is patronized by Nadine in the end and feels more like a pity date than an actual realization of Erwin’s awesomeness. The “Besties” version of Erwin’s character is more dependent on Nadine’s realization and appreciation for him, while the final 2016 film allows Erwin to make that realization for himself. This rewrite is huge and is part of what makes Erwin’s character so monumental: His ability to move on independently and even point out how he was hurt, not only to Nadine but to a whole film festival audience. Erwin Kim serves as a predecessor for the many male, Asian love interests we see today. He is a competent and willing guy who is independent of the female lead. Editors: Danielle C., Lang D., Cathay L., Joyce P., Leila W., Erika Y. Image Source: USA Today