The Trait I Get From My Grandmother showcases the generational trauma that can get passed down through generations. I wanted to share my grandmother´s experience of being forced to move away from the U.S during World War 2 because of her Japanese heritage. Now as someone living in the U.S I have recognized my privilege and have analyzed our two very different experiences. In the poem I note the similarities and how my family´s history has affected me. Water Under the Bridge is about my experience being a multi-ethnic person specifically a Chinese-Japanese person. It displays the inner conflict that can happen especially when one side of your family was part of the oppressors and the other side was part of the oppressed. The matter is complicated further when you have assimilated to a different country and don´t have good connections with either sides of your heritage.

My goal for this piece is to narrate the struggles my parents went through and how that correlates to my current life. My father is an immigrant from Mexico and my mother is a first generation Mexican-American. I wanted to paint a picture of my current life in the US as a girl living with two parents of Mexican descent. I aimed to highlight the differences in my life compared to the experiences of my parents and put a spin on the typical "American Dream" by describing my experience as a Mexican-American in this generation. This piece is a testament to my roots through the collision of two vastly different worlds coming together to create a beautiful blend of ideals, culture, and love.

To Inhabit Our Inheritance is a collection of three poems I wrote across time and space. These words drifted to me in minutes, hours, or days, and I crafted these pieces with the intent of translating my thoughts and experiences of living on this planet into personal art. Although two of the poems were written with an English class in mind, I aimed to develop authentic representations of a life very much attuned to nature and culture, with little revision. The collection begins with “coast creature,” a musing on the shoreline, both a border and a bridge. I wrote this on the Hawaiian island of Maui during the devastating wildfires in August, and the reality at the time may have prompted me to poetically preserve the island’s vibrancy. “Land of Vital Blood” is a poem I wrote for my current English class, and I wanted to express the broad and complex identity that is America. I refer to my own identity, being a person of color descended from immigrants. I composed “Our Garden Aflame” in my sophomore English class, getting the chance to perform it aloud since then. So much passion is embedded within, with hints of Napa Valley and its own history of wildfire. I like to imagine this piece illuminating the truths of climate change and the state of our society. Ultimately, with To Inhabit Our Inheritance, creativity called me to shape my perceptions of Earth and its human residents into words of candor, concern, and curiosity.

"High Noon" is one of a series of songs I have written recently as I experiment with alternative storytelling in my songwriting. "High Noon" takes inspiration from Folk, Rock, and Country genres, and was an exciting song to write.

As I’ve gotten older and began to see the end of my high school years in the distance, I’ve found it impossible to ignore the concrete and abstract ideas of college and adulthood. It is a hard task to reconcile growing up with your responsibility and love for your family. I have three brothers, and I hope that even as our paths diverge, we remain close. This piece is speculative and attempts to address many of these themes and fears that have been occupying my mind.

I wrote this poem as a catharsis after asking out my first real crush in sophomore year and getting rejected. This poem is meant to chronicle our continuing relationship over the years and my love journey. It focuses especially on our shared passion: dancing, the activity where I discovered I had feelings for her. I admired her confidence and passion on stage and became inspired to become a better dancer myself. We started off as classmates, then friends over freshman year and eventually, I started liking her romantically. As I was one of the few guys in the dance program, we quickly bonded and found we had several things in common, such as humor, music, and especially dancing. As a ghazal-ish type piece, this poem details not only the rejection, but also the depth of my feelings for my crush. I wanted a canvas to express this novel experience for myself and poetry provided that outlet.

I wrote this poem during school as I watched all my fellow classmates staring at their phones, waiting for the bell to ring. I’ve thought a lot about how impactful access to social media is to my generation, and nearing the end of the poem, I also started to think about how this issue has broadened to the rest of the world. I wrote the end thinking about my late nights in bed when I would lay under my covers with my phone in the “rotate lock” position. I used to doom scroll because it was one of the only things that helped me destress. I began with the term “sometimes,” to illustrate how easy it is to get comfortable with these routines. And those times when the screen “goes dark” and loads for half a second, I see myself in the reflection of the screen, and I’m confronted with myself. This poem is about losing my sense of self.

"The Plains" is a chamber piece written for violin, clarinet, cello, and piano. It is inspired by Willa Cather's novel, My Antonia, and by Nebraska where my father is from and where I have spent a lot of time.

This art was based off the idea of a moral struggle that takes the form of a police officer arresting a man he knows is innocent. I chose this specifically because of how much hangs on the police to do the right thing. We trust police to carry weapons that could kill someone with the push of a trigger and a pair of handcuffs that take away the freedom of any human being they rest upon.

The intense fixation on grades not only limits the focus on academic success but also severely impacts students' psychological health and identity formation. This grade obsession, often starting in the early years of high school, transforms education into a stressful competition, overshadowing the joy and purpose of learning. Students begin to equate their self-worth with their academic performance, leading to increased anxiety, depression, and a distorted self-image. This unhealthy emphasis on grades forces students to prioritize their GPA over other aspects of their development. Extracurricular activities, which play a crucial role in building leadership, artistic, and athletic skills, are frequently sidelined. This singular focus on academic achievement leaves students ill-prepared for real-world challenges where diverse skills and adaptability are key. Moreover, the obsession with achieving the highest grades stifles creativity and critical thinking, as students become more concerned with memorizing information for tests rather than understanding and applying knowledge. Educational systems must, therefore, recalibrate their approach to assessment and success. It's essential to cultivate an environment where learning is valued for its own sake and diverse talents are recognized. This involves integrating various assessment methods that appreciate different learning styles and abilities, fostering a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape. Ultimately, broadening the definition of success in education to encompass a range of skills and qualities is essential in preparing students for both academic and real-life success, encouraging them to take pride in their achievements beyond the confines of a grade.

Biophilia is humanity's innate attraction to nature and the wild. However, as we in Western society have distanced ourselves from the wisdom of undeveloped wilderness, we have forfeited much of our connection to the wider world. Yet, just one moment between brothers is enough to revivify a dormant awareness and tender affection for the natural environment.

This solo entitled Natalie Don't was created as a piece for a recital. I heard this song while on Instagram. The next day I went into the dance studio and started creating movements to the song. Its about a situation where a friend tries to come between a love relationship. The song captures the intense emotions that come from jealousy and the desire to protect what is theirs.

This piece was performed by 4 friends at our school's candlelit All Saints Day Mass (the recording is of a dress rehearsal), fulfilling my intention that it be sung in ritual settings to better faciilitate listeners’ personal mourning.

The poem I wrote is about human nature on and in the internet, through bees and the setting as an extended metaphor. The first stanza is about the immortalizing effect of a photograph, likened to a pinned bug(bee) in a collection, and how it can be seen and twisted and paraded about for anyone’s gain. One could also infer extortion from the paragraph, and obsession with gratification that could come from attention. The second stanza is more about the overwhelming and infinitely sized forums of mass social media platforms, where it’s hard to find “water,” as in genuine and kind places. There’s an almost cursed nostalgia for the water, the past, which may or may not have existed. I’m a huge fan of open interpretation, though. What I wrote doesn’t have to be set in stone, and that’s something that I love about poetry - the fluidity. Please infer anything.

I had a particularly awful week leading to finals week, and realised that there is something incredibly wrong, when I can't feel for a fellow student, but cry over a moth.

The name of my piece is called "Atrapada", which is "trapped" in english; when I made this piece I knew I wanted I wanted to reference alcholosim. Which is my dancers are holding wine bottles as props.

As I crafted the story of Soc Trang, my aim was to unravel the intricacies of a city where cultures converge, creating a vibrant tapestry that transcends time. Through vivid descriptions and immersive storytelling, I aimed to transport readers into the heart of Soc Trang, allowing them to experience its rich heritage, festivals, and the warmth of its people.By intertwining historical landmarks, cultural practices, and modern developments, I endeavored to capture the essence of a city that cherishes its traditions while embracing progress. My narrative seeks to celebrate the beauty of diversity, inviting readers to explore Soc Trang's unique charm and the stories embedded within its streets.Through this piece, I aspire to evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the cultural mosaic that defines Soc Trang, inviting readers to embark on a journey that transcends geographical boundaries and spans across generations.

Three poems are included, with the first poem "WHEN I AM DEAD" dedicated to my immigrant mother who always read me bedtime stories in her broken English growing up. I wanted to highlight the irony of how I have become a poet, whose world revolves around language and my only way of conveying my sincerity can not be understood by my own mother. I also wanted to highlight the seemingly never-ending barriers that come in between the mother and daughter relationships. "WITH THE LOVERS" speaks to the idea of wanting to be desired to be seen as a "proper woman" and going by all means to achieve that. The last poem, "YOU ARE GOOD CHILD" illustrates how young women and daughters of traditional households are expected to assume maternal roles, excel at everything, and work tirelessly for the benefit of the family without complaining. The poems dance around the topic of conformity in traditional households and the societal expectations on women.

Black Ghost is a piece I wrote mainly aiming to allow myself to come to terms with my experiences thus far as a young black girl in a Eurocentric world. I wrote it as a 15-minute free-write, which had the potential to be used in a production. It was not chosen, but I held onto it and added tweaks as I saw fit. The East Rises is a poem that I wrote for a commission during the summer of 2023. I was asked alongside two peers to write a piece about the sides of East Oakland and how the Black community has been impacted by its realities. This piece itself was written over the course of around two weeks, with suggestions from our creative director. The final product was never used in its entirety, but I wrote it with the energy of East Oakland in mind and for that reason, it is close to my heart.

This is a piece I wrote dedicated to my Oma (grandma) to celebrate her beautiful life and our loving connection. I wrote this poem right after making one of my weekly visits to my Oma's apartment in Oakland, and was inspired to compose an ode to her. My Oma was one of the main people who raised me, and is my biggest inspiration. She is currently in hospice for stage 4 cancer and dementia, and it has been incredibly painful to watch such a brilliant, bubbly person decline over the last few years. Even despite all she is going through, my Oma continues to inspire me and bring joy and laughter to every moment.