“Where are you from?” is a familiar question to most Asian Americans. This seemingly innocuous question dangerously stereotypes Asian Americans as the perennial other - a stereotype that has been lethal to Asians all throughout history and fuels the rise of anti-Asian hate in recent years.

To counter the harm, “In Our Own Words” elevates the lived experiences of the Harvard Asian diaspora through the power of narratives.

As part of Harvard's ArtsFirst Initiative and on the first day of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we had four storytellers share parts of their lived journeys on stage in front of a live audience. The event was also livestreamed and recorded.