Sheena Carey welcomes Aki Alvarez, a 4th-year International Business and Information Systems major, in a discussion about the intricacies of identity and belonging. This episode will challenge your understanding of intersectionality and highlight the significance of representation and acceptance in educational spaces and beyond.

As a biracial, pansexual, and gender-fluid individual, Aki shares her challenges of navigating multiple identities and how her experiences at Marquette helped her build a sense of belonging. She speaks candidly about finding community, both at Marquette and abroad in England, and how these experiences have shaped her understanding of who she is.

Ever felt the pressure to "prove" your identity to others? Discover how Aki navigates this complexity and the strategies they use to maintain authenticity and self-worth.

Episode Highlights

09:03 - I feel like I've gotten to be more of a leader and I feel a little more appreciated because of all the different projects, groups, and clubs I've been a part of. I feel like it allows me these avenues to explore myself, but also to find a little bit of purpose. I've done some LGBTQ protests and found community in LGBTQ or POC spaces, which kind of validate me as well. Being active in those communities gives me purpose, but also makes me feel valid. I don't need to prove that I'm POC enough or trans enough or gay enough—it's validating. So, I think it really helps with my self-worth and whatnot.

16:19 - The world is a bit chaotic at the moment, especially American politics. I really hope it goes in a better direction for the majority of people. It seems like it's moving forward a little, then backwards a lot, and then forward a little, backwards a lot. So I hope things become easier for people of color and LGBTQ people in general. I really hope that, in a sense, something gets done properly.

18:13 - I wanted to talk about identity in a sentence, because I really did struggle with that. But I want people to take away that you don't have to prove your identity. If you're POC, if you're a woman, if you're LGBTQ in any capacity, you don't need to prove that you are those things. You can just say you are, and you shouldn't feel the need to prove it.

Interview

What is that story?

01:33 - I have many different identities. I’m pansexual, I’m under the trans umbrella, so I’m gender-fluid. I’m also biracial—I’m white and Filipino. I wanted to talk about how having these clashing or mixed identities can be a struggle.

How would you describe the path you're on right now and your journey overall?

02:24 - I still don’t 100% know exactly who I am in every aspect. Identity evolves with what you learn and go through. Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have identified as LGBTQ, but with time and experience, I’ve started to better understand who I am and that has guided me in what I want to do.

Where are you originally from?

03:22 - I’m originally from a really small town in Oregon called Myrtle Point. People have probably never heard of it, but it’s really out in the middle of nowhere.

In what ways does the theme of the mural project resonate for you? How does it speak to you?

03:48 - When I toured Marquette, the mural was still being painted, but it was mostly done. I thought it was really neat to see because I came from a place with very little diversity—there were only three Asians, and two of them were my brother and me. Seeing more diversity so visibly displayed was really cool for me. I didn’t want to go to university in Oregon because I wanted to experience newer people and more diversity. In Oregon, there aren’t many international students or people from all over America at the universities. I wanted something like Marquette, in the middle of a big city, where I could meet all sorts of people from around the world. Seeing the mural reassured me that I would get what I was looking for.

Do you feel you've gotten what you were looking for?

05:38 - Yeah. I was able to build a pretty good sense of community at Marquette. I met a lot of people in the LGBTQ community, which helped me figure out who I was. I also met international students from all over, and that helped me understand more about where I belong.

How are you experiencing yourself being in England?

06:25 - I wanted to study abroad to get more experiences, meet new people, and experience different cultures. I really wanted to understand what it would be like to go to university in England. I’m having a fairly similar experience to what I had at Marquette. But being an American in England is interesting because people often ask, 'Oh, so are you American?' It’s a bit weird to have people point that out. I sometimes think about saying I’m Canadian since they can’t really tell the difference, but I usually just say I’m American.

What has been Marquette's impact on the lives of women of color?

07:59 - From what I’ve seen, it’s gotten a bit better. They definitely provide more opportunities for younger women of color, especially through clubs and student organizations. These spaces allow people to build a community, take on leadership roles, and organize things. I think that’s a pretty nice opportunity that Marquette offers.

What are some ways that Marquette has impacted your sense of self-worth?

09:01 - I feel like I’ve been able to become more of a leader and feel appreciated. Being part of different projects, groups, and clubs has given me purpose. I’ve participated in LGBTQ protests and found community in both LGBTQ and POC spaces. It validates me and makes me feel like I don’t need to prove I’m "POC enough, trans enough, or gay enough." So, I think it really helps with my self-worth and whatnot.

Are there some women of color that have served as inspiration for you?

10:33 - I would say I had three, but I can only remember two right now. I grew up watching Zendaya and Selena Gomez. They really inspired me because I kind of wanted to be an actor when I was younger, but I didn’t pursue that. I just thought it was really neat that they had the opportunity. Zendaya, especially, has built a really big career, and she’s in a lot of my favorite movies, like Dune.

Did you see Malcolm and Marie? She was in that.

11:36 - Yeah. She’s been in a lot of really cool things recently, like Spider-Man and whatnot. It’s really neat to see someone I looked up to when I was younger being in things that I love and still really like.

Is there something about the way they’re navigating their worlds that speaks to you?

12:01 - Yeah, I identified with Zendaya because one of her parents is white and one is Black, which is similar to my family. I remember seeing her talk about that when I was younger, and it resonated with me. It was neat to see her struggle with the idea of having two sides.

What are some of the ways that you've experienced these feelings, thoughts, and actions? In other words, how do you take care of yourself? What's your approach or your orientation toward healing and wellness?

13:32 - I try to stop doing classwork and worrying about things after a certain time and just clear my head. I don’t think it’s healthy to stress all the time. I also do Tai Chi, which is like yoga and meditation combined. It’s a nice way to relax, though I haven’t done it much while I’ve been in England.

What impact do you hope to have on other women of color?

14:56 - I hope I can inspire people to be more confident and set boundaries. Friends have told me that I inspire them to be more confident. Just by being myself and believing in myself, I hope others feel inspired to be themselves too.

Just simply by being, right?

15:55 - Yeah. Just by being myself and not caring too much about what other people think, I hope it inspires others to be themselves.

What are your hopes for the future--your future, Marquette's future, and the future of other women of color?

16:17 - The world is chaotic right now, especially with American politics. I hope things go in a better direction, particularly for people of color and LGBTQ people. I hope things get easier for them in the future.

Is there a role you'd like to play in that?

17:07 - When I was in America, I did some activism, like little protests. But it can feel a bit hopeless at times. I think there needs to be a really established group of people if real change is going to happen. I would do it, but I don’t have the resources for that. I don’t have the time or the money, but I hope someone does organize something like that.

What would you like our community to know about you and your journey?

18:12 - I really wanted to talk about identity because I struggled with it. But what I want people to take away is that you don’t have to prove your identity. If you’re a person of color, a woman, or part of the LGBTQ community, you don’t need to prove that you are those things. You can just say you are, and that should be enough. I felt like I had to prove my identity in many parts of my life, but I want others to know they don’t have to justify who they are.

Did you have to sort of explain why you are here?

19:12 - Yeah. In some sense, it feels like you have to prove to other people that you are the way you are. You have to be like, "Yeah, this is who I am,"' and keep trying to convince others to believe you. But I don’t think you need other people to believe you. You should just be able to say who you are, and it should be accepted.

Contact Information:

http://www.marquette.edu/diversity/

Credits:

The Our Roots Say That We're Sisters Podcast series was recorded and produced by Podcast Town (www.podcasttown.net)