The Mountain Stories Podcast

In our final (for now) episode of our collaboration with Dr. Xiumei Pu on her project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," We talk with Margaret Yee. The project is supported by a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant and is anchored in the theme of mountains. It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

Margaret Yee is an energetic life force. She has dedicated herself to serving the Asian community for over 55 years. She is the Co-founder of Chinese Railroad Worker Descendent Associations( CRWDA )and has brought the Asian community together to celebrate their culture and heritage through various events, as well as, to gain recognition for their achievements (both historical and present).

She has served on numerous boards and committees at the Federal and State level, including being the Governor’s advisor for Asian Affairs for the State of Utah 1989-1998; Utah’s Transcontinental Railroad 150th Celebration Commission 2018-2019; Advisor for Chinese American Heritage Foundation 2019-present; Advisor for Chinese New year celebration committee 2019-present; Advisor for Yee Fong Toy Benevolent Association of Utah, 2008-present; Advisor for Millcreek Seniors center 2014- 2019; One of the founding board members for the Asian Festival and served on the board for the last 45 years (which is the longest continually running festival west of Mississippi) 1976-present; Board member Multi- Ethnic Business Committee, Salt Lake City, Ut 1997-1999; Board member Salt Lake county Economic Development Loan committee,1987-1992; Board member Utah Pacific Rim Business Council 1992-1993; Oversea Chinese Affairs Commission 1988-1994; Board member International trade committee, SL Chamber of commerce 1997-1999; Board member Salt Lake Sister City serving 1993-present; President of the Chinese Seniors United Association of Utah, 2018-present at the community level.

Awards received include Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Utah Organization of Chinese Americans ( UOCA) 2011; Outstanding Business Owner Award presented by the Utah Asian Chamber of Commerce, 2009; Humanitarian Award by the Salt Lake City Police Department, 2005; Philanthropy Award by Easter Seals of Utah,2001; Governor’s Golden Service Award for 30 Years Outstanding Service by Governor Michael Leavitt, 1997; Outstanding Contribution and Community Service Award by A.A.U. Utah, 1990; Outstanding Achievement and Leadership Award by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and the Utah Minority Bar Association,1993; “Once In A Hundred Award” by Utah Centennial, Salt Lake County 1996; Raymond S. Uno Legacy Special Achievement Award 2018

In addition to her extensive community involvement, Margaret Yee is a successful business woman, conducting business internationally, as well as co-owning the iconic Jade Café for 56 years at the same location, which was the longest operating Chinese Restaurant in State of Utah and being the Co- founder/partner of the first Gourmet Chinese Restaurant in the state of Utah and being the Co-founder/partner of the first Chinese food wholesale Grocery in the state of Utah.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Header image: cross the Continent. The snow sheds on the Central Pacific Railroad in the Sierra Nevada Mountains." Originally printed in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Vol. 29, February 6, 1870, p. 346.

Special Guest: Margaret Yee.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

Links:

• Terrace Population - 0: Utah State Historical Preservation Office — Hustling and bustling to starkly quiet, the life of one of Utah's largest railroad towns of the 1870s-1890s remains part of the historical and archaeological record.

We continue our collaboration with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant anchored in the theme of mountains. It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

In this episode, we talk with Otolose Fahina Tavake-Pasi. Fahina has been the Executive Director of the National Tongan American Society (NTAS) since 2003 where she developed programs that help thousands of Pacific Islanders in Utah to healthier lifestyles, increased civic engagement, obtain citizenship, access higher education, address social justice issues and cultural preservation Before joining NTAS, Fahina worked for 9 years for the University of Utah (UofU) as an Academic Advisor. Her degrees include: Degrees include AA in Aeronautics from the College of San Mateo, CA, BA in Sociology, MS in Health Promotion and Education, both from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. She has received many leadership awards and have served on international, national, state and local board of directors and advisory committees.

Fahina was born in Tatakamotonga, Tonga, grew up in San Mateo, California, and now resides in Salt Lake City, Utah with her family.

The poeple of Tonga are on our minds this week following the recent volcano eruption and the subsequent tsunami. We've included some links below, including an interview with Fahina about the tragedy, an article about how it has impacted people here in the Salt Lake Valley, and a way to make a donation to support the people of Tonga.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Otolose Fahina Tavake-Pasi.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

Links:

• Fundraiser by National Tongan America Society : Help to Tonga Tsunami
• NTAS | National Tongan American Society | United States
• Utah Tongan community waiting for answers after tsunami
• ‘An atomic bomb type of eruption’: Tongans anxiously waiting to hear from family after disaster | ABC4 Utah
• Utah families wait for word from Tonga after communication disruptions | KUTV

We continue our collaboration with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant anchored in the theme of mountains. It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

In this episode, we talk with Catherine Elizabeth Seali'itualemalietoa To'omalatai Figiel. Catherine is a Samoan, Polish, and a Park Cook Islander. She was born in Samoa and moved to Utah in 2012. She is interested in international studies, linguistics, and communication, and hopes to participate in community activities and cultivate and inspire change in our Asian Pacific Islander communities.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Catherine Elizabeth Seali'itualemalietoa To'omalatai Figiel.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast, a documentary, and a series of story tellling events, the next of which will be a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

This week we're sharing Obaid Barakzai's story. Obaid Barakzai is originally from Kabul, Afghanistan. He is Afghan by nationality, Pashtun by ethnicity, and a mountaineer by heart. He has a special profound connection with the mountains in Utah because they remind him of home. He is now a rising senior studying International Political Economy (IPE) with Honors at Westminster College. He has been passionately involved on campus, including as Student Body President for the 2020-2021 school academic year. He is passionate about equity and inclusion efforts on campus and beyond and loves mountaineering, learning languages, and making all kinds of tea.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Obaid Barakzai.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

Links:

• Dashboard

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast, a documentary, and a series of story tellling events, the next of which will be a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

This week we're sharing Anda Xie's story. Anda is a 7th grade student at West High School. He enjoyed acting and doing improv before COVID, and now he enjoys hiking in the mountains and playing WarThunder. He is Chinese American. He loves celebrating his heritage in many ways, especially Chinese food. He is an aspiring entrepreneur and has made quite a sum ($50) by dabbing the food and stock market (selling Kit-Kats and buying one stock of Activision since he likes Call of Duty). He hopes you enjoy his episode of the podcast.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Anda Xie.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

Links:

• How to Format a Hard Drive For Both Windows and Mac | Laptop Mag
• la vuelta stage 3 map - Google Search
• Mail - Brent Olson - Outlook

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast, a documentary, and a series of story tellling events, the next of which will be a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

This week we're sharing Prashanti Limbu's story. Prashanti describes herself like this:

I am from Nepal and currently an international student at Westminster College. I like to learn more about people, cultures, and places to broaden my knowledge and understanding of the world we live in. I want to work towards protecting the environment and reversing climate change. In order to bring change, I believe that we can work both individually and collectively towards changing the world for the better. Being an international student and pursuing my undergraduate research, I believe in working with harmony and peace and being open to advice and different opinions. When working with others collectively, I want to make sure everyone is heard and respected. I think that education is important and like someone said no one can steal our education or knowledge from us I want to relearn and remember Indigenous knowledge and local knowledge that's spread and apply that outside of academia. Believing this I am studying abroad away from home and that is why I conducted the research “Mountain Time and Beyond” under the supervision of Dr Xiumei Pu . I want to advocate for clean energy use and recycling and was fortunate enough to conduct the first thrift store on campus in my freshman year. Fun fact: I have a twin sister.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Prashanti Limbu.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast and a documentary, a storytelling-conversation cultural event (June 26, 2021), and a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

Nikki Navio (she/her) was born on Panay Island in the Philippines. At seven years old she immigrated to the United States and settled on Dena'ina Lands of Anchorage, Alaska with her family. Water and mountains have been an important fixture growing up in the Philippines and Alaska. Nikki finds healing, joy, and freedom in the mountains while also remembering the cultural importance of respecting the weather and landscapes she visits. She is currently a Transportation Planner at the Wasatch Front Regional Council, where her days are dedicated to working with communities and alongside partners to plan for better regional transportation mobility in the Wasatch Front. Nikki holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Alaska Fairbanks and a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Nikki Navio.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

Links:

• Radical Adventure Riders – Movement towards gender inclusivity & racial equity in the bicycle adventure community. — Our mission is moving towards enhancing gender inclusivity and racial equity in the bicycle and outdoor adventure scene. We do this by providing connection, education, resources, and support for the community.
• Pixie & The Partygrass Boys

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast and a documentary, a storytelling-conversation cultural event (June 26, 2021), and a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

Kripa Thapa recently graduated from the Master's program in geography and Geographic Information Science master's student from the University of Utah (UofU). Over the two-year run, she worked under the supervision of Dr. Summer Rupper. During my first year, she was recognized as a Graduate Fellow under the Global Change and Sustainability Center (GCSC) at the UofU. In her second year, I was engaged as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for Geography Department. Currently, she is working as a Research Assistant (RA) at the Snow and Ice Lab, UofU.

Besides these engagements over the past two years, she conducted my research titled "Assessment of mountain water supply and storage at sub-basin scale in Nepal". The study aims to elucidate the primary drivers of water vulnerability in the mountain ecosystems of Nepal and provide a framework to help combat potential water scarcity that will be of interest to policymakers and researchers in the long run.

In August, Kripa will be pursuing an internship – with the Software Products Team at ESRI, one of the world's leading GIS software companies

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Kripa Thapa.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast and a documentary, a storytelling-conversation cultural event (June 26, 2021), and a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

Kevin Nguyen (he/him) is a resident of West Valley, child of an immigrant family, community advocate, and avid outdoorsman. He was born and raised here in Salt Lake City, where he attended the University of Utah for both his graduate and undergraduate degree in Public Health and Exercise Science. Kevin believes that everyone has such a potential to change the lives of others for the better and works to serve his community wherever possible. Growing up through the “struggles”, he personally knows the challenges and understands how the power of community when everyone comes together to help one another. When he isn’t involved in his work, he spends his time exploring our wonderful mountains on his mountain bike or on foot during rescue operations as a Squad Leader with Salt Lake County’s Search and Rescue team.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Kevin Nguyen.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

This summer we are collaborating with Dr. Xiumei Pu in her Project, "Mountains and Stories: Building Community Among Asian and Pacific Islander Refugee and Immigrant Families in Salt Lake Valley," with the support of a Whiting Public Engagement Programs Seed Grant. Anchored in the theme of mountains, the project consists of a twelve-part podcast and a documentary, a storytelling-conversation cultural event (June 26, 2021), and a group hike in the Wasatch Mountains (October 23, 2021). It is our hope that these efforts will amplify the environmental voices of Asian and Pacific Islander refugee and immigrant communities, and spark more public interest in thinking about the connection between culture, identity, and the natural environment. You can listen to previous episodes here on the IMR Podcast website.

At the heart of the project is a podcast series featuring the life and work of twelve storytellers who come from a range of age groups, occupations, and ethnic and racial backgrounds. Some of them are born in the United States; many of them are born in another Asian country or Pacific Island and immigrated to the US at a young age. Their stories show fascinating complexities of immigration routes and histories, incredible cultural richness and resilience, and long-lasting contributions of the Asian and Asian Pacific Islander communities to the social life and cultural landscapes of Salt Lake Valley and the broader Utah.

You can register for the June 26th event via this google form.

Jake Fitisemanu was born in New Zealand/Aotearoa to Karen Dang (Kaimukī, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi) and Jacob Fitisemanu Sr. (Falefā, ʻUpolu, Sāmoa) and raised in Hawaiʻi and Utah. Jake holds a master's degree in Public Health from Westminster College (Salt Lake City, UT) and has led public health programs in the Utah Department of Health for nine years. He was appointed by President Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in 2015 and was also appointed to the US Census National Advisory Committee for two terms. Jake has chaired the Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition since 2011 and is currently a director of the national Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum and a member of the Huntsman Cancer Institute Community Advisory Board. He lives with his wife and two daughters in West Valley City where he serves as a member of the City Council and chair of the Healthy West Valley initiative.

Jeff Nichols and Brent Olson co-direct the Institute for Mountain Research and our 2018-2019 Mountain Fellows are Katie Saad and Naomi Shapiro. Our theme song is “Home” by Pixie and the Partygrass Boys.. As Naomi likes to say, “They are awesome and you should check them out.”

The Institute for Mountain Research is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone Peoples.

Special Guest: Jake Fitisemanu.

Sponsored By:

• Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Institute for Mountain Research is housed at Westminster College, at the base of the Wasatch Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah. At Westminster, You are someone who is always looking to get more out of life, who yearns for the freedom to explore. You want your college experience to be someplace where you matter. Where your education isn’t just about landing your first job, it’s about starting a meaningful life.
• The Whiting Public Engagement Programs: The Whiting Public Engagement Programs, including the Public Engagement Fellowship and the Public Engagement Seed Grant, celebrate and empower humanities faculty who embrace public engagement as part of their scholarly vocation. They fund ambitious, often collaborative projects to infuse into public life the richness and nuance that give the humanities their lasting value.

Links:

• Lion Dance | Utah | Jung Hing Lion Dance Crew | United States | Lion Dance — We're a group dedicated to preserving and sharing Chinese culture through the ancient art of traditional southern lion dance. From the vibrant music to the agile kicks and jumps of the lions, crowds loves the energy our crew brings to celebrations.
• Pixie and the Partygrass Boys — Awesome, Local, Playing shows soon.