Yehyun Kim’s ‘A Diaspora in Focus’ puts a lens on Connecticut residents with Asian roots

This hour, photo and video journalist Yehyun Kim joins us to discuss A Diaspora in Focus, a three-part project she launched for the Connecticut Mirror in 2023. The project was in response to landmark legislation passed in the state that will require public schools to offer Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, history.

Yehyun interviewed and photographed one resident from each of the 21 Asian ethnicities as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, and this included our very own Catherine Shen. This hour, she joins us to discuss this moving series for the Connecticut Mirror.

As Yehyun explained, "It would be impossible for any single project to capture the totality of the Asian American experience in the state. But, when woven together, the lives of the people represented here provide a glimpse into the richness and diversity of Connecticut’s Asian residents."

Jenny Heikkila Díaz, or JHD, also joins us, to discuss their role in the photo project, as well as the state's AAPI curriculum development.

GUESTS:

Yehyun Kim: Freelance Photo and Video Journalist

Jennifer Heikkila Díaz (JHD): Professional Development Coordinator, Connecticut Council for the Social Studies; Activist-in-Residence, UConn Asian and Asian American Studies Institute; Co-Chair, Asian Pacific American Coalition of CT; Co-Founder, aapiNHV; Steering Committee Member, Anti-Racist Teaching & Learning Collective

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