About Wena Teng
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Wena Teng studies History at Columbia University specializing in Political Economy. Born in Queens and raised in Asia, Wena’s transnational experience drives her advocacy for migration labor and diasporic communities. Wena has led the Urban Justice Center on policy campaigns to accommodate legal resources for street vendors and has provided policy recommendations on labor and trade as a White House Intern. She serves as Columbia University Senator and is a Truman Scholar, Laidlaw Scholar, and Research Assistant. Wena aspires to build inclusive migration policy as a clinical legal academic and elected policymaker. Wena is from the United States. |
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Week 6: I hope you enjoy my video! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rzV8hCaQjWZeh8DPzKFOmVkvGQz4Ih2i/view?usp=sharing
Hi Harrison, I loved your video recap! It sounds like you had an incredible time extending your project from last year to exploring tourism/sustainability practices.
Week Five:
What new skills and/or knowledge have you gained from your summer experience? Have you met anyone who has been instrumental in shaping/helping you conduct your project? Briefly, how has this person impacted you? What have you learned about leadership from this individual, and how might it influence your actions, work, and self in the future?
Since most of my responsibilities, this summer were to provide support for GOH's international conference on Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, I gained more knowledge on advocacy and policy through both an international and digital sense. Much of my knowledge about policy is either through physical interactions with communities or historical archives, but supporting the international conference provided me with a transnational approach to the legal and policy-based resources for victims of TFGBV. Since international mobilization is also contingent on different languages, time zones, different national approaches, and cultural gaps, learning how to mobilize digitally was a needed skill for future transnational leadership and a connected global community.
On a similar theme of global connection, I met another Laidlaw Scholar from the UK who was also doing their leadership in action at the Garden of Hope! Laidlaw Scholars are truly everywhere and it was a shock when we both learned about our shared program. My friend and fellow intern, Elly, worked on a separate program that GOH also hosts called Power Camp where girls from across Asia gather to network, learn, and discuss issues ranging from media literacy to body positivity with cultural sensitivity and gender awareness training. In addition to learning about the ways they navigated a new space and new work culture, as Elly had only worked in Europe before, Elly also gave me an incredible perspective about taking risks. They had been mostly involved in tech and startup spaces prior but made her major switch and interest switch rather recently. Beyond amazing conversations about our shared experiences being first generation, our research interests, and more Elly also approached all the spaces we worked in with an open mind, passion, humor, and friendliness. Through that, she was a good listener and I noticed she led through those aspects. I especially admired her shift towards pursuing her interests, and taking these risks, as this is also something I am working on and will continue to do.
Week Six:
For your final post, upload a video presentation or create a written or photographic narrative in which you discuss your project: why did you become interested in this project, what was the goal of the project, what was its significance or impact (real or potential). How did the project evolve or change over the course of these six weeks? Finally, please consider how your understanding of leadership (curiosity, empathy, teamwork, resilience, etc.) has informed your work or been deepened by your work.
I became interested in this project due to my own experiences in my personal and academic life; last summer, I engaged with audiovisual archives a significant amount and I wanted to further explore how these formats can serve as forms of cultural preservation. The project did not necessarily have a goal except furthering my own experience with anthropological fieldwork and I feel more secure in my research interests for future projects. Through this summer's work, my own understanding of leadership has been reinforced as something that requires empathy and curiosity, something that must be focused on the group that's being lead rather than the leader itself; this comes from my work observing acts of community both here and in New York City. A theme that I find myself coming back to this summer is collective memory--the shared experiences, culture, values and beliefs--and personal archives and how the two can sometimes converge. The attached photos are some that I though embodied collective memory, especially through public monuments.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wp2aniwx9PAZjXLz6
Ellie, this sounds lovely and I remember you talking about this earlier in the semester. I loved that you were able to compliment your research with the archives with anthropological fieldwork. Your photos have such a strong sense of nostalgia and I loved looking through them. Collective memory is something I was also thinking about this summer as I traveled back to Asia, but also thinking about how my own memory of community, from when I was younger, has changed now that I'm back as a young adult. I'm so happy for you and can't wait to hear more!
Week 4: What challenges and/or difficulties have you encountered and how did you go about resolving them? Speak to a specific challenge you have encountered and some of the ways that you tackled the problem.
Since I work with the International Affairs team, one challenge has been being able to process the differences - both subtle and blatant - between different countries/regions regarding technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF GBV). From digital surveillance to historical differences to cultural/political changes, each country has a different set of legislation and societal reactions/engagement with TFGBV. Being able to understand the differences between different countries, and in contrast with what I am familiar with (the US) while also respecting and being open-minded to the different sociopolitical orders/norms in different regions has been fulfilling. A lot of the discussions and teach-ins we had the first summer have been helpful in viewing regulations and norms -- not just in Taiwan but also in the other regions I am researching -- carefully and critically. I also am very grateful for my team and fellow interns who have engaged in conversations with me and provided me with readings, and Taiwanese shows (like WaveMakers) that touch on these complicated topics.
Week 3
During the week, I primarily work from the Bugoye Health Center campus. Typically, everyone starts their day around sunrise at 7am, so I’m definitely having to learn to be a morning person. Depending on my tasks for the day, I’ll usually work on my patient database design from the NGO office next door. Everyone is super friendly, so during this time, I’ll also have the chance to learn about how other studies are going on topics such as severe malaria, bednet distribution, etc. In the early afternoon, I’ll usually return home and work until 5 or 6pm. Then, I’ll then have 1 or 2 meetings before I’m done for the day!
On Thursday, however, I’ll head over to the clinic on campus, meet with the patients, and record notes during their visit with the clinician. The clinic lasts however long there is a line of patients outside, and I am always impressed by the stamina of the staff.
On weekends, I typically do some sort of fun, touristy activity with my roommate. So far, we’ve completed a hike in the Rwenzori Mountains and are planning to head to Queen Elizabeth National Park next weekend. Otherwise, I do a LOT of reading!
Here’s a picture of the health center and of the hike we did in the Rwenzoris:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DtxsAzJeNwStXVxc0aHSuTMk6idcdXqz/view?usp=drive_link
This sounds like the perfect balance of learning and fun as well as the perfect balance between research and NGO. So exciting and hope you end your time in Uganda with a blast.
Week Three: What does a typical day look like this summer? Aside from a narrative description, upload a photo, video and/or other media submission!
The exciting thing about this part of the summer is that every day is a little bit different, but a typical weekday for me looks like this:
• Wake up around 7:30 AM and say hi to my host family's cat :)
• Head downstairs to the FamilyMart or 7 for a cup of cold brew. There are so many street-esque vendors and stores in Taipei - I usually just walk until I see something that catches my eye. On this day, I had egg pancake with Chinese croissant (蛋饼加油条). Everything here is so yummy AND cheap - I'm not sure how I am going to survive in the States again.
• If I'm asked to come to work in the afternoon, I sometimes like to go to a cafe in the morning or look around. I live right next to the famous Elephant Mountain and hiking it in the morning, before there are tourists, has been so refreshing.
• Take the train to Garden of Hope's 新店 (Xindian) location! It's where the International Affairs team is located and my commute is around ~50 minutes.
• Check in with my team: Here, I receive assignments for the day, continue ongoing assignments for the international conference, provide my input, or receive feedback. I'm either working on translations, researching about technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF GBV), or doing outreach with our constituencies/speakers at the upcoming conference.
• Team lunch from 12:30-1:30! Work dynamics in the states vs. in Taiwan have been interesting to observe. At least at GOH, the dynamics are very horizontal and interns are always invited to lunches and can casually get to know each other/our team. They've been so welcoming and supportive with my work, but also eager to get to know me/my passions, and answer my questions about local life, non-profit spaces in Taiwan, and food suggestions :,)
• Head back to Taipei area around 6PM. Sometimes I grab dinner with a friend or explore night markets by myself!
Below are some pictures. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j3dQvhn5ZOi5YmlDzXFhEkpwxi6KykfC?usp=drive_link
Week Six:
For your final post, upload a video presentation or create a written or photographic narrative in which you discuss your project: why did you become interested in this project, what was the goal of the project, what was its significance or impact (real or potential). How did the project evolve or change over the course of these six weeks? Finally, please consider how your understanding of leadership (curiosity, empathy, teamwork, resilience, etc.) has informed your work or been deepened by your work.
One of the most meaningful projects I worked on was creating an "podcast" episode—an interview with Manang Jeanette, one of the original defenders of the I-Hotel. Mikey (the other intern) and I asked her questions regarding her experiences back in the 60s living and working at the I-Hotel; how she developed bonds with the manongs there, how the experience shaped her, etc. We also connected the history of the I-Hotel to the present day, sharing our observations as young people today and how American society has changed/stayed the same since the times when she was our age.
As I was editing the interview, Manang Jeanette's words really touched me even more than when we were recording—I think they truly are so important for our generation to hear. I'm grateful that we were able to engage in meaningful conversation, her words will stay with me forever.
On August 4th, MHF held their commemoration event of the 46th anniversary of the I-Hotel eviction. We first had an gallery exhibit open to the public, then a screening of the restored version of Curtis Choy's documentary The Fall of the I-Hotel, and finally, a community sharing session where community members, including original defenders, shared poetry, excerpts, music, with the audience. It was truly a beautiful, moving event that I'll always remember. Seeing how the legacies of those who fought for the I-Hotel have continued into the present day and are still being carried on gives me a sense of hope, as well as determination to keep sharing the story of the I-Hotel, so that it becomes engrained in our collective memory and never becomes forgotten.
Lastly, my understanding of leadership has undeniably been deepened by my time at MHF this summer. My experiences have shown me that the best leaders are those who maintain a sense of curiosity and humility, not viewing themselves as "above" anyone else. They are deeply empathetic, extending their kindness and generosity to all they work with, as they see how others contribute to their own learning and self growth as well. And of course, they must have resilience, working through barriers to achieve their goals and not being afraid of challenges/getting out of their comfort zone. I hope that I can keep working towards the point of embodying this level of leadership.
Here is a folder with photos I took from the August 4th commemoration event :) Another beautiful thing that came out of this summer is getting more into photography—I'm glad I was able to document our events so they will always be remembered through visual images. Maybe someday they'll be in MHF's archive, and young people will look at them the same way I look at images in the archive from the 60s/70s now.
Rosie! I am so happy for you and this is so exciting. I remember us learning about The Fall of the I-Hotel in our Intro to Asian American Studies class Freshman Fall and then visiting MHF last summer in SF. What a full circle and so glad to see that you are continuing to explore your passions in film and media.
Not only is your photography so emotion provoking, but your reflection on your experience is also lovely to hear. I feel very similar, to the non-profit I'm working with, and feel so honored to share community and space with people who are so brilliant but humble. You are just like those you described and so glad your perspective on leadership has evolved.
Adding both Week One and Week Two here:
Week One: As you set out on your research or community engagement project, do you find yourself experiencing any worries or insecurities about saying something that’s already been said? How do we as researchers and/or volunteers learn to address or set aside those insecurities or, better yet, to use them to our advantage?
I will be in Taiwan this summer and one worry I have is the lack of institutional knowledge and language skills to communicate with community members and the mentors at the NGO I am working with.
My Mandarin is rusty, my Taiwanese skills are little to none, and the operations of non-profits in Taiwan, on first impression, seem to be very different than operations of non-profits in the states. Already, so many times this week, I found myself speaking English in the middle of a sentence or conversation. Fortunately, many people on my team, international affairs, have worked in non-profit spaces in the States and can speak English. However, I can use my transnational identity and ability to navigate between the two languages - despite their sporadicness - to my advantage because my perspective would be able to provide ideas that are not just national, but global. I would also be able to bring my experiences from non-profits in the States to suggest different ways to approach outreach, legal research, and more.
I'm very grateful to be back in a city that I have only known as a child and only attached to fun/leisure. Thus, much of my knowledge about the legal and political landscape of Taiwan is filled with gaps, but I'm viewing them as advantages and points of learning and growth. Hopefully, I would be able to finish an entire conversation without saying parts in English by the end of this summer.
Week Two: If your project connects with your research from last summer, explain the ways in which it picks up on themes, issues, or questions that are important to you. How are you expanding on your project from last summer? How is your understanding of this topic evolving?
This summer, my community engagement project is in Taipei, Taiwan with an NGO called the Garden of Hope Foundation: a non-profit devoted to "preventing and eliminating gender-based violence and co-creating a gender-friendly society through a diverse array of services and initiatives."
Last summer's project focused on archival research and playing around with documents of the past. Playing around with archival documents, last year, also meant creating connections by myself: often with the past and future. For example, one of my concluding thesis was that the idea of somatic individualism, seen in Qing women who found intellectual networks in their inner chambers in a Confucian state, was related to modern women and feminists participating in dissent through performance. Garden of Hope's projects and initiatives bring the archives to life because their advocacy team is similar to the modern advocates I researched last summer; although the Garden of Hope is based in Taiwan and different from China, threads can be formed between movements there and here.
My responsibilities include helping them with memos and logistic coordination for their upcoming annual international conference; this summer, their conference is focused on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV). This expands on my project from last summer, which saw both gender-based violence and dissent occurring within the family sphere or physical space, but this evolves my own thinking by expanding the spaces in which violence but also advocacy, and dissent can take place.
I'm so excited to learn more about Taiwan - its history, legal world, political world, culture, night markets, and more!!