快活视频

By Rebecca Kirkman on May 16, 2023

On a sunny day this spring, several members of the Towson University Asian Faculty & Staff Association (AFSA) took a lunchtime walk across campus ending at the Center for the Arts to view 鈥淭he Aesthetics of Disappearance,鈥� the Asian Arts & Culture Center鈥檚 exhibition by Tristan Cai.

In it, a series of digitally manipulated archival photographs draw attention to the forgotten history of domestic indentured servants鈥攈istorically called houseboys鈥攁nd their exploitation by British colonialism in Singapore from the 1850s to the 1930s.

The event was one of several the organization, which provides fellowship and supports personal and professional growth for faculty and staff of Asian origin, has held in partnership with the Asian Arts & Culture Center.

鈥淓ven though we鈥檙e a social club, we鈥檙e also a resource,鈥� explains Cristina Packard, AFSA co-chair and mathematics lecturer who joined the organization in 2018. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all working together鈥攂ecause together we鈥檙e stronger.鈥�

Working with the Asian Arts & Culture Center is just one example of how the group breaks down silos across campus. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e working on creating more programs, connecting with community partners and doing more collaborative projects for the ultimate goal of providing Asian faculty and staff more visibility,鈥� says Atika Syed.

Syed is an AFSA co-chair and the Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and Desi American (APIMEDA) coordinator with the Center for Student Diversity (CSD). 

Since joining 快活视频in summer 2022 as the university鈥檚 first APIMEDA coordinator, Syed has jumped into opportunities for partnership across campus. Often, that means drawing on support from AFSA members. 

Earlier this spring, she coordinated Stop Asian Hate, an interdisciplinary panel discussion with Yu-Ling Shao, director of the 快活视频Health Center; Christina Bishop, president of TU鈥檚 Asian-interest sorority Alpha Sigma Rho; Miho Iwata, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice; and Mohammad Suaidi, an adjunct professor in the Department of Theatre Arts.

Hosted by CSD, the Office of Civic Engagement & Social Responsibility, and the Asian Arts & Culture Center, the event was so well attended, especially by students, that there are hopes for follow-ups in the future. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a problem that鈥檚 going to go away overnight,鈥� Packard says. 

But in the future, the chairs hope to empower the students to take charge. 鈥淚 told them, 鈥榊ou are the leaders; you are the change-makers now,鈥欌�� Syed says. 鈥溾�橶e are going to be your support, but we want you guys to lead the conversation.鈥欌��

With four meetings a term ranging from walks around campus and social opportunities over a shared meal to advocacy and educational events and even a book club鈥攍ast summer they read the award-winning memoir 鈥淐rying in H Mart鈥� by Korean American musician Michelle Zauner鈥攖he group aims to support the many interests and needs of the diverse Asian faculty and staff on campus.

鈥淎sia is this enormous continent with so many distinct countries with their own traditions, and just because you're Asian doesn't mean you know all of Asia,鈥� Packard says. 鈥淏eing a part of AFSA, I鈥檓 finding that as I鈥檓 meeting people, I鈥檓 learning things I had no idea about. There is so much we can all learn from each other.鈥�

The indentured servants of Singapore featured in the Asian Arts & Culture Center exhibition are just one example, offering a previously unknown perspective on the Asian experience for the AFSA members in attendance.

Most importantly, though, the organization creates a sense of belonging for its members within the broader 快活视频community.

鈥淗uman nature appreciates belonging,鈥� Packard says. 鈥淲e like to belong, to have each other to lean on, to have each other to bounce ideas off of and to feel that support network.鈥�

With so much time spent at work, cultivating that support among 快活视频faculty and staff is critical, Syed adds.

鈥淚f you don't have that sense of belonging, you feel isolated. And then when you feel isolated, it affects your psychology and your productivity level goes down,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f I didn't have that connection or that sense of belonging, then it would be very difficult for me to be creative, to be productive and to stay motivated.鈥�

AFSA and the other student, faculty and staff affinity groups at 快活视频increase the sense of belonging by offering institutional support鈥攆inancially and otherwise鈥攖hrough the Office of Inclusion & Institutional Equity.

鈥淚t makes it feel like we really do have support from the top down,鈥� Packard says. 鈥淭hrough that support we can help each other, and it multiplies the good feelings. It's like a spiral upward.鈥�