Who We Are: Multicultural Student Affairs

Who We Are

Each year, JubilAsian is planned by a dedicated committee of NU APIDA students who help shape its theme, goals, and structure.

Jess Chen (she/her/hers)

Class of 2023 in SESP, Undecided

Home/Currently in: Newton, MA (near Boston)

Favorite part of JubilAsian: Having an APIDA community I can see each week even during this pandemic.

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: Remembering others in our hearts, feeling connected even when we are apart. The strength we gain from community and our commitment to learn and grow with each other.

Favorite quarantine activity: Having special moments of alone time where I listen to music and get in my feels.

Random fact: When I was young, I'd challenge myself to fold the smallest fortune teller I could. Tiniest was ~1 cm, with fortunes written in it.

Anisa Codamon (she/her/hers)

Senior in Weinberg majoring in Anthropology, minoring in Asian American Studies and Global Health Studies

Home: Chicago, IL

Currently in: Evanston

Favorite part of JubilAsian: Working with such a compassionate and creative committee dedicated to connecting and celebrating the APIDA community at NU.

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: Boundless Solidarity to me means collectively reimagining ways of connecting across identities and communities to uplift one another, especially in difficult times.

Favorite quarantine activity: FaceTiming my siblings to listen to scary stories together!

Random fact: I'm a deputy black belt in Taekwondo lol.

Isabell Liu (she/her/hers)

Home/Currently in: Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Isabell Liu is second-year in Weinberg majoring in Asian American studies with a minor in creative writing--but more importantly, she's an INFJ Libra sun, Taurus moon--who enjoys sipping on (probably) overpriced almond milk lattes, raging against the capitalist machine, and long walks on the beach. She can't wait to be an eccentric, jaded-but-endearing 65-year-old professor in Third World Studies reminding her poor students of the time when ethnic studies wasn't even a department. When she isn't running across campus (or at the moment, Zoom) planning events with CSA, she can be found reading (or writing some of her own) angsty POC poetry. For Isabell, Boundless Solidarity means recognizing and celebrating the fact that the struggles and beauty of APIDA folx are part of a bigger non-white, non-normative community united in collective liberation. In the wise words of Troy Bolton: "we're all in this together."

Antonette Narvasa (she/her/hers)

Fourth-year, Industrial Engineering student in McCormick

Home: Cagayan de Oro, Philippines

Currently in: Schiller Park, IL

Bio: an aquarius, isfj-t (emphasis on the t for turbulent!) sentiment(al) hoarder and dry flower enthusiast. loves spreadsheets. has recently started drawing and might be kinda good at it. has pen pals from across the globe! <3

Favorite JubilAsian memory: from JubilAsian 2019: the sumptuous feast (special mention: boba and spam musubi!!!) and the talent!!! (special mention: spoken word artist gertrude aka jessica mascarenhas from Luya Poetry, and Kaibigan leading a Tinikling workshop <3)

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: Boundless Solidarity means transcending space and time in our collective struggle and celebration of our identity <3

Favorite quarantine activity: just vvv recently, but drawing!! <3

Random fact: i love playing bananagrams!! (but i don’t like bananas.... such a chaotic neutral flavor 🥴)

Akash Palani (he/him/his)

Home: Schaumburg, IL

Currently in: Evanston

Bio: My name is Akash, and I'm a third year transfer student studying Political Science and Statistics. I transferred to NU from the College of William & Mary, but home is actually in the Chicago suburbs. I've been spending a lot of time cooking and sleeping during quarantine, and I'm excited for JubilAsian because it is helping me feel connected to the community I value most at Northwestern during this strange time. I'm passionate about social justice and Asian American solidarity, particularly issues of South Asian inclusion. Also, giraffes are my favorite animal.

Aditi Rathore (she/her/hers)

Third-year studying Economics in Weinberg

Home: Chicago, IL

Currently in: Evanston :)

Favorite JubilAsian memory: Last year's tinikling demo and workshop hosted by Kaibigan. It was so much fun to see the attendees dancing, laughing, and having a good time!

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: Connection, compassion, and community. Being able to celebrate our differences, honor the commitment and resilience of change-makers, and uplift and care for one another. Even when we can't physically be together, the spirit of boundless solidarity makes our community stronger than ever.

Favorite quarantine activity: Finding cool recipes and convincing myself that I'll actually make them later :))

Imani Sumbi (she/her/hers)

Sophomore in Medill School of Journalism studying Journalism and also minoring in Asian American Studies!

Home/Currently in: Los Angeles, California

Bio: My name is Imani Sumbi (ee-MAH-nee SOOM-bee), and I'm proud to be on the JubilAsian planning committee for the second year in a row! I have found incredible support, friendship, love, and solidarity in Northwestern's APIDA community, and I'm always happy to serve it. A few random facts about me: I'm 20 years old, I'm a Taurus, my first name means "faith" in Swahili, I love to write, I play the flute, my favorite book is Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, and my favorite dessert is banana pudding cheesecake. Though it's hard to be in quarantine, I'm happy to be home with my family in Los Angeles, where there's always sunshine coming through my window.

Jennifer Wang (she/her/hers)

Sophomore in SESP studying Social Policy as of right now

Home/Currently in: North Texas

Bio: I am an avid thrift shopper, and it is also my form of exercise, so it is no surprise that quarantine has caused me to be very out of shape. Most people assume I'm a Slytherin but I'm a consistent Gryffindor. I kinda miss road trips and would like to go on one again with friends.

Charlotte Wong

Freshman in SESP studying Social Policy and Global Health Studies

Home: Hong Kong

Currently in: Los Angeles

Favorite part of JubilAsian: Working with passionate and amazing people (and weekly check-ins!)

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: Boundless Solidarity means to me that despite being physically apart, we work together across divisions of race, gender, and class - solidarity is not bounded by any of those things. It is an understanding that we are stronger together. When there is hatred or discrimination, it is not against one group but all of us. We take care of each other's needs and we stand up for each other.

Favorite quarantine activity: Playing The Sims and doing puzzles!

Random fact: I have been playing the bassoon since 2nd grade!

Chloe Wong (she/her/hers)

Home: New York, NY

Currently in: Evanston

Bio: I am a third-year in Weinberg studying biological anthropology, global health, and Asian American studies. I'm a native New Yorker and aspiring public health professional passionate about women's health and health equity. In my free time, I enjoy reading, strong lattes, and finding reading-friendly coffee shops while exploring new cities!

Favorite part of JubilAsian: Collaborating with other committee members to create a gathering space of celebration and solidarity for our community. Also building the Joy Yees bubble tea pyramid.

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: Boundless Solidarity means the power and strength of our collective community in forming bonds and finding comfort.

Favorite quarantine activity: Baking matcha white chocolate chip cookies :)

Random fact: I'm a proud NUMTOT!

Jennifer Zhan (she/her/hers)

Home/Currently in: College Station, Texas

Bio: Jennifer is a sophomore majoring in journalism with a minor in creative writing (yet she still struggles to write short emails…and bios). She’s a proud Hufflepuff/INFJ-T/Libra and is also passionate about intersectional representation in entertainment, particularly in television and YA literature! Jennifer's really excited to be part of the JubilAsian committee and explore this year’s theme of Boundless Solidarity, which makes her think of collective love and healing 💞

Fun fact: since she hasn’t left the house since coming back, she hasn’t worn shoes for two months! She also got bored and cut half her hair off lol.

Annie Zhang (she/her/hers)

Sophomore, Weinberg, Economics and Global Health Studies

Home/Currently in: Louisville, KY

Favorite part of JubilAsian: I love having the opportunity to create spaces where we could celebrate and unite the incredibly diverse APIDA community here at Northwestern, even if it means we can't be with each other physically.

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: To me, it's a concise, powerful way of describing our willingness to stand with one another and uplift each other, even during times of hardship. The physical barriers that lie between us presents a lot of unique challenges, but the compassion and understanding that we have for each other allows us to easily transcend those barriers.

Favorite quarantine activity: exploring new music, journaling, and rewatching old tv shows

Christine Munteanu (she/her/hers)

Assistant Director, Multicultural Student Affairs

Home: Originally from central New Jersey

Currently in: Chicago, IL in the Uptown neighborhood (right near Argyle!)

Bio: I identify strongly as an ISFJ, Hufflepuff, Millennial, East Coast-er, dog person (who happens to have a pretty cute cat), and big sister! I am also an Aquarius born in the Year of the Tiger, but don’t feel as much affinity to those - but am always open to learning more about them!

Favorite quarantine activity: Blowing through entire seasons of TV shows in a few days. Recent faves include Avatar: The Last Airbender, Babylon Berlin, Never Have I Ever, and What We Do In The Shadows. I also recently started knitting again and have made a lot of progress on a blanket during my many Zoom meetings!

Favorite part of JubilAsian: I have been truly inspired by the creativity, thoughtfulness, and care that our amazing student committee members have shown towards each other and the broader APIDA community as we quickly shifted JubilAsian to a remote/virtual format. I am in awe of the way their vision and hopes have been reflected back to us by everyone who has shared their gifts of time and talent through their artwork and by being in community with us!

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: A deep and enduring sense of kinship that emerges when we engage with each other from a place of empathy and love, and the collective strength and power we can build from those connections.

Upasna Barath (she/her/hers)

Graduate Student in the MSLCE program, and a Graduate Assistant working in Multicultural Student Affairs

Home: Memphis, TN

Currently in: Chicago, IL

Bio: Astrological chart: Virgo rising, Cancer sun, Scorpio moon. Hobbies/interests: writing and acting. Dream vacation spot: Dublin, Ireland.

What does Boundless Solidarity mean to you?: It means connection and allyship regardless of circumstances that may be hindering.

Favorite quarantine activity: Cooking!