Jack of All Trades: Nina Jang

Anyone who knows Nina personally knows that she is one of the most genuine, inspiring, kindhearted, and just engaged in life person ever. She’s from Irvine, California, and is majoring in Media, Culture, and Communications with minors in Digital Art and Design and Metropolitan Studies. She’s the digital director for Washington Square News, NYU’s student newspaper, is a black belt in Taekwondo, and if you didn’t think that was enough, she’s so stylish I literally want to steal her entirely found-from-Goodwill outfit every time I see her. We talk about what it means to be a woman of color, her many different creative interests, and her passion for urban environmentalism. -Elaine

How would you define yourself as a creative?

Before labeling myself, I would say I’m constantly curious. I don’t think I’m at the level where I can say that I have an extensive collection of work, but I think along the lines of writer, painter, and sketcher.

But you’re also very into design, right?

I am, yeah. I have been trying my hand a bit more at digital art, and it’s a lot of fun, because it’s a different sort of medium to master.

Do you identify as a person of color, and if you do, what does that mean for you in America or in Western society?

I proudly embrace the fact that I’m a woman of color, and that realization didn’t come for me all of a sudden. It was much more gradual, because I immigrated from Korea, so for a solid portion of my childhood I was only exposed to life in Korea and everyone looked like me, and it was comfortable. And moving here, it was just a whole cultural shock. As a child I think I saw it with a lot more excitement and optimism. I was only 6 at that point and just growing up around kids that were my age but were different ethnicities and looked visibly different than me. My first friend here was blonde, blue eyes, and for me I only had seen that in films and TV.

I don’t think I ever really felt from my friends or other people I’d met that I was ‘the other.’ It was actually my parents who always reminded me of the fact that because I am Asian American I have to work twice as hard. Because for other people they would never fully realize that I am American. And that’s something I have come to realize after the election this year, the fact that a good portion of the country still believes in this rhetoric and ideology that spews hatred, and I think that was just a bit disappointing to me. The fact that after 15 years of living here and growing comfortable with myself as an Asian American, part of the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community, there are still some people that will never recognize me fully as American.

Do you feel like the other in your everyday life, in American society?

I always felt it. I don’t think anyone directly channeled the fact that I am the other, but it was rather how they treated my parents. Since my parents had come here with a family, they were already well into their 30s by the time they emigrated here, for them they were .5 generation. I don’t even know what category you would put that in, because for me I don’t even know if I’m first generation, 1.5 generation…it’s a very strange thing because my younger brother was born here, so I don’t know what that makes him. But I think when I was a child it was how we would go to the grocery store or Target and when we’d try to check out, you could see a difference in how the cashiers would treat my parents just because at that time they had very limited English. And the fact that they had such a harsh and very rigid mindset and if you don’t speak fluent English then you’re not American, and you’re not intelligent, and I remember it hurt me so much, and even to this day I feel uncomfortable sometimes when people approach my parents.

Why do you think you experience it more through your parents?

I think it’s the fact that with Korean tradition it’s a lot about respecting your parents, so when I saw someone treat them in a way that I wouldn’t wanna be treated I think that was the point when I just realized that there was something different going on. And I don’t think I personally feel much microaggression because I have been very fortunate to grow up in environments that had a bubble, but like I understand that I’m very fortunate to have dealt with that experience, but coming out to New York City it’s a whole different world. It’s a whole different reality, and I accept it and want to be a part of this because as a person in this world you need to be aware of other people’s stories and how others are treated. That’s how I avoided much of the microaggressions as an Asian American, but as a woman I feel a lot more microaggressions.

“And that’s something I have come to realize after the election this year, the fact that a good portion of the country still believes in this rhetoric and ideology that spews hatred, and I think that was just a bit disappointing to me. The fact that after 15 years of living here and growing comfortable with myself as an Asian American, part of the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community, there are still some people that will never recognize me fully as American.”

So you feel more discrimination towards your gender than your race?

I think so. Just because when you’re walking down the street, there’s catcalling. And if I were an Asian American male, I don’t think I would endure as much scrutiny of myself. And I also am Asian American. So maybe that duality, I don’t know. I definitely feel it a lot more a a woman of color.

How do you feel your identity as a woman of color influences your creative self, or does it at all?

I definitely have always utilized art to express myself, and I think subject-wise I love portraying women without that sensual image. [Like pornographic.] Exactly, and I think you can draw a woman’s body in a beautiful way without any sort of objectification, and I think that’s what I’ve always been trying to channel for my own art and work. So I do love drawing women, just the body and the shape. In a weird way I think it’s a way for me to represent myself. Just the fact that you can be so creative with a blank canvas and there are no boundaries or limits. I flip through my notebook sometimes and it’s just a lot of women and it’s just like, self appreciation I think. And without feeling gross or ashamed about it.

What about in your writing, does that come across?

In my writing, I try to channel my Asian American identity a bit more, just because I think even now we are seeing a lot of Asian American creatives and it’s like really encouraging, but I think there’s still a very dominant stereotype that Asians are very submissive and reticent and quiet. So with my writing, I try to strengthen my Asian American identity and bring that out. 'Cause I just have so many thoughts I think sometimes it’s easier for me to write it down than draw it. You can be more descriptive in a more explicit way with writing.

Do you talk about your personal experiences?

I actually began writing fiction first, so like I would write characters, even if they weren’t women, they were Asian Americans, and they sort of each had an element of my character within them. And I wrote that while I was back home in California, and I lived in a very diverse community. In Irvine, it’s almost 50/50 Asians and white people. I think I drew a lot of inspiration from other friends that were also Asian Americans.

What do you usually write about now?

Now I’ve been leaning more towards nonfiction, more on social issues. I’m very interested in urban environmentalism, and I think that has a lot of social, economic, and political elements. I’ve been trying to work my hand around trying to recognize all those elements, and writing helps me figure it all out.

What does being Asian American mean to you?

I think what being Asian American means to me is a journey of embracing the dualities that I have. 

Because I’ve grown up here in the states for two-thirds of my life, I think it comes with no question that I am those two identities, and it’s a constant struggle between balancing which one I want to portray to others. I’ve come to a realization, that at 21, I’m very proud to be both elements, and I think the Asian side of me, I think that brings out the perspective that I very much respect. I appreciate having traditions practiced in my family household, such as Korean thanksgiving or Chuseok, or paying respects to our ancestors, and having another outlet for different sorts of food. Food brings people together, so I think that’s a way to bridge my two identities.

Definitely the American part has opened my eyes to so many people that I would not have seen in Korea. I’m very appreciative that I can have these different things that I can take and utilize and hone into my own identity and my own life, and constantly try to figure myself out, and it’s also through art that I try to understand myself. I think being Asian American comes with a lot of responsibilities but also a lot of internal embracing of myself. I’m not even completely at that stage. I don’t think I even truly know myself at this point. I don’t think anyone does. But I think it’s having that innate curiosity, that’s what I try to hold onto.

“I think what being Asian American means to me is a journey of embracing the dualities that I have.”

Do you have any specific influences or role models that you look up to?

Woman of color-wise, definitely Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She’s beautiful, she’s so well-spoken, and she’s just so intelligent and I’ve had the honor of hearing her speak at a conference. You can be the best writer and most intelligent person but if you also possess the talent of delivering it to an audience and explaining yourself, I think that’s what really draws me to her. She’s dope.

Definitely my mother. Just because she honestly left everything she had known in Korea, and had come with two young girls, and had another baby here not surrounded by any friends or anything, and she had to carve her new chapter here, and we were unaware of the extent of the sacrifices she had to make. She also used to sketch too, and as a child I would flip through her notebook and be so amazed, and I would ask her to teach me. [Do you think her style is similar to yours?] I think she sketched a lot of flowers and portraits, so I think I learned quick sketching techniques from her, but definitely her techniques are channeled in my own art too.

In terms of musicians, there’s a dope DJ based in Berlin, check her out, Peggy Gould. She’s Korean. She’s so talented, very well-spoken. [That could be you next semester!] Oh yeah, disclaimer, I’m going off to Berlin…

We should talk about study abroad! What are you most excited for?

I see Berlin just as this hub of creativity, and fostering so much open-mindedness. I’ve been to Berlin twice actually, and getting to visit Kreuzberg, the creative district, and seeing the street art was so inspiring and freeing. I hopefully can somehow understand or meet some of the figures in that community. And music-wise, it’s going to be a rollercoaster. I’m so stoked.

Do you think you’re a part of any Asian community at NYU? Or were you in your childhood?

Back home, I did Taekwondo, I’m actually a black belt with my sister. So it’s something I’ve been doing constantly throughout the years. We were able to bond over that. And because Taekwondo is a very respected Korean sport, I think I was always able to hold onto my identity through that. I was also a part of a Korean American Association from middle school to high school. We would meet up for volunteering. Through that, I was also able to stay true to that element of my identity. I also played a traditional Korean instrument called buk, which is like a drum. It has a very extensive history. So that was also really beneficial for me. I don’t think I recognized it at that time though.

Now, being here, I think because there’s a constant flow of Asian Americans especially in New York City, at least on campus I don’t think I ever felt the need to join a certain Asian interest group. Not because I don’t embrace myself, but it’s the fact that I’m constantly surrounded by these individuals that I felt very comfortable, and just reassured. I did volunteer with AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) For Equality, it’s based in Chinatown. [Is that affiliated with NYU?] No, it’s not. It’s just something that I was very interested in because I didn’t understand the dynamics between Chinatown and the greater New York City and the other residents, and I just wanted to. So I helped with mentoring and tutoring children. Especially after, you know the Jesse Watters World thing? You know that segment they did on Chinatown? After seeing that, I was so infuriated I made sure I volunteered again. [I couldn’t even finish it, I was so angry.] That’s how I view others that treat my parents. It may not be to that level, not that outwardly disgusting, but it’s there.

Are you a part of any creative community at NYU?

I’m a part of Washington Square News, and as the digital director this semester, I was able to work very closely with the creative directors. I was able to explore more of my digital art/design interest. It was a win-win, the fact that I could actually churn out journalistic work coupled with design. And also I’m part of NYU Urban Design, they just started it this semester. I am very interested in urban design, and I think environmentalism is a huge issue now that needs to be embraced on all levels. Regardless if you are in design, if you are in policy, business, everything. We all need to be focused on this because we are all in this together whether we like it or not, the situation calls for it. We need to be responsible and accountable.

“I think environmentalism is a huge issue now that needs to be embraced on all levels…We need to be responsible and accountable.”

I’ve noticed that a lot of people I know don’t seem to care, or don’t try to take any action to try to reverse what’s been going on. What do you think about how people in our age group deal with the issue of climate change?

I think there are optimistic pockets of people that are trying to be proactive, but I think it extends to culture because in the States, we’re so obsessed with consuming, and I don’t think people understand the ramifications. If we don’t change that mindset, at this point, it’s going to be really tough. I think changing people’s minds is the hardest thing in any social movement or any change you want to see. People tend to be very stubborn and strong-headed. We truly need to come together. Like the Beatles song.

It’s encouraging talking with you, and having friends that are interested, and constantly talking about it. At least that’s a starting point, and us being the generation that we need to take upon this responsibility. We’re at that age where we can. We’re very curious, and I think that’s our weapon. I’m optimistic about what we can do, but we gotta walk the talk.

Interview by Elaine Lo