OUR TEAM

Primary Collaborators

Elsa Fan is an Associate Professor of Anthropology who specializes in cultural and medical anthropology, critical global health, and health and humanitarianism. She is the author of Commodities of Care: The Business of HIV Testing in China, which examines the impact of scaling up HIV testing among men in China. Her current project explores how landscapes of care shape Chinese and Chinese American women’s breast cancer experiences. Elsa worked in the international development industry in Asia and the U.S. and has consulted with organizations working on issues related to health, youth, philanthropy, and development.

Elsa Fan, PhD

Robin Hattori is passionate about uplifting the Asian American community in the Midwest. As the daughter of Japanese American parents incarcerated during WWII, she has presented on this topic locally and nationally. Robin has also played a leadership role in collaborative projects such as the InVISIBLE Asian American art exhibit, AAPI Voices oral history project, a discussion series exploring Asian identity, and an Asian-Jewish dialogue group. Robin volunteers with the Japan America Society Women’s Association, Missouri Historical Society and Japanese American Citizens League. She works at Washington University’s Program in Occupational Therapy as a lab manager.

ROBIN HATTORI, MA

Student research team

Alex Koenig graduated from Webster University in 2025 with a double major in Anthropology & Sociology and Global Studies, and a minor in Japanese. They are from the St. Louis area and studied abroad in Japan.

“One thing that stuck out to me is the optimism and sense of hope that older participants had for future generations of Asian Americans.”

ALEX KOENIG

Tru’o’ng Mỹ Linh, also known as Evelyn, graduated from Webster University in 2025 with a major in Creative Writing and a minor in Film, Television and Video Production. She is originally from Vietnam and worked for Emirates Airlines as a flight attendant before returning to school.

“I hope there will be more stories in the future and more Asian people will be recognized for their identities, hardships, and achievements.”

TrU’O’NG Mỹ Linh

Lauren Walther graduated from Webster University in 2026 with a major in Psychology with an emphasis on Mental Health and a minor in Sociology. Originally born in China, she was adopted by an American family and grew up in St. Louis.

“Through interviewing so many diverse Asians I learned more about everyone's culture and also gained understanding of myself.”

Lauren Walther

Maya Zerazion graduated from Webster University in 2025 with a major in Anthropology & Sociology and a minor in Human Rights. Maya’s father is an immigrant from Eritrea and she empathized with many themes found in the AAPI experience.

“I appreciated how several interviewees acknowledged intergenerational trauma as well as talked about the ways tried to heal and find a sense of belonging.”

Maya zerazion

project contributors

Faculty Associate, shaolu Yu, Phd

Noriko Yuasa is a Professor of Graphic Design and Chair of the Department of Art, Design and Art History. She holds a BFA in Visual Communication Design from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an MFA in Visual Studies, emphasis in Graphic Design from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Her work is devoted to the development of visual language and systems for effective communication.

Creative Director, Noriko Yuasa

Shaolu Yu is an Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Chair of Asian and Asian American Studies at Rhodes College. As faculty associate for this project, she spent time in St. Louis assisting with student mentoring, community outreach, and audio interview editing.

We are grateful to everyone who helped make the AAPI Voices project a success.

ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS
Website: Kristen Thompson, Hetty Fan
Video Support: Megan Tucker
Photography: Ashley Webeluth
Project Intern: Natalie Van
Project Admin Support: Hannah McFarland and Alex Pierce
Exhibit Curation and Support: Jeff Hughes, Kaitlin Wilfing
Additional thanks: Misa Jeffries, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

St. Louis Japanese American Citizens League Board
Wendy Roll, Chapter president
Steve Mitori, VP, Finance
Bum Kim
Michael Kimzey
Edie Quick

This work is supported by a grant from the ASIANetwork AAPI Voices and Stories Program.

AsiaNetwork Project Advisors
Dan Choffnes
Sophia Geng
Gordon Gray
Hiroaki Kawamura
Siti Kusujiarti

  • A woman adjusting a professional camera on a tripod in a living room with a staircase, chairs, and a colorful wall hanging.
  • Five young women sitting around a white table in a bright room, engaging in a discussion. Two have laptops open, two have water bottles, with posters on a yellow wall behind them.
  • Two women documenting or photographing an event in a wood-paneled room with framed posters on the wall. One woman operates a camera on a tripod, and the other holds a device, possibly a tablet or phone.
  • Two women sitting across from each other at a table in an office or lounge area, engaged in conversation. One woman is wearing a red shirt and denim shorts, the other is wearing a white shirt and black pants. The background shows a whiteboard, a large window with a view of trees and blue umbrellas outside, and a bean bag chair. There is a floor lamp, a mini refrigerator, and a decorative lamp nearby.
  • A man and a woman in a living room having a conversation. The man is sitting on a chair near the fireplace, holding papers, wearing a red checkered shirt and shorts. The woman is sitting on a black sofa with a laptop on her lap. There is a coffee table with water bottles and snacks between them and a side table with a drink near the man. The living room has large windows with blinds, a white brick fireplace, and decorative items on the mantle.