TIM EMA
The Only Asian in the Room: Conspicuous Yet Invisible
“There are still a lot of us that are still here...and we have a story.”
Tims’ Audio Interview
Tim’s parents on their wedding day before they had Tim, the eldest of 6 children.
Tim and his wife Sharon with his mother in St. Louis.
To read how Tim encourages the new generation of Asian American and Pacific Islanders to “be more involved”, read their special feature.
TIM EMA
Timothy Ema is a sansei (“third generation”) Japanese American (JA) from a family that paved the way for a strong JA community in St. Louis. Growing up, he grappled with being surrounded by Japanese culture at home, while also being the only Asian in other spaces. This contradiction inspired him to learn more about JA history to better understand his own identity. Passionate about teaching and advocacy, he holds a master’s degree in education and is completing a PhD at University of MO-St. Louis. Tim served as longtime caregiver of his father, who passed away in 2015, and now his mother.