For her oral story on contemplating her identity at the Anacostia Community Museum during her experience in DukeEngage Washington, DC (Science and Policy), Angela Chen PPS’27 won the Identity & Social Change Category in the 2024 DukeEngage Reflection Challenge.
Judges praised Chen for capturing the kind of identity exploration that they hope takes place during DukeEngage — as well as the connection of identity to social change.
We walked into a room of vibrancy: Colorful butterfly drawings pinned to the walls. Handdrawn album covers representing people’s favorite songs. Framed gratitude letters dedicated to art teachers. We walked past collages combining visitors’ creations. We walked past booths with art utensils, inviting us to create.
We were in Anacostia, a district in Southeast Washington DC, at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum. This was our second-to-last week in DC—our cohort’s second-to-last weekend field trip.
Going into DC, I expected a shiny, professional intern culture. I excitedly expected that I would help make seismic change—after all, we were working with leading think tanks and NGOs in the shiny city of DC, the policy capital of the country.
But I was also nervous. Apprehensive, even. I was an ‘outsider’. A non-citizen from Hong Kong, from halfway across the world. And I felt hesitant: How could I help influence policy in a place where I’m not from—somewhere I don’t call home? Somewhere where I didn’t belong?
Flash forward to seven weeks in, in Anacostia. While the Community Museum is a Smithsonian Museum, it’s located far away from the others in ‘central,’ downtown DC—it’s nestled within its own thriving, historically Black community. “Segregated,” perhaps, but reclaiming its space by celebrating its rich history in building community through artistic creation. And guess what? It invited us, there and then, regardless of our identities and affiliation with the museum, to create as well.
And so I sat down at a booth—this was a butterfly observational study activity—and started shakily sketching the outline of my chosen butterfly with a pencil. I colored my outline with bulky Crayons to make rainbow wings. I then stood up to add my piece to this gallery. To add one more speck of color to the already-colorful tapestry of art pieces—an amalgamation of all the creations of those who came before me.
And then I realized: My art belonged here. I belonged here. My small, ephemeral contribution mattered. My voice mattered. Even though I was a visitor and didn’t fit within the demographics of the local community, this space embraced me with my differences and told me that I mattered. All it took was for me to be present. I didn’t expect that I would feel so connected to such an ‘unexpected’ community.
“‘Allow your wings to carry you,’ it said. In essence: You have agency. Exercise it.”
Anacostia exists in a small pocket within the humongous folds of DC, but it roared with joy through its diversity. I hadn’t expected that DC would be so colorful. That DC would be many things, far beyond the monolithic stereotype I’d assigned it before arriving. I hadn’t expected that America, epitomized by its capital—by DC—wasn’t just one thing. Yes, it is rife with systemic inequities and intense political conflict. But, America is also vibrancy and diversity and inclusivity, celebrated in these small pockets in these spaces and in these communities.
Hovering next to the assembly of butterflies, I let my gaze wander. It landed on a handwritten note scribbled next to a beautiful drawing. “Allow your wings to carry you,” it said. In essence: You have agency. Exercise it.
Angela Chen (she/her) is an undergraduate sophomore from Hong Kong studying Public Policy and Psychology. Over the summer, at the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation through DukeEngage, she investigated AI use in election information dissemination for minority language voters in the US. At Duke, Angela is continuing her research through Bass Connections, and is an inaugural Laidlaw Scholar for research and leadership through Sanford’s Hart Leadership Program.