Award Recognition
Inclusion and Advocacy
Senior Marshal
Kyoko Hirose is being recognized for her advocacy in the Asian American community throughout her time at Columbia. As president of the Asian American Alliance, co-director of the annual CultureSHOCK showcase, and leader in Liga Filipina, she has been committed to the socio-political development of Asian-American-identifying students. She has led workshops and programming deconstructing the Asian American experience and built coalitions through focusing dialogues on intersectionality and challenging anti-Blackness in Asian American spaces. Additionally as a Biology and Ethnicity & Race Studies student on a Pre-Med track, Kyoko is committed to challenging the systemic inequities that permeate the field of medicine.
I'm incredibly grateful for all those who I've met through my journey at Columbia. To all my peers, professors, friends, and chosen family, I would not have been able to become the person I am without all your support. In particular, I want to thank my fAAAmily and pamilya in the Asian American Alliance and Liga Filipina; thank you to all my mentors and friends for creating such welcoming and powerful spaces on campus, and I hope that I was able to provide community for all of those who've helped me so much. Thank you to everyone who has held space for me over the past four years, whether that be through one conversation or years of friendship. I'm still on my journey of learning and unlearning, and I'm excited to continue the relationships and lessons beyond my time at Columbia.