On the last day of this year’s AAPI Heritage Month, I wanna slide one recognition in under the wire. My grandma, Leonila Simbaco Curtis, was born in the Philippines. She met my Grandfather at the start of WW2. Shortly after they got married, my Grandma was forced to flee as Japanese soldiers captured my Grandfather and sent him to a prison camp in Japan. For the rest of the war, my Grandma lived in the mountains evading Japanese soldiers as women who were captured often faced torture, sexual abuse, and death. In a tale befitting a movie she reunited with my Grandpa after the war and had the family I’m now a part of. Whenever I don’t think I can, I remember her blood runs through my veins. I remember what she endured and have to believe I share that resilience. I also feel such sadness and anger because I know what this part of my community faces today. Such blatant hate. And how we can feel powerless. But there is power in words, there is power in story, and there is power in community. That’s why we need to share. That’s why we need to listen. Mahal kita Grams. Maraming salamat sa lahat po.