Damian Lai

Hi all! My name is Damian Lai and I am a Junior at Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, New York. As a Chinese-Malaysian, I find myself truly at home eating my favorite bowl of Laksa noodles. If I'm not eating noodles, I may be eating my favorite snack: spicy shrimp crackers! Spending time with my family and traveling to new destinations has always been a prime interest of mine, especially when I visit my extended family throughout Southeast Asia. I have been on the longest non-stop flight (approximately nineteen hours) with Singapore Airlines, twice if you count the round-trip! Some hobbies of mine include watching K-Dramas/C-Dramas and playing my (bass) clarinet in marching band and wind ensemble at school. For my undergraduate studies, I plan on studying something in the realm of biochemistry, psychology, or philosophy. In the future, I strive to become an emergency doctor in an operating hospital that reaches communities in need.

Being a part of a minority within the United States, I feel the need to increase representation among individuals in marginalized communities. Everyone should be able to access the same opportunities within their community, despite coming from different backgrounds. As my parents immigrated to the United States when they were young in search of the "American Dream", I feel equipped to share universal struggles among the underrepresented society living synonymously with systemic barriers that create microaggressions, stereotypes reducing self-esteem, and disparities in education and mental healthcare access.