Intern Update: Kirsten McMurdo
Interns with Secretary Norman Mineta. From left: Jasmine Fernandez, Norman Mineta, and Kirsten McMurdo.
Hi! My name is Kirsten McMurdo and I’m a Freshman at American University, majoring in International Relations. I am originally from Honolulu, Hawaii.
For my internship, I helped prepare APA Program events, attended weekend events, and worked on a research project. At events, I assisted the staff with outreach, took photos, received visitors, and other tasks. Public programs are always fun because I had the opportunity to listen to great speakers and meet interesting people. I learned about new concepts and ideas.
My research project focused on exploring the importance of forming a racial identity for Asian American hapas. Hapa is a Hawaiian word typically used to describe someone of multiracial heritage. My main methodology for the project was to interview self-identified hapas in the area. I gathered four interviewees and explored the concept of forming a racial identity through their stories. I believe that it is important to be aware of the Asian American hapa narrative. While important, Asian American history is not well known by the general public, and there is even less information on the history of Asian American hapas. However, the APA Program has provided me with a number of resources that facilitated my research. I was able to find plenty of information that related to my topic.
This semester was my first time working with the APA program as well as my first time living in D.C. The APA Program helped me explore different cultural events and museums in the city. This internship gave me a lot of experience that will be useful in the future. Working at the APA Program was a wonderful experience with a group of dedicated and compelling individuals. I want to express my thanks to everyone in the APA Program for such a great semester!
Mahalo!
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