26C Theme Statement

2026 Currents Theme Statement

“Currents” is inspired by our understanding of change. Migrant narratives moving across countries, evolving in diverse enclaves, and managing ever-changing political regimes exemplify the dynamism in Asian-American communities.
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“Currents” evokes the current political climate of fascism, fragmentation, and polarization. In the past year, affirmative action was overturned. Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have been under attack, international students have been tossed as casualties of political feuds, political messaging has turned to fear and intimidation to promote deportations, and much more.
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As we interrogate our experiences in relation to time, place, and space, we encourage attendees, speakers, and comrades to consider three key sub-themes for this conference:

Migration

As a direct reference to the physical wind and ocean currents that carry people across borders.

In relation to immigration, Edward Said explores exile, nationalism, and transnational migration. He states, “I occasionally experienced myself as a cluster of flowing currents. I prefer this to the idea of a solid self, the identity to which so many attach so much significance.” (Out of Place: A Memoir, 1999)

Headlines

For the onslaught of current events that we hear every day.

"Shifts in the narrative would occur—the past never a fixed and dormant landscape but one that is re-seen. Whether we want to or not, we are traveling in a spiral, we are creating something new from what is gone." (Ocean Vuong, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, 2019)

Resistance

For the times that we need to oppose what we see going on and advocate for our communities as movements, as allies, and as changemakers.

Activist Helen Zia (Interview With Helen Zia On The Need For Equal Rights For All, 2018) states, “When a society allows anyone to be treated as less than equal and therefore less than fully human, we not only rob those people of their full humanity, we also become complicit in their mistreatment. Sometimes people think they can look the other way as long as ‘their group’ isn't harmed. But that is an illusion because we are all connected by our humanity…”