AAPI Stories

May 17, 2023

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we talked with FAS colleagues Lisa Gee and Vanessa Wong about food and travel.

AAPI Stories | Lisa and Vanessa

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, which celebrates all Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States who have helped make this country what it is today. The month of May was chosen for two reasons: to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S., a young fisherman named Manjiro who arrived on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, in which the majority of workers were Chinese immigrants who were responsible for most of the dangerous and heavy manual labor tasks. Read more AAPI facts (PDF) and hear stories from our colleagues below.

Digital Production Manager Lisa Gee has been working with Documents & Media for more than 34 years, moving up from evening swing shift to customer service, printing operation, supervisor and now digital production manager, where she oversees the printing of everything from stationary, banners, posters, tablecloths, readers and more.

We heard you are famous for your spring rolls. Tell us more.

Before COVID, I would bring in all the supplies to make spring rolls and we’d set up in Mission Center Building (MCB) and have a spring-roll-making party, then everyone would enjoy a meal together. At home, I like to make them at my daughter’s house. My grandson loves to help! The most important part of the spring roll is the sauce. If the sauce is not good, nothing tastes good. Lisa Gee’s famous spring roll recipe (PDF)

As Executive Director of Finance Operations and Systems, Vanessa Wong oversees financial operations in Supply Chain Management (SCM) including card programs, reimbursements, accounts payable, and procure to pay related to BearBuy. She also works proactively on process improvements and ways SCM can better support the campus community.

You’ve spent a lot of time in Japan. Tell us about it.

I am from Macau, a Chinese territory that used to be a Portuguese colony. Sushi has become very popular there, but I never had it until I moved to the U.S when I was 18 to go to college. Now I love sushi and, of course, Japan is known for it. I’ve visited Japan three times and other than loving the food, I love their culture of discipline, courtesy and humbleness. Although most locals don’t speak English, they are hospitable, embracing other cultures and making me feel at home while traveling.