Hello, my name is Mengshu Ye and I am from Changchun, China. I am a student majoring in both History and Asian and Asian American Studies in Binghamton University. I have always been interested in history since my youth. I love listening to my grandmother talk about stories from her past, giving me my own family’s personal history that I can connect to. I also love to read, enjoying historical fictions and autobiographies. Some of my favorite books growing up are Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series, Madame Curie by Eve Curie, and Little Women. Reading inspires my interest for history because I like tracing the historical seeds of various books and comparing them together to find a common narrative. I decided to come to America to pursue a more accessible liberal arts education in history, and now I am at my last year of finishing my degree.
My dream job would be working in a non-profit origination related to preserving the history of minority groups, building platforms for them to leave an impact on society and voice their stories. I’ve always been interested in personal histories; I want to know and record the different perspectives on how individuals experience history, and how significant historical events changed personal fates.
My favorite museum is the Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo, located in my hometown of Changchun. The museum was once the home of Puyi, the last emperor of China. Visitors can learn about Puyi’s life when he lived in Manchukuo and even walk into his beautiful garden. This museum is very special to me because it records a period of history that is unique to my city. When Changchun was under Japanese colonization, it was used as the capital of Manchukuo. Discovering this history makes me feel more connected with the city that I grew up in.
I think today the biggest issue girls are facing is rape culture. Growing up, young girls are constantly taught how to protect themselves and how to best prevent themselves from potential dangers that are directed towards them because of their gender. Problems from catcalling, sexual jokes to slut-shaming, and victim blaming occur far too often both in real life and on social media. I think in order to resist rape culture, we have to acknowledge its existence and challenge the everyday actions that normalizes it.
-Mengshu Ye
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.