In September 2022, just two months after I moved to the United States, I had a painful experience that made me realize how others see my East Asian female body in public. While walking through a busy mall in Pittsburgh, a man looked at me, laughed, and called me a “little yellow woman.” His words shocked me and made me feel small. “Little yellow woman” is a racist and sexist phrase that reduces East Asian women to harmful stereotypes. That moment stayed with me and led me to reflect deeply on my identity.

To reclaim and reflect on my East Asian woman body in the United States, I bought a yellow tent for $25. This tent gave me a small space to breathe, make art, and process my journey. The color yellow, once used to insult people like me, now holds a new meaning. For me, the Yellow Tent represents strength, healing, and resistance. The Yellow Tent is carrying my transnational story and a way to take feminist space and speak up.

Now, I would love to bring my yellow tent to you and work with you to make, tell, and listen to your stories. Together, we will create stories inside and outside the tent—your voice, your space, and your journey as an East Asian immigrant woman in the United States.

Pin-Hsuan, State College, 2025