There is some fumbling with the camera before it swings upward to focus on the other side of the table.FACE-CLAIM//NAEUN SONG The woman seated there is dressed in a tank top and sweats, her sweet features very much at odds with her muscular torso. Her black hair is tied back in a simple ponytail, and her dark brown eyes remain fixed on the person behind the camera. Despite her wide smile and obvious energy, she seems completely settled, with no obvious shifting or nervous movements.Interviewer: Hi, Jessica, thanks for agreeing to meet. I’m just going to ask a few questions regarding your new job, and that’s it. Would you mind introducing yourself?
Jessica:
Not at all. My name’s Jessica Choi, and I’m currently 23 years old. I just graduated from Columbia University with a major in social sciences, and I’ll be acting as human emissary in the new project.Interviewer: Thanks. Now what made you interested in signing up to be an emissary and interact with the species that have come out of the woodwork?
Jessica:
I guess in a way, I can relate to them. I moved with my grandparents and parents from California to Montana, where our family was the only Asian one in the city. Not only that, I wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, and I never excelled in any particular area. With traditional immigrant grandparents...Well, you know how it goes. Because of those two factors, I grew up feeling like a stranger at school, at home, and in my own skin. That’s actually why I started exercising, to feel secure in my body.
Anyway, I know the struggle of learning a new culture and feeling unwelcome while doing so. That’s why this project immediately piqued my interest because it’s about helping people with something I struggled with myself.Interviewer: Wow, thanks for the insight, Jessica. Now, you mentioned that you aren’t the smartest, yet you graduated from
Columbia University. Explain that?
Jessica:
(laughs) Um...never underestimate the power of hard work? No, no, I’m serious. I’m more of a practical person, so I was never really one for academics. Still, I worked hard in school. I actually went on a fencing scholarship, and let me tell you: it was rough. Still, I made it!Interviewer:
(chuckles) I see. That’s pretty admirable. Now, back to the project. As a social science major, what do you think of Samir’s work?
Jessica:
Sure. I think what Samir’s doing here is a huge step, not only in terms of interspecies relations, but also in how humans reach out to things that are unfamiliar to them. I think he’s showing that we are able to learn from history and avoid making the same mistakes. It’s an honor to be a part of this.Interviewer: Alright, that’s it. Thanks so much, Jessica.
Jessica:
No, no, it was a pleasure.They shake hands and Jessica leaves, moving with practiced ease. The interviewer watches her exit, then turns back to the camera.Interviewer: She seems very grounded and sure of herself, and her honesty is refreshing. Still, I’m sure she didn’t show all of herself in this short five-minute interview.
There is more shaking and fumbling before the recording cuts off.