A Conversation with Stephanie Drenka
Introduce yourself to our readers! Also feel free to include any website and social media links you’d like included.
Howdy! My name is Stephanie KyeongSeon Drenka (https://stephaniedrenka.com), and I am a Korean American adoptee living in Texas. I am the Co-Founder of the Dallas Asian American Historical Society (https://dallasasianhistory.org) and Founding Editor of VISIBLE Magazine (https://visiblemagazine.com). Twitter/IG: @stephaniedrenka
Tell us about your work with VISIBLE.
I created VISIBLE Magazine in April 2019 while I was participating in a Public Voices Fellowship with The OpEd Project. Being part of the fellowship gave me invaluable insight into the process of pitching writing submissions to editors for publication. One of the most eye-opening parts of the fellowship was witnessing how difficult it was for the women in my cohort - prestigious, well-respected leaders/experts in their field - to get their pieces accepted.
It struck me… if barriers are keeping their voices from being published, imagine the infinite number of other stories we are missing? In my earlier career, I worked in the online/influencer marketing industry and decided to build my own platform.
You’ve spoken about your experience as a transracial Korean adoptee. Do you feel your identity has been weaponized by anti-choicers?
I feel that adoption has been weaponized by both anti- and pro-choicers. It’s trivialized as some sort of magic “fix” to abortion, without considering the harmful aspects of the system of family separation and adoption. Even pro-abortion/choice people use the “If you’re’ pro-life,’ why don’t you adopt?” talking point. Mostly, I feel that adoptee voices are silenced when they try to advocate for reformed solutions by expectations that we should be grateful for our adoption/existence.
In the wake of Roe being overturned, what are some things you’re concerned about?
In addition to immediate concerns about the health and safety of people seeking abortions in states with trigger laws like Texas, where I live, I’m extremely concerned about the legal precedents that may be in jeopardy now that Roe has been overturned. Clarence Thomas, for example, has made it clear that this is only the beginning of their long-term strategy.
How do you feel Dobbs will uniquely affect Asian women and non-binary people?
Surveys have shown that Asian Americans are some of the “strongest supporters of abortion rights”
What can people be doing to help right now?
People can/should be elevating stories and voices from people directly impacted by these decisions and issues. They can also help by staying engaged and informed, painful as it can be in this chaotic news cycle. It is natural to become desensitized or burned out, but we have to stay awake. The other side wins when we lose hope.
Do you know of any organizations or people in the space doing good work? Shout them out!
Asian Texans for Justice is a fantastic grassroots advocacy organization serving AAPI across Texas: https://www.asiantexansforjustice.org/
It has been a very rough few weeks. How are you taking care of yourself? Share some tips with our audience!
I’ve taken up pole dancing as a way to build strength/stamina and take care of myself mentally/physically. The combination of movement and music is therapeutic to me. I also spend a lot of time reading and researching history- looking to the past for answers and inspiration. Through the Dallas Asian American Historical Society, I have the opportunity to interview leaders in my community and draw wisdom from their life/work.
Finally, we ask this question of every interviewee: what do you think the biggest problem facing Asian women and non-binary people today is?
The biggest problem (that perpetuates every other problem) is a false hierarchy of human value that the United States was founded on and has codified into every system and institution. It is a false belief that relegates Asian women and non-binary people (along with other marginalized communities) to otherness. It is dehumanizing. And when you take people’s humanity from them, it becomes easier to oppress them. The solution to that is to restore each other’s humanity. And I believe one of the most powerful ways to do that is by sharing our stories and finding ways to connect as humans.