The 1882 Foundation seeks to broaden public awareness of the history and continuing significance of Chinese Exclusion in the U.S. by encouraging cross-sector collaboration, uncovering and preserving community stories, promoting more inclusive histories in public education.
Meet Our 2024 Summer Interns!
Elizabeth Bodin
My name is Elisabeth Bodin, and a junior/rising senior at George Mason University pursuing a Bachelor’s in History with a focus on Asian history & literature and a minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies. I completed my Associate’s degree in Education at Northern Virginia Community College where I also began studying Mandarin Chinese. I’ve spent most of my life in the DMV although my family is from Louisiana, Austria, and Czechia. When I’m not studying, I love reading, writing, and sewing, and I work in local schools as a substitute and tutor.
When I graduate in Spring 2025, I intend to become a history/social studies teacher or an English Language Learner instructor, or work as a museum educator. I will be interning with the Education department of the 1882 Foundation this summer where I will assist in the creation and potential implementation of educational materials on Asian-American history. Being passionate about creating a more inclusive, accurate teaching of American history, I greatly look forward to this opportunity to not only expand my own knowledge of Asian-American history but also actively participate in improving educational materials on our shared historical story.
Sana Friedman
Sana Friedman (she/her) is a rising third-year at the University of Virginia, where she is majoring in American Studies with a minor in Japanese Language & Literature. As a life-long theatre and musical performer and current staff artist for UVA’s Asian American literary magazine, Sana has always sought to be the storyteller of her mixed-race, second-generation Asian identity. As an intern in 1882’s Talk Story and Literature & Arts programs, Sana is thrilled to be surrounded by stories of DC’s Chinatown and deepen her academic focus on diaspora cultures, media representations of Asian America, and the Asian American legacy of anti-imperialist activism. At UVA, Sana is also a student organizer and a member of an upper-voices a cappella group. In her free time, Sana can be found volunteering at her local food bank, playing piano, or taking hundreds of photos of her rescue dog.
Iris Lopez
Iris is a rising Senior studying Media Studies and Art History at the University of California, Berkeley. As a daughter of immigrant parents, from Guatemala and Mexico, she values the importance of cultural connection, education, and representation. Iris aspires to become a visual journalist, aiming to uplift and empower the stories of individuals from marginalized groups. This summer, she is excited to work with the 1882 Foundation to learn more about the AAPI community and discover creative ways to tell their stories and histories through multimedia forums, while spotlighting their successes and contributions!