Galen Kusic, Editor

(This article was originally published in the June 23 print edition of the Herald)

Asian Americans for Community Involvement’s (AACI) Growing Up Asian in America program collected 400 entries from K-12 Bay Area students in honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May. The theme, “My Contribution to America” featured the voice and creative perspectives of Asian and Pacific Islander youth, and winners were awarded $500 scholarships for their submissions.

Matthew Turner Elementary third grader Aubrey Ilasco was one of nine winners, which included artists, writers and filmmakers. Ilasco has won the scholarship twice prior, once in first grade for an essay about being herself and being proud of her Filipino culture in school. The second year she won for an art entry titled, “Build bridges, not walls.” She is an aspiring author and an inspiration to local youth.

Ilasco appeared on Asian Pacific America with Robert Honda on NBC Bay Area to signify her achievement. Her entry was a rap she performed about bullying. It is printed below:

“We need to stop the fighting. We need to put down our fists. There is so much bullying. Putting our lives at risk. Even though that I’m trying… trying my best not to cry. People always be laughing… laughing all the time. People be laughing… I’m sick of it.  People be racist… I’m sick of it. People be bullying… I’m sick of it. Making fun of faces… I’m sick of it. Believe in yourself, don’t listen to what they say. Follow your heart. And it will go your way. So we need to stand up. Get up on your feet! Stick together, no more taking a seat. That’s enough, they have done too much! Be yourself!. They’re telling us “Good luck”?! No more bullying, no calling us freaks. No laughing at us, don’t be so mean! They think they are clean and we are a mess? When someone gets hurt, they couldn’t care less. They need to know that life isn’t easy. They need to know that we are not weak. They need to know that we try our best, try our best to not be against. But it’s not too late, we are not too small! Our hearts are big to love you all and if you think that you can push us around, think again cause we’re standing our ground!”

“I wrote this rap because I want others to feel confident with themselves,” wrote Ilasco in her submission. “I also want to bring awareness of bullying in schools. I have learned about stories of violence at Sandy Hook Elementary and other tragedies. While these things can be scary, they can also be stopped. I am starting by raising awareness with my voice.”

Ilasco performed the rap at the Matthew Turner Elementary talent show and on air on NBC Bay Area.

“It was a really fun experience seeing the studio and being on a real live TV set,” she said. “It was so cool to see how they record an episode. Everyone was really nice and encouraging. I was the youngest one to be interviewed, so I was nervous but everyone made me feel comfortable.”

Parents and classmates alike have let her know how much her message touched them.

“Their positive comments made me realize that even though I am young, I can still make a difference by making my voice heard,” wrote Ilasco. “I am no longer embarrassed to be Filipino but instead proud of who I am.”

Ilasco hopes that by sharing her rap, she can help other kids feel more comfortable about being themselves.

“My hope is that one day, we will live in a country that embraces our differences instead of allowing it to divide us,” she wrote. “I will do my part by raising awareness to kids like me because we are the future.”

Ilasco became interested in writing her own rap after listening to Baby Kaylie, a young female rapper who wrote about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary. She was so moved by her rap that she wanted to write her own.

“I wasn’t sure what to write about so I thought about what I saw in my school,” she said. “My close friend would tell me how she was bullied and no one would help her. It made me feel sad and I wanted her to feel better about herself. I wanted her to know she is not alone.”

Ilasco explained that at school, a lot of the younger kids like her sister Ashley come up to her at recess and ask her to help resolve their conflicts.

“I realized that younger kids look up to me and that I have a voice,” she said.

AACI Director of Advocacy and Development, Edwin Tan, PhD, spoke about the importance of the program while recognizing both adults and youth that are making a positive impact in their respective communities.

“This is a great opportunity to highlight some of the unsung heroes in our very own community…there are many people here that go unnoticed everyday but make a huge difference.”

Ilasco is one of those heroes. Don’t be surprised to see her making headlines for her achievements again in the near future.