When I was a kid, I could never stop talking. I found the words falling off my tongue at an expeditious rate, absorbing the space of all rooms unfortunate enough to have me. I have excused this with the fact that I am from Texas, where the people are loud and their voices are hearty, but saying this is just a way for me to claim some piece of home.
The truth is simpler: I never stopped talking because there was always someone there to listen. My home was not quiet; it was warm, and the people were never critical but understanding. Every day, I recognize the privileges that pervade my life— getting my undergraduate degree at Cornell and building a life in the country my grandmother crossed the ocean to be in — and I recognize how lucky I am to be loud.
Now, when I think about what it means to have a voice, I think about what it means to use my voice responsibly. In Ellaments of Truth, I will use my opinions as tools, not to speak on behalf of anyone, but to amplify the stories that are already there.
I want to draw attention to underrepresented groups in the media, who aren't garnering the attention they deserve. We're seeing this in real time today through mass deportations of immigrant groups under Trump's administration, the missing half of female representation in the media, and budget cuts that are disproportionately affecting black and minority households. Not just that, but there is another "silent minority" label hanging over Asian Americans. In political spaces, there is not just a gap in representation — there is an absence. Asian Americans remain the least likely to hold elected offices, even in states with a significantly high AAPI population. In my column, I want to explore the culture that perpetuates that gap, asking who reinforces those stereotypes and evaluating how Asian Americans are breaking those boundaries. If not a better one, I can guarantee the world is at least a louder one with my voice in it.
Ellaments of Truth, more than anything, is a space where I can increase exposure for minority perspectives in both cultural and professional fields. I believe our corporate landscape is evolving in a homogenizing way, and is transforming because of current political and economic pressures. These pressures are forcing companies to think uniformly, silence diverse viewpoints and align their actions towards our government. Here is the element of truth I hope I can offer readers the most: we—companies, law firms and people alike—should be encouraging inclusivity, not silencing it.
So what qualification do I have to write, hoping that there is an audience willing to listen? A few, but only one important one that hasn't changed since my childhood: a stubborn tenacity to keep talking, along with an understanding of why it's so important to listen.
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Ella Pham '29 is an Opinion Columnist studying Economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her column Ellaments of Truth explores ethics in professional fields, attempting to give voice to underserved communities. She analyzes business, politics, and history, in an effort to make broad trends understandable truths. She can be reached at epham@cornellsun.com.
