The first political op-ed I wrote was done in crayons; I wrote in my journal about how much I wanted to vote in the 2004 election. With a colorful illustration and creative misspellings, I stressed that my candidate was the one who would support people like my parents: hardworking immigrants determined to prove their worth in their new home.

 

Decades later—and with a more sophisticated manner of expressing my thoughts—I never lost the spark of passionate curiosity I had about identities and voting behavior.