AMS Alumni Spotlight—Dr. Andi T. Remoquillo
Name: Andi T. Remoquillo
Pronouns: she/her
Title: Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Asian American Studies at Wellesley College
Contact information: ar122@wellesley.edu
Q: What were your research interests, both academic and for fun, while in American Studies at UT!?
A: I was interested in researching the intersections of gender and class in the making of the Filipinx American Diaspora in the Chicago metro area, where I am originally from. I also spent some time at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History doing research on Asian immigrant women’s labor in the United States, particularly Hmong and Cambodian women, and as a graduate RA, I conducted some research on the Vietnamese refugee fishermen in Houston who clashed with the KKK.
Q: How did you make your way to American Studies as a discipline?
A: I came from a Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies background but knew I wanted to diversify and engage more with Asian American Studies. Since there weren't any Asian American Studies Ph.D. programs, I applied to American Studies and Ethnic Studies Programs across the country. UT AMS was the best route for me!
Q: What was the nature of your work? What method(s) did you utilize the most? How does your current work align with American Studies?
A: I primarily engage with feminist ethnography, oral histories, and archival research. My current book project examines the role that Filipina/Filipina American women played in the making of the Filipinx American Chicago diaspora, starting from the 1920s to the end of the millenia. This socio-cultural historical ethnography is told through the personal stories and archives of Estrella Alamar, who was one of the few remaining 2nd generation Fil-Ams who was born and raised in Chicago. My work aligns with AMS because it is so interdisciplinary in nature and shows how American identity takes on many forms depending on one’s race, ethnicity, gender, class, generational positioning, and geographical location. I hope that my work challenges any homogenous and male-centered narratives of Asian American identity and community formation.
Q: How did American Studies at UT make your work possible?
A: I received a lot of guidance from AMS faculty members on my dissertation committee, specifically from Dr. Gutterman and Dr. Chhun. Their willingness to go above and beyond when helping me strengthen my research, diversify my analyses, and apply for jobs helped me finish my dissertation and land a job that makes me so happy.
Q: What was your favorite thing about AMS at UT.
A: The friends I made and getting to work with faculty members who were invested in my work.
