In moving back to the US, I've been considering several of the challenges and disfunction that have continued to affect so many populations in the nearly five years that I've been away.

I was already in Taiwan when protests against police brutality erupted in cities across the US. Defining racism and distilling the country's long history with it to locals here was a task I found overwhelming and underprepared. I watched how the country failed to unite in its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 from the relative safety of an island nation with a strong civil service network, universal healthcare, and a population built on a collectivist foundation with a genuine concern for public health. I sent my son to first grade knowing he wouldn't have to learn how to help barricade his classroom door in case an active shooter decided to enter the building. I knew if I ever had an argument with my neighbors, there was basically zero chance they would pull a gun in a fit of anger. Meanwhile in the US, government policy continuously failed to stem the growing number of gun deaths across the nation. Now, being back here has opened up opportunities for me to ask what it means to live as an engaged citizen and community member.