User blog:Jpearson/Editor Stories: Empowering Community and Exploring Visibility with Marcus

Hey everyone!

This month we’re continuing to share the stories of editors on Fandom for AAPI Heritage Month. We’re excited to kick off the first feature of our editor stories series that spotlights Asian and Pacific Island editors on Fandom. We’ll explore how these change-makers are taking a leadership role in their community, creating inclusive spaces for others, and explaining what “visibility” means to them.

Meet Marcus
Say hello to Marcus! His pronouns are he/him and he’s a fan of comic related IPs. He was born in the Southeast Asian country of Malaysia and moved to Canada at 4 years old and grew up in Vancouver.“I’m fortunate to have grown up in Vancouver where there is a substantial population of Asians.” Marcus has provided a wealth of IP recommendations for the month and continues to be a strong voice in our community round tables. Read on to learn more about Marcus and the impact he makes in his community.

1. What are your fandoms?

Marcus: My main fandom has been the Arrowverse. That’s where my Fandom journey really began, and has been a big impact on me. Outside that, I’m a big fan of other comic related IPs, especially with the MCU and DCEU.

2. How long have you been on Fandom?

Marcus: I’ve been on Fandom since around 2013 during the first season of Arrow. I’ve since grown as a user and developed many skills along the way. Since 2019, I’ve been a contractor as a Wiki Representative.

3. What specifically drew you to Fandom, and how did you get started editing?

Marcus: At first I just really wanted to update a bit of content. But over time I really loved how Fandom offers a strong focus on a specific IP, allowing for more detail, especially for more minor characters. Additionally, I really loved the customization that’s available with themes and design, allowing each wiki to be unique.

4. What wikis do you contribute to and what do you love most about those communities?

Marcus: The Arrowverse Wiki is my home community. What I loved was how much the community grew along with the franchise. I was there when The Flash was introduced and we renamed the community “Arrow & The Flash Wiki”, and as the franchise continued to expand, we rebranded to the “Arrowverse Wiki” after a community discussion.

5. What does visibility mean to you?

Marcus: To me, visibility means that not only should people of minority groups be acknowledged, it should be for the right reasons. What’s important, is that there should be value and those minorities should feel empowered, and not just simply acknowledged as a token.

Part of this should include really understanding the culture. Up to this day, I still see many have a lack of understanding of Asian culture, and treat as if all Asian cultures are homogenous, which is far from the truth.

6. What brings you the most joy about your culture and heritage?

Marcus: Being Malaysian, I really love how diverse there is. Our culture is not only our own, but we have influences with other cultures as well, including Chinese and Indian.

7. Are there any Asian American and Pacific Islander actors, characters, or creators that inspire you?

Marcus: One that stands out in particular is Jon Chu, the director of the Crazy Rich Asians adaptation. He really embraced his culture and wrote a beautiful letter to Coldplay to use the song “yellow”. Often there is a negative connotation when using it to describe asians, but used it due to how the song made the color beautiful.

“If we're going to be called yellow, we're going to make it beautiful.” - Jon Chu

'''8. In the last few years, there has been an exponential rise of hate towards the AAPI community, which gave rise to the #StopAsianHate movement. How has this movement impacted you and what actions can we take as a society to fight anti-Asian discrimination and violence?'''

Marcus: Although I hadn’t experienced the racism involved, I’ve heard many stories and it pained me. Seeing the rise of #StopAsianHate movement made me happy that the racism against Asians was finally getting more attention. Although the racism escalated tenfold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Asians have been a target of racism before that, but the issues had not been as focused.

In terms of fighting against anti-Asian discrimination and violence, society should really focus on the same efforts that are taken with other cultures that are discriminated against. Most important is to empower others to take action if they witness racism.

Visibility:
Visibility and amplification empowers individuals and allows us to tell powerful stories from a broad spectrum. Continue to amplify voices and support individuals in the community. Thanks to Marcus for sharing his journey on Fandom and creating awareness as we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month!

Check out our takeaways from Marcus’ interview:

Takeaway #1:  Asian cultures are not homogenous! Part of visibility is taking the time to truly understand and value people and culture. In that moment, we become empowered and connected.

Takeaway #2:  Empower others to take action if they witness racism. Being an ally includes taking action and making a genuine effort to support and uplift the community.

We’re interested to learn more about our editors and what visibility means to you. Do you know someone creating inclusive spaces and shining a light on members in their community? Share in the comments!