Miso Kwak
image description: Miso, an Asian female with black hair, stands in front of a grey church-like building on a city street.
Miso Kwak is a doctoral student in Special Education at University of Wisconsin Madison. She aims to engage in scholarship that centers the voices of the disability community and makes the world a more accessible and inclusive for all. In her spare time, Miso enjoys playing the flute and staying active.
Full Interview:
Interview Transcription:
SPEAKERS
Molly Joyce, Miso Kwak
Molly Joyce 00:01
The first question is, what is access for you?
Miso Kwak 00:06
I think access happens when people are in communication to make sure that, you know, every everybody who's in that group or activity or whatever it is, feels comfortable and open to share, like what they need and what they what they need to be, thus be their best selves.
Molly Joyce 00:34
What is care for you?
Miso Kwak 00:39
I think one imagery comes to mind is like warm and fuzzy blanket. And I think in real life, when people genuinely want to know about you, and are interested in like, knowing who you are, I think that's how we practice it.
Molly Joyce 00:59
I love that "warm and fuzzy." What is control for you?
Miso Kwak 01:08
Oh, I don't know if, like, control necessarily possible. But I think it's, I think what's more important to me than control...what's more important to me is not necessarily control, but trust, knowing that I...having that confidence or feeling of safety, that, you know, everything will be okay.
Molly Joyce 01:36
What is weakness for you
Miso Kwak 01:42
I think weakness comes with some sort of hesitancy or a feeling of incompleteness or kind of feelings of inaccurate inadequacy. Yeah, I don't know. I think it's like a concept that we think about, but we don't often put name to.
Molly Joyce 02:07
What is strength through you
Miso Kwak 02:11
Feeling confident, and, you know, knowing, knowing who I am knowing what I'm good at, and being able to actually do those things.
Molly Joyce 02:22
What is cure for you?
Miso Kwak 02:25
a cure as in c.a.r.e?
Molly Joyce 02:26
Cure.
Miso Kwak 02:30
Yeah. I don't think there is such a thing.
Molly Joyce 02:36
What is interdependence for you?
Miso Kwak 02:40
When two or more people or I guess, as we rely more on technology, or as people have relationship with other things, maybe it's not necessarily about two people that that would be ideal. I think when two or more things need each other mutually, mutually, and that they think within that interdependence, there is that trust and also care and knowing one's strengths and weakness and embracing those things.
Molly Joyce 03:20
What is assumption for you?
Miso Kwak 03:22
Making...hm..I think assumption happens when people make pre judgments before they actually know what the truth is. And as a result, I think sometimes assumption blocks us from knowing the truth or authentic authenticity of ours, authenticity of who we are.
Molly Joyce 03:56
In last one, what is difference for you?
Miso Kwak 04:04
I think, difference...One thing that I'm thinking about right now is when we play music, there is no, like there's no.... in order for like a dynamic music to happen. There has to be difference and dynamics or notes or rhythm. And I think if it's the one, if it's only the same thing, then it is boring and perhaps meaning...less meaningful and but I think at the same time, difference also sometimes manifests in a way, it can be like a cacofenee or like this, lots of dissonance and it sometimes that can be really hard and it might attempt to get used to doing... knowing that but I think once you kind of find that sweet spot or get you getting used to like knowing that I think difference is necessary and a beautiful thing.