Graduate Assistants (GAs)

Adam Toler (GA)

Adam Toler

Pronouns: he/him/his

Yale Divinity School ‘24: Master of Divinity

Why AACC? As a biracial person, I grew up in a culturally melded, Chinese-Texan household (i.e. Chinese sausage right alongside Rudy’s brisket). Whether it be due to similarly mixed backgrounds and families or just the simple reality of being Asian(ish) in America, the AACC is filled with folks like me whose Asian identities lie at complicating intersections. I love that! I look forward to exploring my ethnic, cultural, and culinary identity alongside other open and welcoming individuals!

What are your hobbies? Getting tattooed, reading comics, lifting weights, jumping rope, biking, putting together puzzles or LEGOs

What is your favorite your favorite New Haven restaurant? T-Swirl Crêpe

Adam Toler (he/him) is a graduate student and seminarian at Yale Divinity School where he obtained his Masters in Philosophical Theology/Philosophy of Religion back in 2022 and is now pursuing a Masters in Divinity and ordination in the queer-affirming United Methodist Church. Adam’s pastoral care practices and academic research lie at the intersection of religious themes and trauma narratives. When he is not reading, writing, or caring for stories that are “bright and sad and worth living”, you can find Adam under the needle at a Brooklyn tattoo studio, flipping through pages at a local comic book shop, working out in Payne Whitney, or lounging on his living room couch watching anime with his partner.

 

Dorothy Wu (GA)

Dorothy Wu

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ‘25: PhD, Sociology

Why AACC? The AACC offers the best events, spanning from social and game nights to culture and arts workshops, professional development series, political education discussions, and mental health events. I am genuinely excited and honored to be a part of AACC’s programming. For all folks identifying as Asian or Asian-American, the AACC offers a warm and inclusive space, especially in times marked by uncertainties and challenges. I eagerly anticipate deepening my understanding of Asian and Asian American history and identity, and drawing inspiration from all the remarkable individuals within the community.

What are your hobbies? Enjoying the nature, listening to calm instrumental music, savoring tea, strolling, and journaling

What is your New Haven restaurant? Pad Thai on Chapel

Hello, I am Yuqing Wu, a current PhD student in Sociology at Yale. Many know me as Dorothy—a name inspired by my cherished childhood book, “The Wizard of Oz.” The characters in the tale have always had what they desired, be it courage, friendship, strength, or the way home. For Dorothy, the power to return home was always at her feet, yet it was the journey, not the destination, that illuminated her true essence. I myself have ventured alone from my roots in China, navigating the vast terrains of the US since my undergraduate years and building my network from scratch. This sense of starting anew was replicated many times, such as during my year-long exchange in Japan, further cementing my belief that: while we may be travelers by destiny, it is the journey itself that becomes our truest dwelling. And now, with heart and hand extended, I am excited to build this journey, or home, with you.
 

Pia Gorme (GA)

Pia Gorme

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Yale School of Public Health ‘24: Social and Behavioral Sciences with U.S. Health Justice Concentration

Why AACC? The AACC has helped me find home at Yale, especially in terms of having an Asian/Asian American community which I don’t have the privilege of having back home in Alabama. It’s also been a space for me to learn more about myself through my identity formation of what it means to be Filipina, Southeast Asian, and Asian American, particularly in a political sense. I’m excited to return to the AACC as a graduate assistant and get to know and work with the Asian/Asian American graduate and professional student community as well as the graduate and professional student communities at the other cultural centers and resource offices as well!

What are your hobbies? photography, cooking, and baking

What is your favorite New Haven restaurant? Hachiroku

My name is Pia Gorme (she/her), and I’m a second-year graduate student at the Yale School of Public Health in the Social and Behavioral Sciences department. I was born and raised in Dumaguete City, Philippines but moved to Atmore, Alabama with my family when I was 8 years old! outside of school, I love to cook and bake with and for friends, enjoy photography as a hobby, and watch tv shows and movies (Abbott Elementary and Ted Lasso are my comfort shows and anything Marvel and Star Wars I have probably watched/currently watching). I’m also involved with Kasama: the Filipinx Club at Yale (if you’re Filipinx pls hmu) and part of Steppin’ Out (S.O.!), the step team on campus.