Lauryl Nakagawa, an engineer at Naval Floor Warfare Heart (NSWC) Corona Division, started her distinctive journey in Hunan, China, the place as a child she was adopted by a Caucasian mom and Japanese father from america.
She lived in Ventura, California, all through her childhood and graduated from California State Polytechnic College in 2015 with a bachelor’s diploma in industrial engineering. Based on Nakagawa, her path intertwines a mix of cultures that form her identification {and professional} pursuits.
“To me, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month means sharing enjoyable and totally different cultural points of our heritage which are generally not recognized to different cultures,” Nakagawa mentioned. “Rising up American with a Chinese language background and a Japanese father offered me with a fusion of cultures.”
Regardless of the challenges she confronted at school because of teasing, Nakagawa mentioned she discovered solace in cultural golf equipment, connecting along with her roots by Chinese language and Japanese traditions. Immersing herself in performing arts, Nakagawa embraced her heritage by Chinese language dance golf equipment and festive Japanese dancing, discovering a deeper appreciation for her range.
“Performing arts helped me join with each my Japanese and Chinese language sides, permitting me to behave on my tradition and carry out it,” she mentioned. “Being part of these conventional dance teams from a younger age additionally helped educate and introduce me to others with related backgrounds to mine.”
Though not genetically Japanese, Nakagawa was accepted by her fellow festive Japanese dancers, who helped her admire her multicultural upbringing, she mentioned.
“They had been very open and pleasant,” Nakagawa mentioned. “They helped educate me and made me extra assured in expressing my household heritage, and my very own.”
Right now, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month holds a particular significance for Nakagawa because it spreads consciousness of various cultures and encourages individuals to find out about different traditions in partaking methods. Recalling the acceptance and heat she obtained from each Japanese and Chinese language communities, Nakagawa emphasised the significance of studying about one’s roots and fascinating with cultural actions. She encourages others who wish to study extra about their tradition to discover their heritage by varied means, together with culinary, performing arts, and different conventional actions.
“I used to be very lucky to come back from a loving household who supported me studying extra about my Chinese language tradition,” she mentioned. “I might inform anyone who needs to get extra in contact with their roots to do one thing that they will join and interact with whether or not that is meals, actions or one other particular side of the tradition.”
As Nakagawa navigates her eight-year profession as a Navy engineer, she mentioned she embodies the spirit of range and inclusion, and promotes a office that values totally different backgrounds and experiences. Connecting along with her tradition by performing arts exemplifies the ability of embracing her heritage and appreciating the great thing about range in all its varieties.
NSWC Corona Division has offered evaluation and evaluation for the Navy since 1964. With expertise in gauging the Navy’s warfighting functionality, NSWC Corona is a pacesetter in NAVSEA information analytics. Corona makes use of networked information environments, information and visualization, and measurement know-how to bridge the Navy’s information silos, enabling knowledgeable decision-making for the warfighter. Anchor to the Inland Empire Tech Bridge, NSWC Corona is positioned in Norco, California, with detachments in Fallbrook and Seal Seashore and personnel in 14 extra places.
