Cohort Statement

This zodiac year is known for intense passion, action, and transformation. To welcome this energy,  we crafted four horses that represent Asian Americans’ past, present, and future. Embodying the 2026 RRR theme of “collective power,” we aspire to ignite our shared histories and rewrite our futures.

Our first horse is named Michelle. She represents Asian American history from the late 18th to early 19th centuries. During this time, hundreds of thousands of Asian immigrants came to the U.S seeking work. They formed Chinatowns across the country and helped build this nation through projects like the Transcontinental Railroad. 
This growth was met with intense anti-Chinese discrimination. Events such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Rock Springs Massacre of 1885 reflect the hostility Asian immigrants faced simply for thriving.

Michelle carries this history of resistance. The body collage features Asian immigrants and their communities, while the cloak is covered in harmful rhetoric, symbolically weighing the body down. Still, the flowers on the cloak remind us that Asian Americans continue to grow and resist. 

Our horse calls on us to remember this history, to hold onto the struggles Asian Americans have faced and to move forward with strength and resilience.

Our beloved horse Xiaoleen embodies the spirit of peace inspired by resistance in the mid-1900s, a period of global violence, from the Nakba to the Vietnam War. The U.S. imperialist war machine tries to convince us that destroying other communities grants us safety. There is no moral victory in wars– only profit at the expense of lives. We urge divestment from weapon manufacturers and for our tax-dollars to go towards education and health-care instead of the Military-Industrial Complex. 

The same imperialist agenda that devastates lives abroad oppresses us here at home. The mid-20th century saw the emergence of multiracial civil rights groups. Xiaoleen’s colorful braids honors the intertwined solidarity between different communities. 

We invited people of different ages to draw what peace looks like to them. Xiaoleen’s quilt is the creation of our shared visions. For us, peace looks like a liberated future without war, where children are safe and flowers can grow.

“It’s not fair.” These were the final words of 27-year-old Vincent Chin, who was murdered amid high anti-Asian sentiment in Detroit in 1982. The same year Vincent Chin died, twenty thousand garment workers marched through Manhattan’s Chinatown to demand livable working conditions. During an era of anti-Asian sentiment and cold indifference, our community rose up to prove that our lives are not disposable. Our third horse honors Vincent Chin and the organizers of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. Whether we’re in Detroit or a garment factory in Chinatown, our safety and survival depend on standing together.

While our first three horses honor our history, our last horse was built to defend our futures. Our horse is blue, the color of the hottest flame, because right now is our time to erupt with outrage at injustice and cruelty. At least 9 people have already been murdered by ICE in 2026: Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Keith Porter Jr, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Victor Manuel Díaz, Parady La, Luis Gustavo Núñez Cáceres, Luis Beltrán Yanez-Cruz, and Heber Sanchez Domínguez. At least 32 people have died in ICE facilities just this year. 

Horses are independent but deeply loyal and protective animals. Right now, it is our responsibility to embody the fire horse through change, courage, and action. We must fight for our homes, our neighbors, and our lives with unrelenting fury. You may feel powerless right now, but know that there are so many actions you can take. You can care for the people around you and take part in strikes and protests. You can call your state senator and tell them to sign the New York 4 All Act and abolish ICE. You can donate to organizations like the ACLU, Make the Road New York, Immigrant Defense Project, or the NY Immigration Coalition. Our love, compassion, and resistance are what keep us safe, not fear and mass deportation. 

As youth, it is a tall order to imagine and strive for a world of greater equality, justice, and healing. We built these horses to trace our current fury and resistance to a legacy of advocacy and change-making, which we hope will inspire not only anger but also hope. Fire is scorching and passionate and nurturing and life-bringing. Fire will always melt ice.

Photos courtesy of Sean Chee