Isabelle Wong 鈥25 co-created the video, 鈥淥ur Sister: Asian Santa,鈥 which asks important questions about representation vs. re-presentation.
By Cara Nixon
July 9, 2026
For the , Reedie Isabelle Wong ’25 and Duke Kunshan University student Lia Ai Smith asked an intriguing question that would go on to win them top honors: At what point are attempts of fusion or the mixing of cultures more harmful than helpful?
Their question was provoked by the decision of Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Garden to promote an “Asian Santa” during the holiday season.
In their multimedia video, Isabelle and Lia discuss Portland’s tied history with its sister city Suzhou, China, and the distinctions between representation and re-presentation—noting that Asian Santa re-presented, rather than represented, cultural differences in favor of the gardens and its tourism.
Their video and its thoughtful insights was the ASIANetwork’s winning entry under this year’s challenge theme, “Asia at the Center, Asia at the Margins.” ASIANetwork is a consortium of North American colleges that promotes education about Asia within the liberal arts.
Their work was advised by Professor Barbie Wu [theatre]. “It was a privilege to work with Isabelle and Lia as they critically analyze the social and cultural impact of what it means to have an Asian Santa,” Barbie says. “I'm so thrilled that they both got recognized for their critiques and their question of representation. I am incredibly proud of Isabelle and Lia.”