Krystal Gallegos is a current undergraduate student at the University of Southern California pursuing degrees in International Relations and East Asian Languages and Cultures with an emphasis in Japanese. With interests in studying abroad, global citizenship, and media studies, Krystal spent the past summer in Dalian, China co-leading a media seminar for students at Camp Meridian, a one-month experience helping Chinese students develop their skills in English through speech, debate, and seminar options in Literature, Science, and Media. On-campus, she is involved in research in the Near Crisis Project with International Relations professor Dr. Patrick James. She is also a Latino Alumni Association Scholar and University Relations Chair for the USC Questbridge chapter for first-generation and low-income students.

In the course “Digital Asia and Activism,” students explored the identity of Asia and how different iterations of media play a role in creating separate identities. They looked at different forms of media and how these interact with society in activism, fan culture, and politics. Throughout the course, Krystal developed a better understanding on how digital media plays such a crucial role in activism and politics, despite being a relatively new platform. Throughout the course, Krystal wrote pieces concerning China, Hong Kong, and the power of media in identity construction, how we define mainstream culture especially in Japan, and the importance of underground journalism to bring awareness to issues that would otherwise be invisible to the international community. Due to the nature of the course, Krystal hopes to study more on the effects of digital media on the social world and hopes to conduct research in her current International Relations course, Approaches to Research.

Aside from being on her computer or in the USC library stacks, Krystal is an avid movie watcher and loves photography.