Bryce Yang

Bryce Yang (he/him) is a first-year student at UNC Asheville. He is a second-generation Half-Chinese Half-White pursuing a master’s in computer science through the NC State 2+2 Dual Enrollment Program. He is a national-level rock climber and President of the UNCA Climbing Club, along with the VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Inter-Greek Council at UNCA.

In terms of race/ethnicity:  “Growing up as a person of mixed Asian heritage, I grappled with the internalized belief of not belonging to either racial group, which became a defining aspect of my journey with self-acceptance. The challenge of navigating between two cultures, often feeling like an outsider in both, shaped my personal identity in a significant way. When I was in elementary school, I chose to identify solely with my Asian heritage. In middle school, I chose to identify with my white heritage in order to fit in with my friends at the time. It was the feeling of not being entirely accepted by either side that spurred my involvement in the AAPI community. These experiences of exclusion, whether implicit or overt, motivated me to be an advocate for those who, like me, felt disconnected from their roots.”