Meet Miho Asada

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miho Asada.

Hi Miho, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My family moved from Japan to Southern California when I was one after winning the green card lottery. Being a first-generation immigrant led to financial issues, so it was never in the plans for me to go to college. After high school, I moved out and started supporting myself. After a few years, I considered going to community college to find a direction in life. I started taking architecture classes based off a suggestion from a friend that Googled “jobs for creative people”. I fell in love with architecture and attended Los Angeles Pierce College part-time for five years while working full-time. I was completing my Associate and got accepted into my dream school, Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), with advanced placement and a scholarship just as the pandemic started. Although it was not ideal to start a new school completely online, I don’t regret my choice because I was able to join the SCI-Arc community sooner and finally found a place where I felt like I belonged. I’m finishing up my fourth year at the school and will be graduating next year with my Bachelor’s. I have learned a lot about the industry, my strengths, and what I can do to help others using the power of architecture.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Financial issues have been a large obstacle, but the worst struggle would definitely be chronic depression. I was diagnosed with major depression when I was 16 but did not start therapy again until I was 26 when I was diagnosed with dysthymia, also known as persistent depressive disorder. It’s been a long mental health journey that will continue, but I’m proud to say that I’m doing better now than I have ever been, and it’s with the continued support of my sister and my friends. I feel like talking and learning about mental illnesses has become more normalized, so I have been able to be more open to the people around me. I would not be where I am today if I continued to struggle alone like I did in the past.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At SCI-Arc, I’m involved in all of the student-run organizations. I’m a natural leader and am very outspoken so I use my platform and roles to help students as much as I can. I’m the Student Representative to the Board of Trustees through the Student Union (STUN), a Student Representative of the National Organization of Minority Architects Student (NOMAS) chapter, and Vice President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) chapter. Whether it is inside or outside of school, my main focus is my community. Through a class taught by Florencia Pita, I was introduced to Chanelle Scott, the founder of Tiny Town CA, a transitional resort for women and children experiencing homelessness. I am now working as a Research Assistant through the work-study program to help raise funds for Tiny Town.

I am also a member and scholarship recipient of the Asian American Architects and Engineers (AAa/e) Foundation who connected me with Architecture Communities Los Angeles (ACLA). I had the honor of being a keynote speaker at ACLA’s Design x Diversity event this year, an event that focuses on introducing architecture, engineering, and construction to K-12 and college students. I wasn’t introduced to architecture when I was young, and never imagined that I could be an architect. Now using my platform, I want to encourage and educate future designers with the support that I didn’t have when I was growing up.

After graduating, I hope to work on community-driven projects and ultimately want to become a philanthropist. I think I have a unique perspective on what those struggling mentally and financially need and strive to learn from the hardships I went through to help others.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I don’t have one memory that I would call my favorite, but when I think about happy memories from my childhood I think about my sister. Crazy adventures, late nights, and weird inside jokes that have lasted decades. We’re even closer now than we were when we were forced to share a room growing up and we never run out of things to talk about.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mihoasada/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083648974951
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miho-asada/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/miho_asada

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Dlugolecki Photography