The hospital community, specifically the MRI/Radiology Department, and the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community are the discourse communities in which I participate. I have been an MRI technologist for about five years and am continually learning new skills. The fact that a “tech” working in the radiology department is thought to be a technician perplexes everyone. However, “techs” are not technicians, and we do not perform equipment repairs. We are a team of technologists! In terms of specialized terminology, there are times when a tech will shout out “time out,” which indicates that the contrast for that phase of the MRI scan is ready to be injected. During a scan, the tech may also state “d/c the line” or “IV,” which refers to the patient’s injection method, which could include disconnecting the intravenous line or administering contrast intravenously. The phrase “lifting help” may be heard when transferring a patient onto an MRI table or stretcher requires more assistance. A “walkie-talkie” patient is one who does not require assistance.

In the AAPI community, there is not a specialized terminology used in this group, but we all have one thing in common, which is that our cultures are from the Asian continent: including Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands, all cohesively living in the United States.  During the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout history, the AAPI community was singled out as a target because ignorance and disinformation about the diseases’ origins muddled with evidence and research.  A substantial number of biases and crimes had infiltrated the intimate lives of community members due to bigotry and violence.  Protests, campaigns, contributions, and organizations were developed and used to spread awareness and aid safeguard each other in order to combat and show that the community would not remain silent anymore. Some organizations taught self-defense classes, distributed personal safety alarms and mase, and provided free Uber and Lyft vouchers received through donation contributions.