Since arriving in the United States nearly two years ago, Tingyu "Danica" Dou has been troubled to hear that when people talk about race, the matter is often quite literally Black and White. Despite the fact that anti-Asian racism has always been present in the U.S., it is rarely discussed. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak triggered a sharp increase in racist statements and hate crimes against Asians in Western countries. According to the non-profit group Stop AAPI Hate, nearly 4,000 incidents have been reported nationwide since the pandemic started. This fueled Danica's decision to dedicate her thesis, Uplifting / Lifting Up: Asian Power From Our Own Hands, to fighting discrimination against Asian Americans.

Guanghui Bi's thesis, Bursting Bubbles: Learning About Others Through Digital Play, focuses on sparking joyful interactions among individuals, creating opportunities for people to appreciate the diversity of others by sharing common interests. The designed products raise the question of how contemporary social media platforms can better facilitate intergroup contact.