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Back This Time Will Be Different Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. A Series of Screw-ups: The Chisaki Joan Katsuyama Story, Part I
  6. 3
  7. The History of My Beef with Brynn Foer-Preston
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part I
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part I
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part II
  20. 13
  21. The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part II
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. The Complicated History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Imaginary Relationship with Her Nonexistent Dad
  29. 20
  30. 21
  31. 22
  32. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part III
  33. 23
  34. 24
  35. 25
  36. A Brief, Backward History of the McAllister Family, as Paraphrased from the San Jose Mercury News
  37. 26
  38. 27
  39. 28
  40. A Quick and Eerily Relevant History of Asians in America
  41. 29
  42. 30
  43. 31
  44. 32
  45. 33
  46. 34
  47. 35
  48. 36
  49. A Brief History of Chisaki Joan Katsuyama’s Romantic Learning Opportunities, Part IV
  50. 37
  51. 38
  52. 39
  53. 40
  54. 41
  55. 42
  56. 43
  57. 44
  58. A Series of Screw-ups: The Chisaki Joan Katsuyama Story, Part II (Or Maybe It’s a Prequel)
  59. 45
  60. 46
  61. 47
  62. 48
  63. 49
  64. 50
  65. 51
  66. 52
  67. 53
  68. The History of the Katsuyama Family, Part III
  69. 54
  70. A Note from the Author
  71. Index of Flowers and their Meanings
  72. Acknowledgments
  73. About the Author
  74. Praise for This Time Will Be Different
  75. Books by Misa Sugiura
  76. Back Ad
  77. About the Publisher

The article talks about how Brynn has always been a student leader, how she’s an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights, and how totally amazing it is that a white girl would be so eager to play such a “crucial role” in the movement.

“I’ve had a lot of experience organizing events and going to protests and marches,” it quotes her as saying. “My mom does a lot of fund-raisers for progressive causes, so I feel like it’s important for me to contribute as much as I can that way.”

Furious as I am at Geoffrey for writing this article, I’m even more furious at Brynn. I text a link to the article to the rest of the committee, except for Brynn, and add, I’m sorry but wtf?

Within minutes, Nikki, Mizhir, Lilianna, and Tulasi text back.

Nikki: Oh shit

Mizhir: fr tho

Lilianna: wtaf

Tulasi: image

I don’t hear back from Owen and Aviana, or from Zach or Emily.

I want to drive over to Emily’s house and shove this article at her and say, “Look! Look at how she’s taken our cause and made it all about her! This is the girl you’re falling for! You knew better!” It’s probably too late, though.

I’m so angry that I’m tempted to contact the Merc and call bullshit, or maybe call KRON and tell them to send a reporter and a camera to interview someone who actually has personal experience with the actual issue, instead of experience organizing events. Though let’s face it. It’s too late for that, too.

When I get to school, still simmering with rage and—let’s be honest—a dash of despair and a pinch of jealousy, I see a news van with one of those telescoping antennae parked in front of the administration building. I pick up my pace and walk over to see what’s going on.

I can’t believe it. There’s Brynn, Owen, and Aviana, talking to a reporter. Brynn is doing the talking, naturally.

I can’t hear what she’s saying because she’s too far away, but she is Holding Forth. Aviana is nodding soberly, and Owen is, too. Eventually, Brynn shuts up and the reporter asks Owen a question. He speaks for a little bit, and then looks at Aviana, who starts talking. But she’s only been talking for a few seconds when Brynn, who’s been nodding along vigorously, appears to have a huge epiphany of some kind. Mid-nod, she opens her mouth and holds up her finger: I have something to say that is so important, I can’t even finish nodding! The reporter shifts her attention back to Brynn, who launches into a speech so impassioned that I can actually hear her voice now, though I still can’t make out the words.