Edinburgh Napier University

  Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis, this narrative explores my personal journey as a Filipina navigating the streets of Edinburgh during a period of heightened anti-Asian sentiment. As I confront the complex social and spatial dynamics of the pandemic, my actions become assertions of belonging and resistance to racism. A chance encounter with graffiti during one of my walks proved pivotal, influencing how I understood and responded to these challenges. By reflecting on these graffiti expressions in relation to my own experiences, I seek to amplify the voices of marginalized communities during times of crisis. This article critically engages with graffiti, a medium often dismissed as vandalism, and explores its role in intercultural communication and societal resilience. Methodologically, it also emphasizes the significance of serendipitous data in shaping qualitative research.