Asia Melanie Adams (1983-2004)
West Chester University, Class of 2005

Asia Melanie Adams was an exceptional young woman.  At the young age of 21, she possessed insight, perspective, academic intelligence, motivation and positive energy beyond her years. Asia attended St. Barnabas Episcopal Elementary School in Philadelphia, later attending Fitler Academics Plus School for middle years, graduating with highest honors. It was during these years that her deep love for literature and writing, grew and flourished. She loved writing so much that she consistently chronicled her experiences and observations. From a young age, Asia exhibited an obsession for reading, often reading four books in one week. Her favorite authors were Omar Tyree, Sister Soulja, and CS Lewis. A Do Right Man and Coldest Winter Ever, respectively, being among her favorite novels.

These qualities earned Asia an academic scholarship to attend high school at the prestigious William Penn Charter School in East Falls, Philadelphia. While at Penn Charter, Asia was a member of numerous athletic teams, including the Women’s Swim Team, Cross-Country Team, and the Varsity Track and Field Team where she specialized in the shot put and long jump. Asia had unwavering commitment for academic excellence. Throughout high school and college Asia volunteered at Southern Homes for Children, The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, and United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania as a member of the Youth Opportunities Council in Philadelphia.   

Upon graduating from Penn Charter in 2001, Asia became a Board of Governor’s Scholar at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Asia was scheduled to graduate in 2005 with a major in psychology and a minor in women’s studies. While a student at West Chester University Asia worked with the Summer Institute and the Office of Multicultural Affairs mentorship program assisting the successful transition to University life for first-year students of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent. Her post graduation plan was to attend historically-black Howard University to obtain her masters degree in nursing. Asia’s professional passion was to work with women and children in need to assist then in their psychological, physical, emotional, and sociological healing.

In addition to her love for literature, Asia also had a deep love for music and dance.  Under the instruction of Tony Williams at the Mt. Airy Jazz Cultural Center, Asia developed a love for jazz piano and flute. She always sang on her school choirs at St. Barnabas, William Penn Charter, and West Chester University.   While in college she developed an interest in playing guitar. Asia was greatly blessed with opportunities to experience different cultures, expanding creatively and intellectually. She traveled to many countries including England, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, Jamaica, and Bahamas and throughout the United States.

Asia was a loving, caring, and nurturing young woman, often times assuming the role of mother with friends and others in need. She possessed an inherent sense of responsibility and maturity.  Asia had a strong sense of family, responsibility, values, self-determination, purpose, and faith.  She wholeheartedly embraced the principles of Kwaanza, her favorite holiday.  Despite a demanding school schedule when her favorite Aunt Lu was sick as a result of breast cancer, Asia religiously traveled home from West Chester each weekend to provide care for her Aunt Lu and to provide needed respite for her mother Shelah Harper who took care of her Aunt Lu throughout her illness. Asia had an ever-present spirit and commitment to helping others that included searching for ways to give back to her community. She was an avid participant in the political community, exercising her right to vote and encouraging her peers and neighbors to follow her lead. Asia embraced the communal family concepts of both the 1997 Million Woman March in Philadelphia, and the 2001 Million Family March in Washington, D.C. Many in the religious, business, service and political communities of Philadelphia knew Asia.

At the time of her untimely death, Asia was well on her way to fulfilling her life goals. Ironically, before her murder on November 7, 2004, Asia was working with her favorite professor on a research project aimed at stopping violence against women. 

Asia’s infectious smile, outgoing nature, warmth, wittiness, and nurturing sensibility brought a warm feeling to the hearts of all who knew her.