Time has only strengthened my will and commitment to owning my Asian identity. Throughout my life I’ve had to reconcile in different ways what it means to be Asian, or in another sense eastern in the west.

At this point it’s becoming a commonly shared dialogue at least amongst diaspora Asian-North-Americans: not being wholly in tune with my roots so not Asian enough while being a visible minority in a discriminatory majority environment, so not considered white / western / assimilated enough. I’ve ashamedly tried assimilating with those intolerant to my roots before myself returning the hate. I’ve then tried pretending I’m closer to my roots than I authentically am only to understand I’m shaming myself for missing out on an Asian experience I’m simply idealizing, realizing that often if not just as often other (adjective) Asians other (verb) me. I’ve had to eventually understand self-worth and embrace the parts I have nurtured and retained of my Asian identity as well as accepting my western perspective—and that there’s a unique experience in my specific dual-culture. It’s only felt recently that this Asian diaspora experience is gaining a voice and spotlight.

My journey through creative expression means to exist in a setting that acknowledges the reality of navigating / persevering as a visible-racialized people, but having forged a defiant space despite all that. Because our expressions must not be in cyclical perpetuity revolving around the limitations we’ve historically-to-presently endured, same as how our lives must not in perpetuity start every day with looking at our reflection and bringing attention to what marginalizes or others us. At a certain point we’ll have to have reached the next age of our sociocultural identity. In an “avant-garde” way this art project means to exist in that future.