Growing up in a white family and living in a predominantly white neighborhood, I didn’t think much of my Asian American identity. It was only in college that I began to meet more Asian American people with strong connections to their roots. Now, as an adult, I find myself struggling to blend my gratitude for the family I have with my desire for a culture I feel left out of. I find myself curious, and longing for a connection to my Asian culture which denies me on the basis of my American identity. It is within this crossroads of culture that Forsaken Desire exists.
My portraits of other young Asian Americans act as a mirror through which I catch glimpses of myself, while at the same time confronting the culture I wish for. Through tender portraits which highlight my friends’ individuality, I empower them and myself—as they remind me there is no one way to be Asian American.
