#permanent alien

My copy of @permanentalien came in yesterday! It’s by the wonderful @meruz, @hannayoonicha, @jean-wei, @dooberlane, and others, and I’m really happy with it.

This story, Nián Gāo, really went right to my heart. I have memories of this, too– getting really excited for school potlucks, working hard with my mom to make something authentic and delicious… and then taking home a nearly-full tray and trying not to cry. I’m Korean-American, not Chinese-American, but it still feels heavy in my gut, this memory.

Since I’m mixed, too, I was happy to see stories about being mixed. And stories about finding it hard to connect with the culture that led to me. Thank you all so much. It is also important that stories get told about the Filipino experience, which I often see ignored.

Spoke with my sister about some things she’s been unpacking more as she’s grown older. 

For Permanent Alien. 

short profiles on my parents and. random moments in america. 

there’s something about that. no frills attitude?

a spread I made for a poem that my mom used to try and make me memorize when I was a chid (I couldn’t seem to do it, i’m sure many of you know it as well) 

I revisited Quiet Night Thought while I was doing research for Permanent Alien and I think, it feels weirdly relevant now. I tried a translation, it’s not perfect.