I Am Who I Am

Shadow Box

Ying Yang

This Shadow Box represents the counter and dominant narrative of me and how people think. All of these objects represent something different and they all have a story behind them. I have chosen to put these items in my Shadow Box because they all have a counter and dominant side of the story. You must be wondering what a Shadow Box is well it’s a visual display that have objects, images, and words to tell the story about yourself. The five items that I am going to talk about is the butterfly, the rose, the airplane ticket, the San Francisco bridge, and the Paris tower. The first items are the butterflies behind the back of my box. I have chosen these items because it represents that I can fly to my goals and I can achieve my dreams. I’m able to be independent and be on my own because I wanna show my parents that I’m able to be on an independent women that is able to do things on her own. I wanna make my parents proud and I wanna show them that their hard work and how much they done for me was worth it. I wanna show them that I can do the same for them to and I am going to work as hard as they did for me to have this many opportunities in life for me. Most importantly the sacrifice that they have done for me to be here now has made me realize that they do care about me there willing to keep supporting me until the end. I am very happy that they’re my everything and I’m happy to fly this far in life because of the things they have done for me and there support that they have gave me. The second item that I have chosen is a rose because it represents society how how people think. Society thinks that people get flowers when they’re sick or a special event and only women get flowers like roses. The things that people think of if your a women you get roses and if you’re a men you shouldn’t get rose. There are many criticisms and stereotypes about the gender expression because of how people act and the gender identity how you identify as. I believe that it doesn’t matter and everyone is all equal we should be treated the same and everyone should have the privilege to do whatever they want. Also people shouldn’t be scared to express themselves and like what they like, they shouldn’t change you are because you’re different. That’s why be your own individual rose because there are many color roses so choose the color you want to be and not change that cause you are who you are. The third item that I have chosen was the airplane ticket because it’s very important for me. Last summer, I went back to visit my family back in China and it was a very wonderful experience even though it was a very long trip. But it was all worth it and I was happy but I was very homesick because I was there for a whole month. I’m very glad that I got the experience to go back it was very different from California the lifestyle and the people there. Everyone knew each other and it was very weird because I didn’t know anyone but everyone was kind and they would say good morning and ect. I wasn’t used to it and it felt very weird because in California it’s different like your parents would be like don’t talk to people you don’t know on the streets. But back there it’s like you should talk to people because they’re being nice and there just positive about things that you don’t want to ruin their mood and day. I’m very proud to go back and see the life style back there and how it was very different and I was happy to experience that. The fourth item that I chose was the San Francisco bridge. I have chosen to put that in my Shadow Box because the Bay Area is very important to me and I have been living in the Bay Area for over 8 years and it’s been a long time that I think about it. People might think that I don’t live here because of my race and ethnicity. There are many times where I have felt the need to move because I didn’t like living here and how everyone was different. But I have come to a conclusion that any where I live it would always be different and I would be sad to move out of the Bay Area because I have lived here for a long time. Which I would miss it if I ever had to leave the Bay. It has become my home and when I’m traveling I know where my home is because I’m homesick and the environment is different from the Bay. Lastly the fifth item that I chosen was the Paris tower (Eiffel Tower). Me my sister and I always wanted to go to Paris but we never find the right time and we both have different schedules. But instead of my sister taking me there and her paying for the tickets I always wanted to take her when we’re older. She has been my biggest supporter and I’m glad she is my sister. She has done a lot for me more then my parents I call her my second mom because she does everything a mom does. I wanna do something for her to pay her back for everything she done for me. Cause she can go with her friends or even by herself but she has been waiting for me to go with her. So I wanna take her there because she always wanted to go there but she is a hard worker and she rather spend her money on school and the things that are more important in life. Which she has been a good example for me which I look up to her because she’s been through a lot because she never gives up.