Earlier this month, I went on an expedition to find the burial site of Jue Lee Hong, a Chinese laundry proprietor, whose tombstone was the last remaining Chinese grave marker in Greenwood cemetery. The story of Chinese laundrymen in Dallas was a huge part of my @DallasTRHT research, and I wanted to pay respect…
Bob Jones & His Family Deserved Better
John Dolford “Bob” Jones was the son of a White man named Leazer Alvis Jones and Elizabeth, a Black woman enslaved by Leazer. When he was a child, he helped freedom seekers escape slavery by hiding them in a cave. Following the Civil War, Bob was granted freedom by his father and…
Making Lemonade
When my marriage ended, I bought a Meyer lemon tree for my apartment. I knew it would be strange to live alone again. Having something to take care of would be a good way of channeling the extra time and energy. The vision of my new routine was crystal clear. I would…
Spark of Hope
Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrating this month always seemed a little strange to me as an adoptee who grew up with very limited connections to my birth culture. I’ve finally become more comfortable with my Korean American identity and learned to celebrate it, even. But it’s been hard…
Showing Up for Each Other
“The only way to survive is by taking care of one another.” – Grace Lee Boggs All I’ve felt for the past month is heaviness. I’ve been trying not to burn out when the work is needed most. So I’m burying myself in books and research, looking to the past for answers….
How You Can Help #StopAsianHate
Tomorrow is a national day of action to #StopAsianHate. Feeling helpless and wondering how you can support your Asian American friends and family? Check on them. The vicarious trauma of seeing these violent headlines and news stories. The erasure of our humanity when a killer is treated with more empathy than his…