I was born here in Philly in the year 1999. My parents were young, at least twenty years old, and struggled to stay together. Eventually, they went their separate ways and found another significant other that they currently spend their lives with. I’ve got two sets of parents. As stressful as it was and sometimes still is, I know that all of them have played a valuable role in raising and guiding me to be who I am right now as I write this. The vast amounts of memories that I keep with all of them cannot be held in a tiny 4-by-4 inch display box, so here, I’ve set up two of the most symbolic items I own from each side.

The scarf, a keffieh, was given to me by my stepfather at the time when he was stationed in various places including Kuwait as a Coast Guard serviceman.

The necklace was brought back from Cambodia by my father during his first trip back since the Khmer Rouge Era and Civil War.