I come from an interracial family. My mom is Jewish and my dad moved to the States from Japan for graduate school. We all lived in Philadelphia for a few years in the late 80s and early 90s and my parents experienced discrimination. People would throw vegetables at our family as we walked by and my family was isolated. Not all stories about Philadelphia are romantic. The truth is, Philadelphia, just like any other city, is complicated and has a complex racial history. It’s important to recognize.

This coin I’ve kept in my backpack for the past several years. It does not encompass my dad, rather it gives insight to the places we come from.