An Introduction
Moshi Moshi
I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and this project.
This film started as a personal project to help me get to know my family history and self-identity. Despite being a mixed-race child of immigrants, I only speak English. My parents wanted me to succeed in America and they saw their languages and cultures as baggage that needed to be left behind. Not sharing a primary language created an emotional distance in our family that grew as we aged. I never really gave much thought about any of this until my father was hospitalized, which forced me to realize that both of my parents’ languages and cultures would be ending with me unless I did something about it. More importantly, it made me realize that I barely know anything about the people that raised me. I decided to simultaneously learn Japanese and Spanish to connect with my parents at a deeper level and keep their cultures alive in the family.
As I began having these conversations with friends, co-workers, and strangers, I soon realized that so many mixed-race kids and children of immigrants were facing similar identity crises. I then expanded this from a personal mission, into a more collaborative project that would bring together other people who are also trying to figure this all out.
So who is this project for? It’s for the mixed-race kids trying to figure out their identities. It’s for children of immigrants who are struggling to carry on our family’s cultures when it feels so distant from the lives we live. It’s for the parents who are unsure how to pass down their cultures and family histories when they're wrapped in generational trauma. At its core, this project is about connecting with our ancestors and ourselves at a deeper level. This project is for you.
Each month, I’ll be sharing exclusive material from the Mixed Feelings Project, which will eventually culminate in a full-length film. I’ll be sharing updates on my progress, exclusive interviews, articles, music, noteworthy films, and shows, and work from other artists.
Gracias for your time and interest in the Mixed Feelings Project.
I can’t wait to share what I’m working on with you!
