Stories of Identity
THROUGH THE LENS
Photo and prose by Amishika Dhaurali, age 17
The elusive foothills of the Himalayas rest in my illustrious motherland of Nepal. For someone who is Nepalese, I appear anything but. Staring into pictures with my eyes focused on my stretch marks, I realized that I felt excluded from society. With editing, it was easy to photoshop acne or a bloated tummy, but it was clear that this temporary fix would never ease the diffidence I or anyone else felt. I use photography as a tool towards building self-confidence because she doesn’t just show up after one photo session. The feeling of spreading self-love is powerful and I want to continue to empower others this way. My identity is held in the hands of a plus-sized, South Asian photographer who transforms life-long insecurity into beauty.
WHO I AM
Photo and poem by a Valued Voice, age 15
You tell me to think
But nothing comes to mind
Everything just seems like a blob, a mess
But as I think
And I take the time
Something comes into my mind
How much I love my family
How much I love my culture
And my friends
And everyone in my life
I appreciate them
But I also remember that it isn’t easy
Being the daughter of immigrants
Or being in a Spanish culture
I see my family sometimes struggle
I see them scared at times
Too scared to walk by a police officer
Or the car of a police officer
But all this makes me who I am
SOCIAL MEDIA
Photo and prose by Brian Santos, age 17
Even if someone may look like they are living the best life,
they may feel lonely
even when thousands or more cheer and compliment them.
… I can show a happy face, but in reality,
I feel isolated from others.
… I can put on a mask
and be who I want to be
without others necessarily judging me.
HOME
Photo and poem by a Valued Voice, age 18
As I pick up the lid shaped like a rooftop
I feel the warmth of my mother’s presence
As the heating steam flows towards my face
I blow towards the brewed cup of tea
Slowly with my own pace
I then smell a familiar fragrance of home
Looking down, seeing my own reflection
I am reminded of my imperfections
As I take a sip of this tea
I am reminded of the memorable childhood
years
As I look down once again,
I see the liquids holding my tears
With the formation of this cup of tea,
I am reminded of long trips to the sea
Looking down again, I am taken to another
dimension
Which has now taken my attention
I see the colors of a lovely sunset
I take a sip once again,
I am now brought to a realization
Of this materialization
That this simple cup not only fulfills warmth inside of us
But much more to be discussed
As I take my last sip of tea,
My mind is now set free unlocking every bit of me
As I continue to explore what remains of this tea,
I see the light brown stains layering inside the cup
Questioning what those might be
I am reminded that this simple cup of tea
Holds the story of unforgettable memories
WARMTH
Photo and Poem by a Valued Voice, age 17
Flow with the crew
Brew a cup of tea
When my mind is at sea
We drink a cup of tea
The charming aroma that I’ll never forget
It lingers in those around the table
A touch of warmth on the cup,
Is the warmth of my grandmother
CONFIDENCE
Photo and prose by MR, age 20
When we first received this assignment I had so many different ideas. I kept on going back and forth. I wanted to choose something that has really made me develop and become the person I am today. So, what I decided to do was type out random, vivid memories... and I noticed an immediate connection. From my early childhood to my life at Tufts, I noticed a growth in my confidence level. From confidence in competitions to confidence in making life decisions, I am happy to say that I have come a long way. However, the construction of the self is not finished as I have many more years to live! I am confident that my confidence in myself will continue to rise as I continue my development.