Diversity Project
Hello world!
Our first solo gallery finally opened in downtown Eugene, OR. This gallery will be up for the next 3 months to highlight diversity in this community.
I came from a country that isn't that diverse. I know Oregon has a reputation for not being diverse but even this state looks amazingly diverse to people like me. Growing up with people that have same values, cultural awareness, and similarities in appearance made it easy for all of us to feel a sense of community and belonging in it.
When I came to the U.S., this was one of the biggest eye opening moments for me. I went into an English learning program before going to college, where I met so many people from different countries along with American teachers. It blew my mind the amount of different ideas people have, and how people are able to articulate and express those ideas! (If you think “of course everybody has different opinions,” going to Japan might blow your mind!lol)
Coming together with people from different backgrounds brings so many different ideas. I believe that when the community is set up to work together to integrate ideas from all it's members, the community grows stronger and more inclusive. Eugene is so unique in the sense that a lot of people are so accepting and trying their hardest to be inclusive. Yet, because we don’t have a whole a lChance opportunity to practice (compare to the cities like NYC and SF), it feels like a slower process for all of us.
I take photos of people, and I create visual representation of brands and companies. I firmly believe visual representation matters. The more we see, the less foreign it becomes. I am so grateful that I got to take photos to represent diversity in this community! Thank you everybody who trusted me to take your photos. Thank you to the city of Eugene for supporting this project. Lastly, thank you to the community who came out to celebrate diversity with us. Every interaction I had during this event meant so much to me. :)
