when you look at me what do you see I’m American and I’m Italian but what do you
American and I’m Italian but what do you
American and I’m Italian but what do you see in 1974 an eight and a half year old
see in 1974 an eight and a half year old
see in 1974 an eight and a half year old girl landed at the JFK International
girl landed at the JFK International
girl landed at the JFK International Airport in New York City her name was
Airport in New York City her name was
Airport in New York City her name was Joe honk honk
Joe honk honk
Joe honk honk she was born in Seoul South Korea in
she was born in Seoul South Korea in
she was born in Seoul South Korea in 1966 she was abandoned at four years old
1966 she was abandoned at four years old
1966 she was abandoned at four years old with her little brother and sent to the
with her little brother and sent to the
with her little brother and sent to the city orphanage of Seoul where they were
city orphanage of Seoul where they were
city orphanage of Seoul where they were eventually forever separated one day the
eventually forever separated one day the
eventually forever separated one day the nuns from a nearby convent visited the
nuns from a nearby convent visited the
nuns from a nearby convent visited the children at the orphanage resourceful
children at the orphanage resourceful
children at the orphanage resourceful she tugged on their long gray gowns and
she tugged on their long gray gowns and
she tugged on their long gray gowns and smiled as big as she could
smiled as big as she could
smiled as big as she could hoping that she would be one of the
hoping that she would be one of the
hoping that she would be one of the selected few to live with the nuns at
selected few to live with the nuns at
selected few to live with the nuns at the convent the nonce took her in and
the convent the nonce took her in and
the convent the nonce took her in and there she was well cared for they were
there she was well cared for they were
there she was well cared for they were the ones who facilitated her adoption
the ones who facilitated her adoption
the ones who facilitated her adoption immediately upon her arrival to the
immediately upon her arrival to the
immediately upon her arrival to the United States she was given a new name
United States she was given a new name
United States she was given a new name Robbie Eisen Messer and from that moment
Robbie Eisen Messer and from that moment
Robbie Eisen Messer and from that moment on she lost everything she once knew
on she lost everything she once knew
on she lost everything she once knew that was 44 years ago Joe Hong Kong is
that was 44 years ago Joe Hong Kong is
that was 44 years ago Joe Hong Kong is my mother
my mother
my mother Robbie Eisen Messer is my mother a new
Robbie Eisen Messer is my mother a new
Robbie Eisen Messer is my mother a new country a new culture a new religion a
country a new culture a new religion a
country a new culture a new religion a new language a new family
new language a new family
new language a new family this was her new reality in a truly
this was her new reality in a truly
this was her new reality in a truly global society
global society
global society we need to see people for who they are
we need to see people for who they are
we need to see people for who they are and allow them to maintain their
and allow them to maintain their
and allow them to maintain their cultural identity their personal
cultural identity their personal
cultural identity their personal individual cultural identity every year
individual cultural identity every year
individual cultural identity every year there are people who emigrate to
there are people who emigrate to
there are people who emigrate to different countries around the world for
different countries around the world for
different countries around the world for various reasons some try to escape
various reasons some try to escape
various reasons some try to escape political or religious persecution war
political or religious persecution war
political or religious persecution war natural disasters others may look for
natural disasters others may look for
natural disasters others may look for job security a better education or
job security a better education or
job security a better education or merely an improved quality of life the
merely an improved quality of life the
merely an improved quality of life the conventional wisdom 44 years ago was
conventional wisdom 44 years ago was
conventional wisdom 44 years ago was conformity
conformity
conformity my mother’s new parents lovingly
my mother’s new parents lovingly
my mother’s new parents lovingly believed that this was in her best
believed that this was in her best
believed that this was in her best interest as they wanted her to live the
interest as they wanted her to live the
interest as they wanted her to live the most normal life possible she was
most normal life possible she was
most normal life possible she was expected to adopt and so she did growing
expected to adopt and so she did growing
expected to adopt and so she did growing up my mother lived in an all white
up my mother lived in an all white
up my mother lived in an all white suburban community with not one
suburban community with not one
suburban community with not one immigrant in sight her mother tongue was
immigrant in sight her mother tongue was
immigrant in sight her mother tongue was forgotten no longer part of her and she
forgotten no longer part of her and she
forgotten no longer part of her and she was enrolled in Jewish religious studies
was enrolled in Jewish religious studies
was enrolled in Jewish religious studies other than the memories that she never
other than the memories that she never
other than the memories that she never shared Rabi eyes investors no longer had
shared Rabi eyes investors no longer had
shared Rabi eyes investors no longer had any connection to her original cultural
any connection to her original cultural
any connection to her original cultural identity we live in a society where we
identity we live in a society where we
identity we live in a society where we soft and try to get everyone to do and
soft and try to get everyone to do and
soft and try to get everyone to do and think like us to conform
think like us to conform
think like us to conform we need to learn to change our mindset
we need to learn to change our mindset
we need to learn to change our mindset and see others for who they truly are
and see others for who they truly are
and see others for who they truly are and not what we think they should become
and not what we think they should become
and not what we think they should become if we develop the curiosity to learn
if we develop the curiosity to learn
if we develop the curiosity to learn about one another
about one another
about one another if we walk in the shoes of others if we
if we walk in the shoes of others if we
if we walk in the shoes of others if we listen to their stories if we embrace
listen to their stories if we embrace
listen to their stories if we embrace their diversity only then will we see
their diversity only then will we see
their diversity only then will we see them only then will we develop a common
them only then will we develop a common
them only then will we develop a common understanding and a higher level of
understanding and a higher level of
understanding and a higher level of empathy allowing cultural diversity into
empathy allowing cultural diversity into
empathy allowing cultural diversity into our society will help eradicate racism
our society will help eradicate racism
our society will help eradicate racism prejudice and discrimination and in
prejudice and discrimination and in
prejudice and discrimination and in today’s world diversity can be perceived
today’s world diversity can be perceived
today’s world diversity can be perceived as effective nationalism and nativism
as effective nationalism and nativism
as effective nationalism and nativism when in reality diversity enriches the
when in reality diversity enriches the
when in reality diversity enriches the fabric of a growing global society be
fabric of a growing global society be
fabric of a growing global society be curious walk in the shoes of others
curious walk in the shoes of others
curious walk in the shoes of others listen to their stories embrace
listen to their stories embrace
listen to their stories embrace diversity 44 years ago what happened to
diversity 44 years ago what happened to
diversity 44 years ago what happened to my mother when she was stripped of her
my mother when she was stripped of her
my mother when she was stripped of her cultural identity may have been socially
cultural identity may have been socially
cultural identity may have been socially acceptable I however would like to be
acceptable I however would like to be
acceptable I however would like to be part of a changing society where
part of a changing society where
part of a changing society where cultures are embraced where we give
cultures are embraced where we give
cultures are embraced where we give people the opportunity to hold on to
people the opportunity to hold on to
people the opportunity to hold on to their cultural heritage their cultural
their cultural heritage their cultural
their cultural heritage their cultural identities and their individuality now
identities and their individuality now
identities and their individuality now look at me again who do you see thank
look at me again who do you see thank
look at me again who do you see thank you
”
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