Create Social Impact for My Name Story project

My name is Judy. I received this name in elementary school when I started 1st grade. I went in with my Korean name and left with the American one assigned to me by a school registration personnel. I've always struggled and felt conflicted about both my names, a common struggle among Asian Americans, and started My Name Story project.

My Name Story is a portrait-video project that examines the AAPI experience through the lens of our names at the intersection of race, gender and class. This project explores themes of identity, belonging, and reclamation in a country that oftentimes labels AAPIs as the other and as perpetual foreigners. The project includes women from different generations, ethnicities and experiences who have had, at one point or another, struggles with their names and the meanings attached to them.

One of the goals I have for this project is to give our stories the visibility they deserve that is centered on our community's experiences, rather than filtered through others, and to raise bigger questions like who gets to be American and what that experience gets to looks like. To do this, I would like to both participate in and create solo art exhibitions and events and require funding for materials such as mounted wall art for each woman's portrait, written literature, etc. I am asking for a minimum target goal of $1200 to cover basic material expenses. Any additional funds raised will go toward supporting the project.

EDIT: We have expanded our fundraising goal to include a community centered solo exhibition to create greater social impact which require a months long gallery rental, community participation experiences, promotional and video documentation expenses and more.

Thank you for your consideration!

Visit my website for a preview of the project here .

Project by Judy Lee of Social Healing Space (formerly Judy Lee Photography). IG: @socialhealingspace

Videography by Tatyana Kurepina. IG: @tatyanakurepina