My Name is Yoon...My Story

Every time I read My Name is Yoon, I well up. This is my story.  As a child of a Korean mother and an American GI father, I had a typical military childhood.  We transferred from California to Incheon, South Korea and back to California by the time I was 41/2 years old.  I only spoke Korean up until this point and became a selective mute as I moved to my new home, because I didn't have the words to express myself.  

Recently, this image popped up as part of a library group on Twitter.  A librarian celebrates Korean heritage every year and highlights books that tell a deeper story of the migratory experience.  When I saw My Name is Yoon, I knew I had to make a lasting change within my workshop practice to connect with our childhood experiences.  It's been a game changer. 

I hope that you celebrate the cultural backgrounds of those who are most quiet in your classroom, so they are able to voice their identity with their peers.