Blog #4- Response to "My Digital Story"

Simply being "an open book", and being able to talk about your history, your influences and your family is wonderful on its own...but to artistically, creatively and academically portray these events is a whole different ball game. This project of creating a digital story, for me, made me take a long hard look in the mirror and contemplate who exactly I am and what aspect of my life do I want to make public.

Kean University is the most diverse population I have ever been submerged in, and with that comes an array of stories, cultures and experiences. I have an appreciation for variance and the ability an institution has to bring it all together for a common goal...an education. With that being said, I want to leave my footprint at Kean in a large way and open other students eyes to "difference", and the only way to do that is to be honest, ethical and in-tune with what you want out of life. The digital story helped me put a large piece of that puzzle together...

Adoption for me has always been so close to home, but yet a concept so far away. I rarely met other adoptees, and when I do, to be quiet honest, they are usually Asian children raised by White families. I am always asked about my feelings about it or about whether or not I want to meet my birth parents, but, no one really asks me how it has affected my life? That is what I wanted this project to answer.

The angle I wanted this project to take was a multi-faceted one. I wanted to hit on who the key role players were in this event, how is affected me positively and negatively, societies view about adoption and an in-depth look as to why I was affected so much by it. (I won't speak on them because my project did) But, I will speak on the affect the project had on me since I presented it. First off, many of my classmates, whom do not know me on a personal level, felt a level of comfortability with me, where they would stop me in the hallways or library just to ask me questions that they may have had. This alone was heart warming because I can come off as guarded and tough, when in reality I love talking to people and inspiring others. Another way this project has affected me is my genuine appreciation for my mother and my life that I have had. As time passes, and we get caught up in school, girlfriends and jobs we sometimes fail to "stop and smell the roses." This concept of appreciation is underestimated. Appreciation gives you a whole new boost of motivation, and a whole new outlook on what you have, instead of worry about what media says you should have or what you think you should have. Everyones life is missing something and everyone has flaws, but harnessing the good is key to success. So in all, I want to thank you Dr. Zamora for giving me even more of a positive outlook on life...