Connecting in Community
by Dona Park
Dona Park is a graphic designer, digital illustrator, and musician based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. She is a graduate of Goshen College and a former intern at ReconciliAsian. She is a recipient of Mennonite Church USA's #BringThePeace award.
Within the past three years since the pandemic, I dove deep into the depths of creativity and art, frequently posting for my art account and small jewelry brand. To give a little more background of my work, I create custom miniature beads that take form in fruits, vegetables, as well as a wide variety of different themes. My idea began as an homage to my Korean culture of eating, cutting, and sharing fruit and food–it was very common to hear, "Here, eat some fruit," as a gesture of welcome.
As pretty as this picture is, I am burnt. As one of the many young adults going through a massive increase in anxiety, depression, and overall growth of mental health issues in the context of the pandemic, I was not sure how to sustain myself, especially in a one-person work situation while isolating myself to reduce COVID exposure. Alongside the extremities of the pandemic, the rise of anti-Asian sentiments has been a throbbing source of anxiety for myself. Presently my city of Vancouver, Canada, has been labeled as the anti-Asian hate crime capital of North America,” with an 717% increase in reported anti-Asian hate crimes. The rapid growth and ceaseless attacks have grown into an internalized fear and paralysis for the Asian community surviving during the pandemic.
When Sue and Hyun invited me to Los Angeles, we traced back to the idea of community; we came up with the idea of doing a jewelry activity with Korean-American young adults, using some of the skills and materials I had from my jewelry brand. Most, if not all of us, have studied or worked in isolation and understood the need of community. We played around specific themes revolving around our Korean identities and it clicked in my head to bring in the theme of the Asian zodiac, widely known as the Chinese zodiac. The zodiac has less to do with the Greco-Roman interpretation on the alignment of the stars; instead, it depends on the lunar calendar on a 12-year rotation and is based on animals. Growing up, asserting my zodiac was as obvious as asserting my age; it helped me find my clan of people born in 1995. Born in the year of the pig, I was proud of my animal representation; the pig symbolizes wealth, honesty, and luck.
We were a small group consisting of four people: Lynn, Christine, Grace, and myself. Lynn and Christine were born in the year of the Snake, which represents deep-thinkers, creativity and responsibility. Grace was born in the year the monkey, known for its intelligence, quick-wit, and curiosity. After quickly brainstorming colours and general structure of the necklace, we made a stop at the bead store, collected crafts and tools, and headed back home to form the necklaces. As we molded and baked clay sculptures, the process was interesting to witness as each individual took their time to create such different creatures.
Looking back at this activity, I was grateful that friendship and art could be intertwined to create a small community, sharing conversations on the past, present and the future. The sense of safety and comfort was present. The presence of a warm, tight-knit community allowed me to think freely without second guessing. Despite each person going through their personal troubles, there was a feeling of hope and a new beginning.
Amidst the monotony of COVID-19, uptick in racially motivated hate crimes, and world crises and wars, I was very aware of the absence of community and connection, where spaces and relationships were physically nonexistent. In a marathon of social scrolling, text-based conversations, and infrequent check-ins, I had forgotten the feeling of what it means to have people, other than family, empathize or to simply just be. This brings into mind the Zulu word ubuntu: “I am because you are.” It signifies the intersectionality and interdependency of individual and community, and brings forth the presence of humanity. As I question, “What does it mean to be Asian in this day and age?” I understood the necessity to reach out and support existing relationships. Our actions become potent and carry agency, as we create, laugh, eat together, and offer a shoulder to another; a tangible way to prove that each of us are not alone.
Hyeyoon, Christine, Lynn, Dona, Jeehye, Grace