Reconnecting with My Culture This picture depicts me, in Chinatown, with a traditional Chinese umbrella. I am smiling up at the sun and accepting my surroundings like an embrace, unlike the shame I used to associate with my Asian side. Being Asian American has brought up an internal conflict about which side I identify more with. Finding myself during the pandemic has allowed me to realize that I am not Asian or American, I am Asian-American. What once was viewed as an obstacle is now the thing I am comfortable with showing.