Where I'm From

For the last six weeks, I have been part of an adult ed class at my church called "Race, Faith, and Community" that has explored how issues of race impact us individually, as well as the unity and effectiveness of the church as a whole. As part of the class, we were each asked to complete a poem exercise that would help us explore the culture and experiences that have helped shape our ethnic identity. The poem was in a "Mad Libs" kind of format, where we had to fill in the blanks using words of our choice that corresponded with the chosen topic. Here's what I came up:

I am from snow covered driveways.
From Disney movies and piano lessons.
I am from the track homes of Tracy, homogenous floorplans, white walls, and a pool in the backyard.
I am from the North Davis greenbelt with it's quirky sculptures of dominoes and dogs.
I'm from bedtime stories and loud conversations.
From Kay and Don.
I'm from the 'let's talk about everything' philosophy and the importance of family vacations. From having my grandpa use the term "Japs" to having a cousin engaged to a Vietnamese man. I'm from lifelong Republicans who were surprised yet supportive when I voted for Obama.
I'm from three distinct places that shaped me: Englewood, CO; Tracy, CA; Davis, CA.
From my Grandma's white chococlate chip cookies and beef brisket with mashed potatoes.
I am from feeling like I have no ethnic identity because British ancestry equals boring.