Three Generations in Story: Honoring Our Immigration Roots through Design

This spring, my grandmother, my mother, and I had the honor of being interviewed for a capstone project led by Beverly and Amy, two graduating design students from the University of Washington. Their project centered the stories of immigrant families—and through their lens, we were given a space to remember, reflect, and speak our truths.

It has long been my grandmother’s dream to have her story written. Like so many matriarchs of our lineage, her resilience has carried generations forward—but her voice has often been left out of the narrative. Being invited into this project felt like a long-overdue recognition. To have her words listened to, translated into visual design, and honored by the next generation of artists was incredibly moving—for all of us.

The experience became a quiet, powerful bridge: connecting me to my mother and grandmother in a new way, and also to Beverly and Amy, two young women carrying deep care and intentionality in their creative work. It was more than a school project—it was a living archive.

It reminded me why I do the work I do.

To reclaim story.
To remember out loud.
To preserve the sacred.
To create spaces—like Studio 7117—where our stories live and breathe, not just as history, but as legacy.

Thank you, Beverly and Amy, for listening with your hearts. For approaching us with reverence. And for allowing my grandmother’s dream to live on in your design.