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This is weird one... hear me out.

I've never been the sentimental type. I have OCD and anything that I no longer use is going straight to GoodWill. I hate clutter and things that I don't use taking up space. Honestly this potato baby has just gotten lucky and was not found during any of my OCD de-cluttering spells (probably because he lives in a lidded jar on top of my desk... easy to forget about.) I think that's the point though, the excitement I feel when rediscovering him is enough for me to leave him be.

Now to the story time: one of my childhood friends named Andrea dropped off this clay potato baby on my door step on July 16th, 2014. How do I know that date? The piece of paper underneath it is actually it's birth certificate. What's the significance of that you ask? Today, the day I was sifting through my room looking for an "artifact", is July 16th. Just a very weird coincidence that I felt was worth mentioning. This potato baby reminds me of the good times I had with Andrea during our friendship. I don't think I've had a friend since then who has made me laugh more. And that is reminded to me every time I find this weird creature she gifted me. Sadly, there is no happy ending. She actually ghosted me Freshman year of high school (ouch) and we have never spoken since. I think the potato baby taught me that friendships are temporary but the memories you have are forever. So thank you, Andrea, for giving me a reason to remember that making memories with friends is central to who we are as people.

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My pre academy artifact is my graduation cap from when I walked in May. The reason as to why this is ceremonious to me is that it represents the mental growth I have been able to obtain since I started college. I have struggled with insecurity regarding the seeking other people’s acceptance and approval. I always felt the need to show off or show other people that I did something to validate to myself that I did it. Over the course of college (I was a 5-year super senior) I have been able to learn the consequence for thinking this way. Not only does it hurt your self-esteem, but it also hurts you in a social-strategic sense because you are announcing yourself, your capabilities and potential to everyone (which is not always a good thing). Not everyone deserves to know who you are and what you’ve done. The people that have been apart of the ride and know without any retelling are all that matter (hence the phrase “if you know”). This is one of the biggest lessons from college for me.

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In 2021, a little after Pandemic, I left for Ghana for a social project. I spent about two months in a small town with about 600 residents, about two hours by car away from the capital Accra.

It was definitely a short time, but it felt like two years for me. We spent the whole time together and could share some fragments of life even we came to this world from a completely different background.

They called me Kwame, which is my Ghanian name they gave me. While I was staying there, I was not Muhong, but Kwame.

On the last day before I left the town, they all gave me a warm hug, which took almost one hour to say good-bye to all of them. And this bracelet was the last one they wanted to give me. My two names, Kwame and Muhong were written on it. They said, I could remember them with this wherever I am, even on the other side of the world.

And yes, I can say for sure, they do. They are still with me. I keep reminding myself what I felt and who I was there, and how they are still remaining as part of me.

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My artifact isn't necessarily a material thing, but instead it is a series of memories that I have shared with my mom. Going all the way back to when I was three years old and she taught me how to skate I have loved the game of hockey. Over the years there has been nothing that has come in between my love for the game. My mother and I have shared this love and she was always there for my growth in the game and always there pushing me to be better. We have shared many early morning drives and late night games. She has always been there for me and together we have created so many great memories that will never be forgotten. Therefore, my artifact isn't material but is instead all the memories that I have created with my mom regarding hockey.

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There is something so magnetic about notebooks that consistently draws me towards them with me having some notebooks on which I haven’t dared to even write a word and others who know me inside out. In December 2018, I started working with Swetha, founder of Born2Win Social Welfare Trust, a transgender-led collective cum organization in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. We briefly got together during my undergrad to make a few videos for awareness of safety practices and initiatives amongst the transgender community. I remember this notebook having come free with some purchase, lying for a very long time as an object so fragile because it was extremely unique - the paper, feel, and the book in itself. I would always look at it and tell myself I’ll use it for something special one day. One day when Swetha called me up for discussions, I impulsively took this book along, and there started our journey. This has seen all our woes about how the community is struggling for rent, the initiatives we have in store, contacts for rescuing trans children, the annual trans achievers award, and over time the notebook begins to record my activism, views, opinions, routine, to-do lists and so on. I have also written the self-care routines I felt many women at the NGO must adopt and so on. Random scribbling, anxieties —— the notebook came along through the pandemic when the nature of our operations completely changed. The notebooks remind me of so many things and everyone at work will recognize it. Even today, I use the notebook and it is flooded with so many memories. I would love to share more of it in person and will introspect about it further. Loved sharing this with all of you because I have never thought of anything as an artifact as such but sometimes the more impactful is when we are unaware of the presence.

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This is a picture of my favorite bracelet that my best friend offered me 4 years ago. I never remove it from my hand its my lucky charm. I met my best friend when we had 6 years and sice then she became the new sister i never had. My travel together we experience live together we almost do everything together. She got me this matching bracelet before she moved to the uk just after the big explosion that happened in beirut so that i can always remember that she will always be here for me even if she is far away. I miss living with her and seeing her everyday but thank god she comes every summer for 3 month. The best 3 month of the year were we party, go out, sit down and gossip, have sleepovers and many other things. I am really grateful for my bestfriend and i love her so much

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I found this elephant earring at my mum's house many years ago. I asked her where she got it since she does not wear jewelry that often and she said she had not seen it since she was 16 years old since it had gotten lost whilst moving. She had no idea how it happened to end up there, so many years later. I was exactly 16 years old at the time, which I found to be quite spooky. I wore it every day for a long time and although it broke a few years ago, I still keep it with my other jewelry. Partly because I think I might fix it one day, but mostly because I would not want to lose it. It is one of those things in life I can’t find an explanation to and it reminds me of the miracles of life where sometimes, things are seemingly just meant to be.

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This bracelet was given to me by my mom when I was 10 years old, and ever since then I have kept it with me. It has been in our family for years and brings good luck and health. It is very special to me, and when I was packing for college, I remembered to bring it with me, as a "good luck charm." It is a very simple bracelet that doesn't look like much, but it means a lot to me.

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This sewing machine is from the 1990’s, and it belonged to my great grandmother who I called Baba-chan, or Baba growing up. She was an incredibly talented seamstress, and I am sure she owned many machines in her lifetime. I am lucky enough to now own her last. She sewed many of her children's and her grandchildren's clothes. I always hear about how amazing the prom dress she made my mom was. She stopped sewing by the time her great-grandkids were around, but by that time she was in her 90s.

I feel like I inherit my hobbies. I sew with my Baba-chan's machine, and now I crochet with my grandmother’s crochet hooks. I am not nearly as talented as Baba was, but I did use this machine to sew my family cloth face mask at the beginning of the pandemic which was extremely helpful when we couldn’t find any in stores. I dread the day this machine, which is older than I am, stops working. I’m not as into sewing anymore, only picking it up occasionally and for small projects. When this machine stops working I’m not sure if I’ll buy a new one or put the hobby to rest with it. I like to think if she could see me she would be happy I’m making use of her machine. I know she would also yell at me for sewing everything wrong.

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This is our volkswagen van, my father got it when we were still todlers. It is a very unique van, its a camper van, that is customized from the company itself and they released only 60 pieces from it.
We love unique items and knowing we own one of those 60 items is really interesting. My favorite color is green and that was the cherry on top for me.
This van has been with us since I can remember. Our entire childhood is in this van, all our road trips and adventures happen in this van.
We try to always include this van in all our important trips, events and moments.
My brothers and I have a beautiful connection with it although we alao have sad memories during the 2006 war on Lebanon we fled our city in this van.
It is one of those items that stayed with us all our life and will always give us butterflies in our stomach every time we have a trip in it!

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Above is the first political book that I purchased which delves deep into the UK Labour Party under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn.
This is a book which marks a point in my life where my interests and hopeful career paths took a direction towards politics.
This book entered my life during the Covid-19 experience at a point in which the Conservative government was starting to show itself as inadequate. After achieving such a vast majority in the 2019 election, i became hugely intrigued as to why a character like Boris Johnson was so popular.
I wanted to understand the political climate in which we lived in. I wanted to understand what was so bad about Labour in which allowed the Conservatives to enter a new term of government.

My dream job used to be to enter football journalism, but this book is important because it represents the change towards politics.

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Stories are an important part of my life. When I was in primary school, I came across a fantasy novel that reconstructed the myth of how the founder of the Japanese emperor was hated and loved by his people and became the basis for the creation of the country that exists today, interwoven with beautiful poetry from ancient times to the Middle Ages. I saw in it the life of a person who was not the protagonist, but one of the people the story told about, and I have read it over 100 times and still have it with me. Before I went on my first study abroad my best friend gave me an attache case with a small book in it, which told the story of how I could be the protagonist of my own story. I would take this bag with me anywhere in the world.

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a drawing of my desk plaque (poorly drawn)

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I'm currently at my girlfriend's house in New Hampshire so I can't take a picture haha but this is the object I have chosen. It's a plaque from my grandfather.

I grew up close to my grandparents and they would help out a lot with after school rides and such. Whenever my grandfather would pick me up, he'd ask if I asked any good questions that day. This became a recurring prompt and sparked a natural curiosity in me. When I graduated high school, he gifted me a name plaque for my desk that said my name and read below it "Have you asked any good questions today?" I went to school for journalism and I've literally been learning how to ask good questions. When I pointed this out to him, he teared up a little bit which stuck with me.

After my parents divorced, my mom and I moved in with my grandparents, which has been crucial in affording my college education. I've brought that plaque into each of my dorm rooms and my first apartment.

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They aren’t an object as such but my memory ‘object’ are my tattoos, which I now have four of. Each of them hold significant meaning to me and have a variety of memories attached. I like to think they symbolise me as a person and are a kind of patchwork of all different memories that i have.

Heart:
• My heart tattoo, as you can see in the picture, is a matching stick and poke with my best friend from home, Amy. We did them before we went away to separate unis so that we can always look at them and be reminded of each other and the memories we share together.
Butterfly:
• On my ankle I have a butterfly tattoo in memory of my grandad. We always used to sit in the garden and watch butterflies together and when he passed away we spread his ashes in a butterfly garden. I like to think that whenever i see a butterfly it’s him just checking up on me.
Olive Branch:
• Ever since I was little I have visited Greece almost every year of my life; it is definitely one of my most favourite countries and whenever i go back it feels like going home again. Olive branches and Greece are synonymous and so this tattoo reminds me of all the wonderful memories I have there and the culture. My name is also Greek, meaning wisdom; the goddess of wisdom is Athena and her symbol is often depicted as an owl carrying an olive branch, so this tattoo is extra special to me.
Bunnies:
• The bunnies on my arm are a piece of artwork that was used for the Harry Styles love on tour posters. I was unsure about getting a tattoo for a specific artist but One Direction had been the sound track to my teens and now Harry’s solo albums have been the sound track to my late teens/early 20s so i felt it was important to have something to reminisce on how special his music has been to me growing up.

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I can't remember when I received this Raggedy Ann doll, but I know that I loved her throughout my young years. I loved her bright red hair and pretty blue dress. I took her everywhere with me, and we went on many fantastic adventures in the city I grew up in. When my brother left for college when I was eight years old, I gave him this doll so she could keep him safe. Ten years passed, and I had forgotten about Raggedy Ann and our adventures together completely -- until my brother returned her to me when I left for college myself. He told me Raggedy Ann had kept a careful eye on him all these years, as my child self had intended. My four older brothers are my rock, and this doll reminds me of them. My then-18-year-old brother took this doll to his college dorm with him, just to make me happy. I look at this doll, and I am happy to have so much love in my life.

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My memory object is this hat. It used to be my grandma’s hat, sadly she passer away earlier this year. My grandmother was my absolute best friend and since she had Alzheimer during the last 8 years of her life, she did not have a lot of belongings because she would lose everything. This hat is one of the few things she left behind when she passed away and I decided to keep it. I bring it everywhere, it brings me comfort and joy. Here is a picture of the hat at the Niagara Falls, when I went in May. I took her to see the Falls and everything I saw in Canada. I will never forget my grandma and everything she did for me. I am so thankful to have had her in my life and her memory will forever stay with us through her hat and many more things.

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This is my Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal that I have had since I was one month old. He was given to me by an aunt, and he was the first stuffed animal I became attached to. He has been with me through many years, tears, and adventures. Nowadays he looks a little worse for wear, but he used to be brightly colored and even had an attached music box. I carried him with me in my school bag until about third grade. I used to sleep with him every night and go into panic mode when I could not find him.

I used to take him everywhere with me. This included the store and family vacations. My parents once thought I had left him in the store somewhere, so my dad went back to look for him. He searched the store for a long time. The way my mom tells it, he had just called home to say he could not find it when I came running out of my bedroom with Pooh Bear (my name for him) in my arms. The only reason I was not distressed leaving the store was because I knew he was waiting at home for me.

I don't know why I decided this stuffed animal of all would be the one I stuck with all these years, but he has certainly helped me through difficult moments. As a child I was always independent. He reminds me of that young, independent girl that could take on the whole world and reminds me not to lose sight of her.

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This bracelet was given to me by my mom. It is a long-standing tradition in out culture for us to wear an “ojo” bracelet. Although it does not have the specific ojo, it does have a saint which is meant to guard and protect us at all times. The bracelet absorbs negative energy and once there is too much negative energy on it, it simply falls off. We are told we cannot wear it or try to put it back together once it falls off and we cannot take it off unless it falls off. Since I was little, my mom would always give me one and would put another on as soon as the old one would fall off. This specific bracelet has been on for a little over two years now. This bracelet is really important to me not because of its intended effect, but because it reminds me of my culture and religion whenever I am feeling down or lost and also because it symbolizes the relationship between my mom and I. She has constantly kept up with giving me new ones despite the distance we are from each other and my age.

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These postcards are the latest addition to my Thai/Myanmar art collection that I have been building over the last five years. I always like to bring things with me that remind me of home whenever I move away from Thailand, although that can be tricky when there is only so much luggage space. That is why local art that depicts things I grew up with has become so important for me as a little bit of comfort when overwhelmed by new journeys. These particular postcards I bought at an art market in Chiang Mai depict four delicious Thai dishes: Puu Ong, Hed Nueng Nam Prick Kha, Khao Tom Madt, and Ka-nom-Jeen Nam Ngeaw. The community I grew up with in Chiang Rai has made me very much a foodie so dishes like these are pivotal in some of my favorite memories.

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This dog collar is my memory object. It was my dog's collar. Her name was Sasha. She was a golden retriever. She passed away this year in march at the age of thirteen. She was the livin proof that I could do everything that I wanted to.

In 2008 I was six years old and I started first grade. In my first semester I got a D in Language. My parents told me that if I got a better grade for the end of the year I would get a Dog. I started asking for extra homework, making a hard effort and fighting for what I wanted.

Finally by the end of that year I got a B. My parents were very proud and they gave me a dog, Sasha. She is no longer with me, but every time I think about her I smile because thanks to her I started to believe in myself. She was always with me and now being alone in my house feels empty because she is not right behind me. But at least I am thankful that I got to have her with me for so many years.

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The local comic book shop, a repurposed gas station, had cars parked on all fronts. As we drove closer, a large banner explained the commotion. Free Comic Book Day was the perfect excuse to convince my parents to finally take me into the shop, I thought. I was around 11 years old, I was aware of comics, but I had never owned one. Movies, my Gameboy, and my CD Walkman were my main players during that time. I asked and to my surprise, they had agreed to a quick stop. The smell of fresh print and ambered glue filled the small shop. I ran to the rows of free comic books that laid on a table. The comic shown above sat alone, so I quickly grabbed it. This piece opened a whole new realm of creativity and storytelling. Elements that have helped me arrive to where I am today. This comic is one of the many things that represent those people and experiences that have encouraged me along the way. And who knew that years later, I was going to meet the author of this issue, Stan Lee.

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Before I entered my freshman year of college, my mom gave me her old glasses to get my prescription in. They are vintage frames from the original "John Lennon Collection." A decade after the singer's assassination, Eagle Eyewear and the John Lennon Estate put out a collection of glasses similar to those Lennon famously wore.

My mom wore these glasses when she was in college in the 1990s. When I put on these glasses, I am reminded of my mother's hard work. I aim to make her and my entire family proud by showing the same amount of diligence and dedication. These glasses are thirty years old. They tell the stories of my mother's college years, just as they will tell mine someday. These frames connect us. No matter where I go, when theses glasses are on my face, a piece of my mother is with me.

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This is a letter that my husband gave me after on our wedding day. He had written it the day before we got married. My favorite phrase in it is "Heaven is a place on Earth with you." This letter is a reminder that we are in control of our lives; we can create heaven on Earth, only if we surround ourselves with people who are genuine and true.

Whenever I feel that times are getting tough, especially with everything going on around me right now(COVID, economic and financial crises in Lebanon, lack of stability, lack of access to medicine); whenever my kids give me a hard time, whenever i feel that I cant reach my goals, whenever I'm too tired and physically/mentally drained, I read this letter and remind myself that I'm not alone in this journey. I have someone to lean on, and it's okay to ask for help.

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This is a rainmaker that I picked up from the Sydney airport duty-free on my way back to Beirut shortly after completing my undergrad studies in 2008. I wanted something to remember the country, my second home, by. As a person who recognizes Australia as the home of the indigenous first nations’ people’s land, I chose the rainmaker to be my memory object. I still use it whenever it does rain here, in my current home, in Lebanon. It brings me peace and many memories, not all of them fond, but definitely worth revisiting: of a time when I was younger and had much hope about what the future may hold.

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One of my most memorable objects is a pastel purple picture frame with dark Purple Hearts. The picture inside of this frame is one of my earliest baby photos, taken a little before my first birthday. This photo matters to me today because it shows me in such a happy place, and whenever I am having a bad day, I can look at the photo and I am instantly taken to a better place. My father usually assists me in styling outfits, and this was the first outfit that he styled me in. Even though I was wearing a onesie, it was a very special time in my life as an infant. I especially love this photo because of it. The frame also has a few marks and scrapes on it, since I've had it for 16 years. 

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One of my most memorable objects is a pastel purple picture frame with dark Purple Hearts. The picture inside of this frame is one of my earliest baby photos, taken a little before my first birthday. This photo matters to me today because it shows me in such a happy place, and whenever I am having a bad day, I can look at the photo and I am instantly taken to a better place. My father usually assists me in styling outfits, and this was the first outfit that he styled me in. Even though I was wearing a onesie, it was a very special time in my life as an infant. I especially love this photo because of it. The frame also has a few marks and scrapes on it, since I've had it for 16 years. 

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Trinitee Stokes

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I have moved nine times. Same country, six states, nine cities, and new people and new experiences for every move. While I hardly remember the place I was born because we left when I was only three, I do remember glimpses of the weekends my father and I spent visiting the Memphis Zoo. The best thing about Memphis, Tennessee is the panda exhibit in that zoo. For my birthday a few years ago, I took a road trip up to Memphis and had a very nostalgic visit. I went back to my roots and saw the panda exhibit, where I bought this bracelet. This bracelet is a simple tie-up that has a beaded panda on it. I now wear it when I am reminiscing on the many places I have lived, and I feel like it represents who I have become through my experiences.

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When i was about 10, my grandma gave me this really nice and old ring she had when she was young, I never really wore it till this year, after she passed in the beginning of the year. This rings somehow makes me feel safe and loved, since up till this year i never realized how precious some family member’s love is. It’s a really unique kind of love and warmth you don’t really find elsewhere. I like to think that whenever i’m wearing this ring, i’m carrying her love around with me.

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This is my laptop. It was purchased for me by my parents when I finished high school and prepared to enter my new university. It has kept me sane and facilitated my education through COVID, enabled me to engage in political and labor organizing, and seen far too many stickers (note the residue near the Apple apple where stickers used to reside). It shut off randomly this past year and would not turn back on, but thankfully my parents had the foresight three years ago to purchase a warranty, so $500 of repairs were performed for free. It has accompanied me to Denmark, the Netherlands, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and will accompany me to Austria. It is perhaps my most valuable possession and is integral to my work, studies, and hobbies.

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This bowl was handmade by my grandfather, who used to practice woodworking in his spare time. Each person in my family has one, personalized to them: mine is made of rosewood, and has a plaque at the bottom with my name, date and time of birth, and even my birth weight. In it, I keep small, important trinkets, like a glass prism wrapped in ratty red velvet, and handful of dried petals from my graduation bouquet.

This bowl is meaningful to me for a few reasons. One: my grandfather has mid to late-stage Parkinson's disease and can no longer make these bowls (or anything, for that matter), so my youngest cousin will never have one. He was a larger-than-life figure to me as a child, and understanding his decline in this way has been hard.  Two: that he even took the time to make this with his bare hands in his garage is incredibly meaningful. Three: my grandfather is a man who has struggled with blackouts of rage and occasional violence, like many men in my family before him. I think that making things with his hands, like this bowl, has allowed him to believe he can make beautiful, loving things with his hands and his body, and not just unintended anger and violence. Everyone deserves that.

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This is my dog, Meg. The top photo is of her collar. Meg passed away in 2019, at the age of 15. I was 17 at the time.

Meg had been my best friend since I was 2. I chose her collar as my artefact as she was there with me for so many years. It has been a while now since her passing and my family and I don't speak of her too often anymore but every time she is brought into conversation, it brings a smile to everyone's face :)

In 2018, whilst Meg was still here, we got another dog named Buddy. In the short time between getting him and Meg's passing, they became good friends even though Meg was rather grumpy in her old age.

When I brought out her collar to take a picture, I brought it over to Buddy. He gave it a sniff, as dogs do haha, and then he put his head in my hand.

It is not the collar so much that means a lot to me but the memories it holds and how it reminds me of her :)

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This necklace means a lot to me because it was gifted by multiple members of my family.

The original pedant and chain was gifted to me by my mum and dad when I was quite young. My first every real gold piece of jewellery. I felt so special that my parents trusted me with something valuable when I was young. Also it was gifted to me in a felted flower shaped box, which I was told my dad picked out. It meant a lot that he had picked it out for me.

Then this year the chain unfortunately broke. I hadn’t worn the necklace in years as I was too afraid to break it, but when I got it out last year it quickly became a favourite.

I was looking to get the necklace repaired when my gran offered to buy me a new chain. She got me a thicker and nicer chain for no reason, it wasn’t a birthday or any kind of special occasion.

I now wear it everyday because it makes me think of them.

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I received a holding cross after finishing a university retreat in 2013. (This is my second since I gave away my first to a friend.)

I keep it in a tin box with a scapular my parents gave me. It's made of mahogany wood. As you can see, its shape is asymmetrical. But the cross is smooth with rounded edges, which feels good to hold in the palm of my hand. It's traveled with me around the world for the past nine years.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro said it best: "I can read all the fucking books about Taoism I want; I'll still be a Catholic boy reading them." I'm not a religious person. I don't always go to Sunday mass. There are days I don't pray. But this cross, my being Catholic, is something I can't quickly shake off. It is a part of my identity. And sometimes, I use my "Catholic" lens when engaging with the world, asking the question, what would Jesus do? Most likely, the answer is love.

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I found this picture during my teenage years, where I struggled with my self confidence. I had big dreams and aspirations but my mind did not believe I could achieve them. Constantly longing for external things to fulfill me, at the same time I was in search of an answer within myself that did not happen to appear. I was angry with everything, especially my future. One day, suddenly, I paid more attention to the things in my house. And I found her. I saw that vibrant and smiling kid that only wanted to play and dream and had no fears or limits. She could be all. So I come back to her everytime I can or need to. But most importantly, I come back to that child to remind her of the promise I made a few years ago: I will achieve your dreams and love you no matter what.

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Picture of my mother at the age of 22 (May, 1986)

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This is a picture of my mother and is with me wherever I go.

My mom has been the beginning and end of my world. I have been my mother’s daughter through and through. Some would call it irony, but my mom was diagnosed with Cancer the same week I was offered admission to my dream college back in 2020.

Before her diagnosis, I thought I had it all figured out. I had carefully (for years) planned out all the steps required for me to be where I wanted to be. But the thought of loving someone so much, of being so captivated by someone, only to have them ripped from you takes its toll on your heart and mind. This is the moment when you say to yourself, “I don’t see the point of college or anything, really.”

However, looking at my mom — she made it very clear that even while she battled for her life, her personal strength and work ethic served as a foundational part in who I chose to be as a person. She continued to follow her passion, she managed her business sitting right on the bed after every harsh session of chemo.

I held back how I felt, for fear that seeing me upset would make my mom feel worse. I engaged in an internal fight against those emotions, and as you may guess this only made things worse. I finally gathered the courage and told her how helpless and lonely I felt. She said,

'Just be a good person’.

Suddenly one request shaped my life from that point on.  It's something I’ve pondered upon ever since that day.

I chose to smile and appreciate life, not because some destructive cells made me feel like a failure, but in spite of it.

Watching my mum’s ability to fight through all the trauma that she endured, taught me that no matter the outcome of an event, you should never settle. The most important thing that she has given me is the ability to always find something to smile about, all I have to do is look closer. This picture is with me everywhere I go, it serves as a reminder of gratitude and the qualities she has instilled in me.

And so I choose to live with cancer differently.

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I´ve always enjoyed listening to music, I remember one time my father lend me some Queen albums for listening on my DiscMan...it was mind blowing (I was 9 or 10, maybe).

I also had a walkman (cassette player) and some other mp3 players, when that was in use, but I still -once in a while- carry my ipod from here to there, it's like a time machine for me, it has a lot of music that reminds me of other times and people (also it sounds great) and sometimes is recomforting listening to music without a smartphone or an internet connection while you have a coffee and a cigarette or riding bike...you get the point.

I don't remember exactly when I got this, I guess it's a little old, but it works perfectly and I love keeping it around.

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My dream job as a kid was to grow up and become a comic book artist. Even while other things in life would get in the way, I would still find the time to draw or sketch something. To be honest, I had a lot of self doubt, and while I wanted to make a comic, was afraid of judgement and insecure in my drawing skills. I just kind of accepted that making a comic would be something that I'd enjoy doing, but would never get the motivation to fulfill.

However, one day, my friends asked me to join their team as an artist. They wanted to pitch a reoccurring comic for our college's newspaper, and needed someone who could draw. I was nervous at first, as the newspaper had never had a comic be printed before and I felt that I was not ready. But my friends greatly encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and I quickly learned to enjoy the excitement that it brought. This snippet is the first comic that was printed in the newspaper. It brought so much fulfillment holding it in my hands, and seeing my art be published.

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One of the many medals my dad received when he was in school :)

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At the age of 4, I lost my dad to brain cancer. It was hard to understand this as a little kid but growing up and starting to notice the evident hole that was missing in my family was too big to ignore. It is frustrating and saddening that I do not recall many memories with my dad since I was so young but he lives through us with everything he left behind. I think my dad was the smartest and coolest person to ever walk on the earth, he was a straight-A student throughout his whole academic career and received so many awards for his outstanding work. When I graduated high school, my grandma was able to attend and brought me so many of my dad's awards. Diplomas, medals, and books, these are all things I have the honor of having in my life now. He was an engineer and although I was not able to follow in his footsteps (math and science have never been my strongest suit) these recognitions push me to work just as hard as he did. He made a name for himself and loved what he did, there is nothing more I want for myself than that. He is my biggest inspiration and role model and I hope I am making him proud.

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Last year i came for a visit to vienna. Me and my dad decided on visiting my grandma to take her out for lunch. Since it does not happen that often that I can talk to both at the same time I wanted to ask them what actually happend to the fountain pen I once recieved as a present. When did I got it? It must have been my 10th birthday, but I don't really remeber. But what I remeber is that I did not understand how it works. According to my memories I must have tried to open it with my teeth or something like that (oh dear haha) and that my dad decided that I wasn't ready for a present like this (clearly not). So he stowed safely ...

It was a gift by my gandma and it never left my memories. I always had it in my mind and i was wondering what actually happend to it. So I asked them and suprisingly my dad started to grin. "I waited for this day to come" he said. "Now I know that you a ready for it, now you can have it, now you'll be patient enough to use it" he continued. At this point I should mention that he is kind of an old wise man but somehow not that old - life was good teacher.

So after a while my dad gave me my fountain pen. Visibly very proud I opend the box and saw the biting marks at the end of the pen. I started laughing and crying at the same time. It showed me that this pen is something very special for me. Over time it became the most meaningful present I have every recieved in my life.

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I was born in a country that doesn't exist anymore.

Can you guess? 🤔

👉🏻 West-Germany.

However, my nationality is South Korean that I need to carry this Korean passport with me whenever I would like to travel abroad.

When I think about where I have come from and where I want to go, I enjoy having a look on my passports. It brings me back those memories of my past. Leaning new languages, various cultures and meeting good friends around the world.

Even though the coronavirus pandemic made it difficult to cross borders,

I hope this passport will allow me to have new encounters around the globe. 🌏

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In primary school my class would always participate in a Christmas activity called Engerl Bengerl – it is basically the Austrian equivalent to Secret Santa. Due to my speech error, I was not very popular in school and my mom obviously knew that. So, after not having gotten a “present” from my classmates my mom stepped in and got me the little guardian angel that is shown in the picture. She gave it to me and said that from then on, I would always be protected and that is the greatest gift one could ever get anyways.

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Mine look similar to this pottery in the photo 

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In 2017, I was gifted a beautiful handcrafted pottery by the Acoma Pueblo tribe in New Mexico. I was visiting with my friend and her indigenous family took me to their home that is located in the Acoma Pueblo. The Acoma Pueblo is heavily protected and restricted, only tribal members have access to living in the Acoma Pueblo and non tribal members must ask for permission to enter and be escorted by a tour guide. Her family took me to the Acoma Pueblo with open arms and were kind to show me the beauty of their culture and the rich history of their community. This pottery is a representation of culture, stories, language, and historical experiences passed from generation to the next. This object holds significant value, and when it was gifted they infomed the great importance of the pottery, they informed me how to care for it and legends/myths about it. It is one of the best gifts given because it is an item exclusive to their culture and they were kind enough to share it with me as a non member of the tribe. When I was given the pottery, my friend's uncle informed me that the pottery serves as a reminder to be kind, compassionate, and welcoming the same way they were to me. It's a reminder to be culturally sensitive but as well open minded to beliefs/values/cultural norms that differ from my own. There is pain in their history but every day the Acoma Pueblo community welcomes non-tribal members with great kindness when they share their history.

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My mom and I looking for sea glass when I was probably about 4 years old. 

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My memory object is sea glass. For as long as I can remember, my family of three (me, my mom, and my dad) would drive from Indiana to South Haven, Michigan every summer. One of our favorite activities was always walking along the shore and collecting sea glass, which is made up of small fractured pieces of glass from bottles thrown into the water hundreds of years ago that have been made smooth from the sand and waves. We would wake up bright and early on vacation to beat the other sea glass hunters to the beach and would walk for hours. Then, we would go out for breakfast and excitedly count up how many we found. Looking at the now vast collection of sea glass we have amassed through the years, I realize how many fond memories of my childhood are tied to that jar of smoothened glass.

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Ever since I can remember I have always loved to play sports, soccer (football) in general. I was gifted a jersey for the team I support now, Galatasaray, from the year I was born and since then I would wear it everywhere. It sparked my interest in playing and watching soccer. One thing led to another and now I regularly coach, volunteer, and play soccer and once I graduate with my undergraduates degree, go to physical therapy school and become a physical therapist.

I'm pretty sure my mom threw away the jersey because it was ripped and it mysteriously disappeared after I gave it to her to wash.

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2002-03 Galatasaray Away Shirt Umbro Original Vintage shirt from Classic Football Shirts Ltd.

£44.99 2002/03

2002-03 Galatasaray Away Shirt

Condition - Excellent . Details - Bright colours, crest is stitched, Umbro logo is great, barely noticeable cracking to sponsor, nice material feel Made by - Umbro Players - Balji?, Hasan ?a?, Dumas, Abel Xavier, Špehar Notes - Away shirt as worn when the side finished runners-up in the Super Lig in boss Fatih Terim's first season back in charge

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Galatasaray football shirt 2003 - 2004 sponsored by Aria

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Posted on 28-08-2007 by Oleg Burlakov. View more classic, retro, and new season Galatasaray football T-shirts and soccer jerseys

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Memory object. By Andrés Pérez Rocha Caudillo. 

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Memory object. By Andrés Pérez Rocha Caudillo. 

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Since I remember, I always liked aquatic life. When I was little, I used to go fishing with my grandpa to Xochimilco (a very popular place in Mexico City). I really liked going there with him because we had the chance to chat and have fun together.  Every time I see a fishing rod I remember two things about myself: first is where I come from, because during all my childhood I always liked fishing. And second, I remember the passion that I have for aquatic life.

At this moment I don’t like going out fishing. Because it harms the fish and makes them vulnerable to their environment. But I will always remember those times when I went fishing with my grandpa.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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I have many artifacts, most carried in my heart and mind, because I have moved frequently over the last many years. So, since we are looking at getting past COVID-19, I will describe how my artifact, the novel Trinity by Leon Uris, took on unexpected significance during the pandemic, and perhaps because of it. When I read Trinity as a 13 year old the main character, Conor, was so attractive, I knew I would someday name a child after him. That child, born 29 years later bore that name for 15 years. My child, going through dysmorphia, sequestered from a supportive network, and forced to attend class online, refused to turn on the camera during class, hurting grades and forcing further retreat. After a year of this torment and a failed sophomore year, my boy came out as a trans girl. She changed her name. I love her, support her and love the things she teaches me. But part of me, I realize, is mourning the loss of my son. I have a copy of Trinity, given to me by a girlfriend on my 17th birthday. It has her hand written inscription. That relationship ended, but the gift reminds me of a certitude I had and lost and the slow grief I am experiencing. I often wonder whether I need to dispose of the book, and how, or keep it.

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I painted this portrait in 2017 during the peak of the exodus of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. This portrait was born out of my desire to raise awareness of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. My work at the United Nations helped me grow a sense of attachment to the Rohingya crisis. As I have seen it, the way media reported the genocide evolved from an issue unworthy of traditional media coverage in 2012 to a massive news overload, at least in Western media, particularly the US. The crisis became a regional Asian refugee crisis in 2015 when China and India started talking about the Rohingyas.  The explosion of coverage has amplified the role of the media as an instrument in foreign policy formation. The relationship among the states that are involved in the Rohingya crisis has created an opportunity for scholars to assess how non-Euro American countries such as India and Bangladesh frame a foreign issue which concerns their national borders. While the United States’ government, media and citizens are involved in the case study, they are only integrated for comparative purposes as most academic studies in the field of Media and International Relations focus on this area. Additionally, media attention to the Rohingya conflict has been scarce especially in 2015 when the ‘boat people’ news broke out. In the wake of what was dubbed as the ‘Andaman Crisis’, the global media looked towards Europe instead as the Syrian refugees were on their way to Greece and Turkey. The difference between how the global media reported the Syrian Refugee Crisis and the Andaman Crisis shows the power imbalance between the Global North and the Global South.