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I read of Mice and Men at the very beginning of middle school, and the ending changed my views of dreams/aspirations. (SPOILER ALERT) Unlike most stories, the book ends in tragedy with the death of a protagonist, leaving the other to realize that their dream would never come to fruition. I'd be lying if I said I thought anything was possible, but this novel brought the harsh reality to the forefront of my mind and made me slightly more cautious about my ambitions for the future.

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My seventh-grade English teacher recommended The Call to the class, and I, feeling guilty for not voluntarily reading in ages, decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I was enthralled by the twisted environment and compelling relationships. Although it is no longer my favorite book, it got me hooked on the dystopian and horror genres for the next few years.

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One night a couple years ago, I decided to watch A Silent Voice, not realizing the emotional rollercoaster I was in for. The film features a young deaf student bullied so much that she was forced to move. Unlike other school bullying movies I had seen before, A Silent Voice follows the main bully who now faces ostracization, regret, and suicidal thoughts because of his awful behavior. At the same time, the deaf girl feels remorse for putting the boy in that position, despite not being at fault. In addition to having beautiful animation and symbolism, the film shifted the way I look at guilt, forgiveness, and redemption.

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A major topic in I Was Their American Dream is the feeling of belonging in one's culture (especially the lack thereof). We get to see Malaka struggle to connect to her roots but ultimately emerge confident in her identity. Similar to her, I grew up in America with immigrant parents, and because I had a foot in both worlds, I didn't feel like I fit into either. Now, however, I feel more comfortable knowing that I don't have to know every song or dance to be a real Korean-American.