In an age where cultural boundaries are increasingly blurred, the quest for identity and belonging remains a significant challenge for many. Yui, who has lived in Japan, Canada, and North Carolina, shares her compelling story of navigating cultural stereotypes and the pressure to conform.

Yui's experiences highlight the emotional weight of identity crises and the importance of embracing one’s true self. In a recent conversation, she expressed how external perceptions often overshadowed her individuality and the steps she took to reclaim her narrative.

Shei Sanchez, a poet and educator, crafted a powerful poem inspired by Yui, capturing the essence of their conversation and how she came to know and understand Yui’s experience with navigating identity. Shei's poetry speaks to the universal search for belonging, reminding us of our shared humanity.

In this conversation with Shei and Yui, whose life journeys span continents, we'll explore the beauty of diverse identities through creative expression. Join us for this enlightening discussion that promises to resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider. Don’t miss it!

Creative Content:

Fist of Light by Shei Sanchez

| In one life, I was a river. In the other, a field of wildflowers. In one, a flute. The other, a song I used to know. But in truth, I am a seed of a seed, carrying a fist of light. Wherever I land, I find a path to shine. In the silent dark, I know my name. I know what the woodwind calls me, what I want to call myself. Call me lost among a prairie of tall grasses. But in truth, I am a swallowtail who remembers the way. I remember how thirst feels while in a sea of the familiar, how the air tastes in a foreign sky. Will you remember me when the current changes course? Will I remember the wildflowers in winter? Let me not forget the melody I was born humming. I will not forget that I am the writer of my own song. Inside my fist, I feel the outlines of a becoming, the seed of belonging. Wherever I land, I will know the way home.

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