My connection to my culture of origin is important to the process of dismantling the internalized racism and assimilation within me since moving to the U.S.. This piece is a snapshot of how I see myself today, a decade into the dismantling process.The top layer depicts the American flag, symbolizing the Americanized communication style I’ve acquired. The middle layer shows the life I had in Japan. Much like any immigrants, I had a life in a different country, a life that looks drastically different from my current life in the U.S. That former life never leaves me — I will always see my current life through the lens of my past experience in Japan. The bottom layer depicts a traditional Japanese pattern called Asa-no-ha (hemp leaves), a pattern often used as a wish for healthy growth and resilience. This third layer — resilience within my culture of origin — is one I didn’t see much of in my first 10 years in the U.S., due to the impact assimilation had on me. Today I recognize the value of Japanese culture and see how it contributed to the resilience I feel today, thanks to my daughter and my husband, and to others who have been part of the path that I have been walking.