Hello world!
I am Juli Jeong Martin, formerly known as Hye Won Jeong. According to my file, I was born June 25, 1985 in Lee, South Korea.
I was adopted by white parents as an infant, arriving in JFK airport December 28, 1985. I lived until I was two and a half in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, and then moved to Summit, NJ where my parents still reside. I am the youngest of three children – a sister (7 years older than me) and a brother (10 years older than me). I am the only adopted child in my family. The town I grew up in was also overwhelmingly white, and I was very conscious of my difference.
I currently am a second third year college student at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, and the founder/editor of Grinding Up Stones: the Asian Adoptee ‘Zine.
It took me a long time, however, to discover myself as a part of Asian America. Although I’d struggled with the fact that I was told I was like everyone else (white) but treated differently, I’d never really developed a racial consciousness. Upon arriving at Oberlin College, however, that began to change. I soon came to see myself not only as a person of color but as a part of the Asian American community as well. I also met other adoptees and began having conversations about experiences and identity.
These conversations would shape the way I thought of myself and foster my entrance into the adoptee community. At the ripe old age of 21, I’d finally begun to figure out who and why I was. I feel like I came into my consciousness very late, despite knowing many older adoptees in the same situation. I hope to facilitate this discovery in other adoptees, young and old through my work with Grinding Up Stones.
In my (very rare) spare time I enjoy cooking, baking, crafting, writing and playing with my wonderful kitten, Cinnamon.
