when you look at me what do you see I’m
American and I’m Italian but what do you
see in 1974 an eight and a half year old
girl landed at the JFK International
Airport in New York City her name was
Joe honk honk
she was born in Seoul South Korea in
1966 she was abandoned at four years old
with her little brother and sent to the
city orphanage of Seoul where they were
eventually forever separated one day the
nuns from a nearby convent visited the
children at the orphanage resourceful
she tugged on their long gray gowns and
smiled as big as she could
hoping that she would be one of the
selected few to live with the nuns at
the convent the nonce took her in and
there she was well cared for they were
the ones who facilitated her adoption
immediately upon her arrival to the
United States she was given a new name
Robbie Eisen Messer and from that moment
on she lost everything she once knew
that was 44 years ago Joe Hong Kong is
my mother
Robbie Eisen Messer is my mother a new
country a new culture a new religion a
new language a new family
this was her new reality in a truly
global society
we need to see people for who they are
and allow them to maintain their
cultural identity their personal
individual cultural identity every year
there are people who emigrate to
different countries around the world for
various reasons some try to escape
political or religious persecution war
natural disasters others may look for
job security a better education or
merely an improved quality of life the
conventional wisdom 44 years ago was
conformity
my mother’s new parents lovingly
believed that this was in her best
interest as they wanted her to live the
most normal life possible she was
expected to adopt and so she did growing
up my mother lived in an all white
suburban community with not one
immigrant in sight her mother tongue was
forgotten no longer part of her and she
was enrolled in Jewish religious studies
other than the memories that she never
shared Rabi eyes investors no longer had
any connection to her original cultural
identity we live in a society where we
soft and try to get everyone to do and
think like us to conform
we need to learn to change our mindset
and see others for who they truly are
and not what we think they should become
if we develop the curiosity to learn
about one another
if we walk in the shoes of others if we
listen to their stories if we embrace
their diversity only then will we see
them only then will we develop a common
understanding and a higher level of
empathy allowing cultural diversity into
our society will help eradicate racism
prejudice and discrimination and in
today’s world diversity can be perceived
as effective nationalism and nativism
when in reality diversity enriches the
fabric of a growing global society be
curious walk in the shoes of others
listen to their stories embrace
diversity 44 years ago what happened to
my mother when she was stripped of her
cultural identity may have been socially
acceptable I however would like to be
part of a changing society where
cultures are embraced where we give
people the opportunity to hold on to
their cultural heritage their cultural
identities and their individuality now
look at me again who do you see thank
you
[Applause]
American and I’m Italian but what do you
see in 1974 an eight and a half year old
girl landed at the JFK International
Airport in New York City her name was
Joe honk honk
she was born in Seoul South Korea in
1966 she was abandoned at four years old
with her little brother and sent to the
city orphanage of Seoul where they were
eventually forever separated one day the
nuns from a nearby convent visited the
children at the orphanage resourceful
she tugged on their long gray gowns and
smiled as big as she could
hoping that she would be one of the
selected few to live with the nuns at
the convent the nonce took her in and
there she was well cared for they were
the ones who facilitated her adoption
immediately upon her arrival to the
United States she was given a new name
Robbie Eisen Messer and from that moment
on she lost everything she once knew
that was 44 years ago Joe Hong Kong is
my mother
Robbie Eisen Messer is my mother a new
country a new culture a new religion a
new language a new family
this was her new reality in a truly
global society
we need to see people for who they are
and allow them to maintain their
cultural identity their personal
individual cultural identity every year
there are people who emigrate to
different countries around the world for
various reasons some try to escape
political or religious persecution war
natural disasters others may look for
job security a better education or
merely an improved quality of life the
conventional wisdom 44 years ago was
conformity
my mother’s new parents lovingly
believed that this was in her best
interest as they wanted her to live the
most normal life possible she was
expected to adopt and so she did growing
up my mother lived in an all white
suburban community with not one
immigrant in sight her mother tongue was
forgotten no longer part of her and she
was enrolled in Jewish religious studies
other than the memories that she never
shared Rabi eyes investors no longer had
any connection to her original cultural
identity we live in a society where we
soft and try to get everyone to do and
think like us to conform
we need to learn to change our mindset
and see others for who they truly are
and not what we think they should become
if we develop the curiosity to learn
about one another
if we walk in the shoes of others if we
listen to their stories if we embrace
their diversity only then will we see
them only then will we develop a common
understanding and a higher level of
empathy allowing cultural diversity into
our society will help eradicate racism
prejudice and discrimination and in
today’s world diversity can be perceived
as effective nationalism and nativism
when in reality diversity enriches the
fabric of a growing global society be
curious walk in the shoes of others
listen to their stories embrace
diversity 44 years ago what happened to
my mother when she was stripped of her
cultural identity may have been socially
acceptable I however would like to be
part of a changing society where
cultures are embraced where we give
people the opportunity to hold on to
their cultural heritage their cultural
identities and their individuality now
look at me again who do you see thank
you
[Applause]
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