My name is Maggie…

Being adopted from China is a central part of my identity. It shapes some of my decisions and my opinions. I understand interracial adoption and am very open about my experiences, good and bad. When I was younger, being adopted from China was something that set me apart from other kids and I enjoyed that; it made me special. However, as I grew older and the people around me grew more judgmental, I began to view it as a negative thing; it made me different. This last year or two I have explored what it means to be a Chinese adoptee raised by a single mother in Minnesota. Though that, I have accepted and embraced my multifaceted, nuanced identity. However, being a Chinese adoptee isn’t the only thing I define myself by. I am also a reader, a musician, a dancer, a STEM enthusiast, a sister, and just another teenage girl trying to figure out her life.

I live with my Mom, my sister who is also adopted from China, my dog Bailee, and our parakeet, Elliot.I love reading and writing. I enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books, films, and tv shows. I write poetry and have written the beginning of many stories, finishing them is the harder task.

I also dance at Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM) Chinese Dance Theater (CDT) with some of my other China sisters. We preform Asian dances for Chinese New Year and other shows across the Twin Cities at different events. My China sisters have been a great support system and C CDT has been a doorway to discovering my heritage.