and traditions, I do not feel that these Chinese customs and traditions are my own. I feel like my face betrays the life I’ve actually lived. I’m American—but people still ask me where I’m “really” from. That question sticks like seaweed in my throat. I don’t honestly belong here or there.
My disability has added to that feeling. While others sprint forward, I’ve had to crawl through moments, push against expectations, and watch from the sidelines. It held me back physically, emotionally, and in understanding myself. I’ve had to work harder just to be seen.
The art I created for this scholarship application illustrates the feeling that I’ve learned to breathe underwater. I’ve become strong in quiet ways—resilient in silence, observant in chaos. I know how to adapt. I know how to question, to wonder, to feel deeply when others brush things off. My pain has taught me empathy. My in-betweenness has taught me to listen. My identity isn’t confusion—it’s complexity.
Adoption didn’t give me a clear path, but it gave me layers. And from that, I’ve built something no one else can copy: a self that keeps growing.
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Congratulations to Anneliese Cobb and the bright future ahead of her.