There is a lack of trust between Asian-American children and their immigrant parents.Completed for my thesis project, I spent twelve weeks investigating trust through the lens of Asian American diaspora. Three hundred andtwelve pages later, this book is organized by five categories.
Each category is in its own distinct page color but also explores a different section of diaspora. I spent time interviewing my friends’ parents at length about their immigration experience and how that has impacted raising their children as Americans. I also spoke to their children and asked them about their views of trust of with their parent. In some sections I compiled data simply from survey. I was submitting through the Internetand amongst my friends. I found most of my results were shocking as the my Asian American community shared with the lengths of mistrustthey had with their parents.This was a very dense and personal project close to my heart at examining why it’sdifficult being cross-cultural, and how that impacts trust.
Trust Thesis Book
Process
Every week of my thesis project I wrote a brief restructuring my thesis statement, while also summarizing my findings and progress of the week and how that affected my overall goal of completing my project.
Data
Early in my process, I had to gather and collect information from the Asian American community about their relationship with their parents and the variables that affect their trust.
Moodboard
For my design moodboard I wanted my book to utilize not conventional book production and textures. I wanted my process to be experimental and to utilize atypical materials to relay my findings and thesis statement.
Photography
Early on in my process I would walk around Chinatown in San Francisco and Oakland and shoot photography for inspiration. I was aiming to find color palettes and source cultural artifacts for the visual components to my book.
Interviews
I conducted multiple lengthy interviews with different informants. During these interviews I asked questions in depth to parent and child about the dynamic of their relationship, the aspects of trust in that relationship, and details around the experience of growing up cross-culturally, as well the process of immigrating.
Materials
I collected family heirlooms and sourced old photos from my family lineage. I sourced all paper products I could find within Chinese culture to experiment with their tactility and as elements to feature in my book. I found red envelopes from Chinese New Year and joss paper which is a form of paper burned in funeral rituals.
I collected family heirlooms and sourced old photos from my family lineage. As an experiment, I image-transferred these portraits onto chinese silk as a possible material to incorporate into my book.
Production
Each week I explored new concepts and gathered new data through surveys, in-person interviews, or collected memorabilia. For the new content I generated I made small book mockups and zines of my progress and as a way to relay my findings. I also image transferred images of my family’s past portraits onto silk as a possibility for a book cover.
Each week I explored new concepts and gathered new data through surveys, in-person interviews, or collected memorabilia. For the new content I generated I made small book mockups and zines of my progress.
Results
I received positive feedback from my thesis review critics and high marks. I was also able to exhibit my book at the YBCA for their How might we re-imagine political power? exhibition and selectively featured in an instagram account that highlights the work of designers of color.
