Sydney Bell

Humanities 1100
Final Project

Summary & Explanation

I chose to do my project about Quang because I have actually been with him on many

occasions when someone asks him what he is. I found this intriguing and thought it would

make for a great project on identity. I also chose him because he is very different than anyone

Ive ever met. He truly breaks every stereotype and assumption people could make about what he

looks like. In fact, he once told me that when Vietnamese people see him, they are blown away

that he is also Vietnamese because he is so different than the average Vietnamese person.

The major theme of this project was identity. I wanted to show that Quang is a lot more

than just Vietnamese, Black, or White. His identity isnt limited to a one-word, racial category.

His identity consists of so many different things that come together to make him- Quang

Nguyen.

There are a few symbolic elements in my photo series that I wanted to explain:

The first is that in each photo, he is walking. This is to show how he has progressed and evolved

throughout his life. I also chose to do this because I wanted to display a sense of movement,

especially the idea of moving forward. When he was younger, Quang got bothered when people

would ask what he was, but now, he doesnt mind it because he understands he is more than that.

This is also to show the transition between feeling unsure to confident in himself.

The second element I chose to put in this photo series was the white shirt hes wearing. I had him

wear a plain white t-shirt because I didnt want anything that could create bias or stereotype. The

plain white shirt is like a blank canvas. There cant be any prejudgments, assumptions, or
preconceptions. I also wanted the shirt to represent potential. A work of art, before it is a work of

art, is a blank canvas. Every famous piece we know started just like this white t-shirt. So, in

relation to Quang and his life, he has the potential to do and be anything he desires. He isnt

confined by a label or expectation.

Each location and item he holds is a part of his life and what makes him who he is.

Music: Quang plays the guitar, the ukulele, and a little bit of piano. Music has been a big

influence in his life. He loves to sing (hes very talented at that, too) and loves to have jam

sessions with friends where they just go with the flow and sing around for fun. Music really is a

large part of who he is; its very rare you catch Quang not listening to music or signing.

Religion: Recently, Quang has been learning more about the LDS faith. He thinks that religion is

something his life could benefit from. His search for happiness has led him to ask the big

questions, so he is currently looking into the spiritual side of himself.

Basketball: Asians sometimes get the stereotype that they are nerdy or really good at math, and

not great at sports. Breaking that stereotype, Quang loves basketball and has become quite good

at it. He spent a lot of time as a kid shooting hoops and learning moves to get where he is today.

He rose about the stereotypes and succeeded because he knew he could.

Education: Although the smart Asians stereotype isnt correct, Quang excelled in his

education. He committed himself to succeed in gaining a quality education for a better future.

With great grades and citizenship in school, he now has a job that is beneficial for his future.

Work: This photo seems kind of funny because hes holding a Rubiks cube in front of his work

office, but it makes sense after I explain. Quang is one of hardest workers I have ever met. In

every job he has had, he works to be successful and make a difference. He makes it a point to
become good at what he does. One day he picked up a Rubiks cube and decided he was going to

learn how to solve one. He spent a long time learning and getting quick at it. Whether its a real

job, or a Rubiks cube for fun, Quang dedicates himself to excellence. He believes if you are

going to do something, you should do it well.

Home and Family: Quang has an incredible story about his family and the struggles he has

overcome concerning that aspect of his life. As hard as some of his experiences were, he decided

to let them make him a better person. A lot of his identity comes from this kind of growth.

Smoothie / His Name: Quang was born right here in America, although he has all kinds of race

inside of his genes. One of the major things that have shaped him is his name. Its pronounced

/kw--ng/ (with a short A sound), but after years of people not being able to say that correctly,

he now goes by /kw-o-ng/ (with a short O sound). When he orders food, the cashiers never- and I

mean never- get his name right. It used to drive him crazy, but now he doesnt care. Juan, John,

Quan- he just laughs and takes it all.

Reflection

Prompt 1: What did you learn by creating the signature assignment? Be specific with respect to

your work on the assignment and the topics/skills/concepts you learned in the course. Talk about

the aims and strategies that led to the completion of your assignment. How did your thinking

about it evolve over time (point to specific experiences while working on the assignment)?

By creating this assignment, I learned a lot about Quang and his life. It was particularly

cool to learn more about his Vietnamese family. It opened my eyes to a new perspective and a

whole range of cultural differences. I learned a lot about identity being so much more than just

looks or even genes. I loved exploring the ways that Quang created himself, regardless of his
circumstances. I learned a powerful lesson about the power within each of us to rise about

hardship and adversity. Even though photos dont require information, I wanted to put things into

them that represented him, so I took a lot of time talking to him to get to know him better. Even

though people may not understand the full meaning of the photos because they dont know

Quang personally, I think its cool that as the artist, I know what it all means. The most difficult

part of this project was finding time to run around all over the place to take the photos. All the

places we went are his actual favorite places- I didnt want to take shortcuts and go to convenient

locations- so that added a lot of meaning, but also more traveling. Over time, I learned to

appreciate Quang and people like him- which is everyone. I found that everyone has a story to

tell. Everyone has an identity beyond what we see on the surface.

Sources
Q. Nguyen, personal interview, October 10, 2017
(We talked about his family and past, growing up as a kid.)
Q. Nguyen, personal interview, October 24, 2017
(Discussed religion primarily.)
Q. Nguyen, personal interview, November 14, 2017
(Talked about a range of topics regarding his Vietnamese heritage and what that is like.)