Discussion Questions
Elena’s story opens with the sound of typing and a statement that she was “writing a journal about this historic time.” People keep different kinds of journals—writing, sketching, taking photos, even making video journals. Did you try to document your own daily experience during any part of the pandemic? How might keeping a journal help when you’re going through a difficult time?
Think about how many times Elena referred to “faces” and how she includes several close-ups of her own face. What experiences does she discuss in the video that helps explain her choice to focus on her face? Elena says, “My daughter is proudly multicultural. She physically doesn’t look Asian. I sadly felt grateful for that. I told her not to publicly mention her Asian American background right now.” What do you think it’s like to live with these contradictions and anxieties? Have you had similar experiences in your life?
One theme that occurs in Elena’s video is about “being seen”? How does she develop this theme? Write a short paragraph that explores the theme “being seen” as Elena shares her experience in the video.
