Like every person that has existed on earth, I’ve spent most of my life grappling with my social location and identity. Growing Up Royan is a “picture book” I’m doodling, writing, and sharing on my blog. Check out each page of the series as I write it live. I hope you find some connection within its pages, and maybe even find it useful in your culturally responsive classrooms.
Page 1: Delivery
Royan was born in a hospital where the doctors and nurses didn’t speak the same language as his parents. When the nurses asked his mother and father what they were naming the baby, they thought of one of the only American names they knew from a famous 1970s movie star: Ryan O’Neal. Unfortunately, they did not know how to spell “Ryan”.
Prompting Guide*:
- Why are names so important? Why do they have so much meaning?
- Why did Royan’s Asian parents want to give him an American sounding name?
- Who decides which names are “normal” and which ones are “different”.
*Note that these prompts are simply suggestions. Moreover, they are shared under the assumption that the environment in which they are used is an inclusive, equitable, culturally responsive space which allows the safety needed for such conversations to have a positive impact on the reader(s).
Also published on Medium.
It seems that little Royan’s parents had an understanding of privilege in the 1970’s. They seemed to understand that they wanted their son to grow up with the privilege of having a name that fit into the “center” of the country they were living in. They seemed to know that having an American sounding name would give their son a privilege in his future. I often think what my name would be if I grew up in my parents’ village in China, instead of Toronto. What were the pressures that little Royan’s parents faced to make their choices for his name? Do these pressures exist today? What would Royan’s parents name him today? Why did I give my kids their names? Are the reasons different today? Thanks for the post Royan!
Hi Ken! Thanks for the great comment! You get an A for this reading letter.
Names are so interesting! In the Jewish faith, children are named after people that have passed away. My name comes from my mom’s dad “Alfie” for “Aviva” (which means Spring in Hebrew) and my dad’s mom “Flo” for “Frima” (my middle name). I love this family connection to my name, but when I grew up, I felt jealous of those children that had names that everybody could pronounce (without worrying that they were saying it wrong) and that were available on those special name cards or trinkets. I’d still love a sign that has my name on it. But I do love the musical feel to “Aviva,” and it’s fun to have a name that’s a palindrome. I’ve come to really like a name that’s unique, and thanks to an insurance company, starting to show up in at least a few places. 🙂 Thanks for the trip down memory lane. 🙂
Aviva
I’ve always loved your name so much. And it made my day when you renamed your blog!
I’ve always loved your name so much. And it made my day when you renamed your blog to its Ricky martin version;)
Superb images, the color and depth of the images are breath-taking, they attract you in as though
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