From Here

From Here was developed as a way to cope with the difficult emotions I encountered as a transracial Asian American adoptee throughout the pandemic. "Amidst the rise in anti-asian hate crimes, Jess must face what it means to be a transracial adoptee in America." Written/Directed: Samantha Futerman Producers: Jenna Ushkowitz & Milton Liu DP/Editor: Ryan Miyamoto For those who resonate and are in need of support: Asian American Mental Health https://www.asianmhc.org/ https://asiansdotherapy.com/ Adoption Resources https://theparkcenter.org/about-us/ https://theparkcenter.org/adopteen/ https://www.alsoknownas.org/ The Asian American Foundation https://www.taaf.org/ Asian Americans Advancing Justice https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/ CAUSE (Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment) https://www.causeusa.org/ Synopsis: Korean American adoptee Jess is stricken with the news of an anti-asian hate crime. Going about her day, she is forced to deal with microaggressions and racist verbal assault. Jess turns to her loving mother for support, but learns that as a transracial adoptee in America, love isn’t always enough. Statement: When I received the news of the Atlanta spa shootings, my heart fell out of my chest. As posts flooded social media about the rise in anti-asian hate crimes I felt the need to stay close with my community, to support, to fight and to mourn those we had lost. However, I was also met with the feeling that I somehow didn’t deserve to mourn. That as a Korean American adoptee with white parents and white siblings, I wasn’t permitted to feel upset or scared. Upon turning to other transracial Asian American adoptees, I found that I wasn’t alone. Many of us were feeling caught between worlds. We grew up not being white enough yet not asian enough. And now, we were only enough for one thing: to be hated. This film incorporates actual conversations and encounters of racism that either I or loved ones have personally experienced. I hope that this film will spark conversations and raise awareness about the Asian American experience and specifically the complexities of being a transracial Asian American adoptee.