Writing/Essay/Journal
Photographer Katherine Turczan likes using a cumbersome camera because it forces her to plan her shots carefully, but she also attributes it to her Slavic background. She shoots in both her home in the Twin Cities and in the birthplace of her parents in the Ukraine.

Write about your place of origin. Do you feel connected to your roots as Katherine does, or do you feel more removed from your family’s history?

Activity
Now further explore your family’s history. Interview family members and take notes. How did your parents meet? How did your grandparents on either side meet? What states or countries do your ancestors come from?

Reflect on how learning about your family history helps you contextualize your own story.