"My Name is Not Safe" is an immersive mixed-media installation that explores the pervasive fear intertwined with identity through personal and global lenses. Names carry profound significance within the fabric of human society—they herald our origins, define our identities, and sometimes predestine our places in the world. 

Inspired by personal experiences and stories of others, this project reflects on the power dynamics and anxieties triggered by names in various contexts in immigrants' lives—feelings of exile and unsafety, security checks on the perceived cultural implications of names, and anxieties linked to names that signify otherness—from being detained at airports to facing heightened scrutiny in conflict zones like Gaza. Through a mosaic of narratives, this project explores how names can become conduits for fear entangled with power, loss of freedom, vulnerability, political oppression, and such encounters' physical and psychological scars.

A recent personal observation highlighted the fear encapsulated in the names of delivery workers—often immigrants of color. Their names seemed to bear the brunt of their fears: the dread of delayed deliveries, the anxiety of mishandling food, and the angst of language barriers. Yet, amidst this landscape of fear, a symbol of resilience emerged—the gloves adorning their delivery bikes. Crafted from simple materials like fabric and plastic bags, these gloves, though abstract, become a makeshift shelter, offering protection from harsh elements and a semblance of comfort and strength.

The installation I envision, the abstracted "delivery gloves" crafted from moss, ceramic, metal, bamboo, plants, and neon lights, aims to encapsulate and honor this narrative. It seeks to provide a metaphorical shelter for those who feel their names mark them as vulnerable, challenging societal norms and the power structures that breed fear. This installation is for the unseen struggles tethered to our identities —like the food delivery workers who, akin to the silent resilience of moss-covered stones in the fields, play a crucial role yet remain in the shadows. Much like the gloves, their presence is a quiet assertion of dignity and a marker of the indomitable human spirit.

As an immigrant with roots in farming culture, carrying a piece of home soil embedded with moss as a talisman, where names and the land narrate stories of endurance and invisibility, I aim to weave a narrative that transcends individual experiences, reaching into the collective consciousness. They are not the celebrated monuments of our time nor the heralded heroes in the traditional sense—they are the silent witnesses to the sweat and toil, the bearers of life's harvest, charting the course of our collective journey. Their stories, often obscured by language and societal barriers, like the unnoticed gloves on a delivery bike, hold a texture and quality more profound than the grandest stages. 

In this era of shifting perspectives and diminishing human connections, "My Name is Not Safe" is a beacon of hope and a call to action. It invites us to pause, listen, and witness the unspoken stories of identity, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit that flourishes in fear and uncertainty. Through this installation, I seek not only to illuminate the hidden struggles of those marked by their names but also to inspire a deeper empathy and understanding that transcends barriers, rebuilding the foundations of humanity and civilization on the humble yet unyielding ground of shared experience and mutual respect.

There will also be public rituals /interacting performance in this installation. Our unique approach transcends the bounds of conventional dance and theater, weaving together a vibrant mosaic of elements – a communal altar, children's games, oral history, body movement, performance art. This amalgamation of artistic forms aims to create a comprehensive narrative, a collective journey toward empathy, understanding, and solidarity.

Building on the success of 2023 performance focused on the Asian diaspora, I am now expanding the scope to those who feel their names mark them as vulnerable. We aim to explore the feeling of fear and security as we navigate cultural and geographical boundaries.

I will orchestrate eight segments of performance, each drawing inspiration from natural forms as metaphors. Rooted in the simplicity of childhood games across the globe, the movement expresses the profound fear experienced when navigating through power structures and geographical borders. The performance was an amplification of the voices from the fringes, a bold inquiry into the systemic acts of 'othering' that pervade society. Yet, it was not solely a narrative of struggle; it also became a celebration of our identities, imbued with joy and laughter, resonating with a sense of liberation. It is a fusion of deep reverence and startling revelation. This group ritual is to create a lasting impression on the community in this shared space of reflection and celebration. Our performance art is intricately interwoven with the threads of history, our current realities, and the possibilities of what lies ahead.