“To All Who Read,” I arrived in America at eighteen months old, raised with its hopes and struggles in my heart. I learned to navigate North and West Philly’s tough streets, celebrated with my friends, and dreamed of a future of my own making. Yet a single mistake—one that rips at the very notion of home—led to my deportation to a country I had never known.
Here, I walk unfamiliar sidewalks, speak an accent that marks me as an outsider, and wrestle with a culture that feels suffocating, as if I wear someone else’s skin. I miss my family—parents, siblings, friends—and the girlfriend who believed in me long before I believed in myself. I mourn the life I built, the son I comforted, and the community I called family.
But my story is not unique. Millions face borders that sever bonds, laws that ignore our narratives, and labels that deny our humanity. I ask you to see beyond the passport stamp. Understand that identity is woven from memory, love, and the choices we make. Extend compassion to those torn from their homes. Seek justice that recognizes our shared humanity, builds bridges instead of walls, and lets every voice be heard.
May my journey remind you that exile is more than geography—it is a wound we all must heal together.
With hope for a more compassionate world,
Joseph Kim
