Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Choon Hyang Bachman.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in Gunsan, South Korea as Sung, Choon Hyang and was later adopted at the age of 3-1/2 years old to a White American family in Owatonna, Minnesota – namely Holly Choon Hyang Pettman. I was blessed and I am very grateful that my parents kept a part of my Korean heritage as part of my new American name…my Korean Birth name Choon Hyang as my American Middle name – Choon Hyang means Fragrance of Spring or Spring Flower in Korean…I grew up with two older brothers who were/are biological to my adoptive parents, so I was the only one adopted as well as the only girl – I was the baby girl that my parents could never have…At the age of 16, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to win a trip to South Korea by writing one of the winning essays called “What would a trip to Korea mean in my Life”…It was then I was able to share the story of how growing up in a predominantly white family/community that I was never able to really know or understand my Korean / Asian roots. In October 1995, I got the letter stating that I had been selected amongst 15 other Korean Adoptees that were from all over the United States to go to Korea that next month in November 1995 serving as one of only two Motherland Tours that that year to take place that was fully sponsored by the Korean government and the Full Gospel Church which is considered the largest Church in the World…in which I was the only one out of all of the Korean Adoptees that had never been back to South Korea since being adopted…It was truly a trip of a lifetime and I can honestly say – It truly changed my life and I know I would not be here if I had not gone – I can remember every moment of the trip as if it happened yesterday…It was shortly after returning from my trip to Korea that I was able to discover my real Korean roots and actually come to liking Korean food including the famous Kimchi…Since I had never really been exposed to my Korean Heritage – The most Asian I was exposed to was Chinese Take Out in rural Minnesota (smile)!! Now understanding my Identity – I was able to go beyond myself and cultivate my desire to promote diversity and multiculturalism and that is when the Mixed Roots Cultural Diversity Student High School group was established…Over 20 years later, I had the opportunity to go back to Korea a second time where I was able to visit my orphanage for the first time as well as visit the place I was born along with the discovering baby pictures and finding out that I have two birthdates – One that I have on my Driver’s license that the Adoption Agency gave and the original birthdate that my orphanage had which was later misrecorded – my real Korean Birthday, August 15th – At least I am still a Leo…Since then, after returning from my second trip to Korea and after conducting a Birth Family search, I started the Mixed Roots Foundation with a mission to raise awareness and funds for the multicultural adoption and foster care community and specifically focus primarily on more post adoption resources. To date, We have sponsored over 11,000 adopted, foster youth and their families to our signature MLB Adoptee Night events as well as have teamed up/partnered with over 180 organizations including 23andMe with sponsoring DNA Test Kits and most recently will be announcing shortly the new winners of our #FosterChallenge Emergency Fund and Mentoring Scholars for our Dr. Joseph L White Pioneering the Way Mentoring Scholarship that is in partnership with the NBA / Formally Announced in partnership with the LA Lakers in 2016…Our future goals and plans are to continue to sponsor youth and their families to the major league sports games when it is safe to do, expand into the arts and entertainment including hosting an Inaugural Fashion Show and Benefit Concert that will allow us to continue to raise funds for scholarships/grants as well as leverage various platforms to get individual and community partner stories out to raise awareness and promote the Mixed Roots Brand.
Please tell us about your art.
The Art that I will be presenting in various forms with specifically being inspired by my original artwork, my Mixed Roots: Mind Your World Poster that was drawn in my High School Artclass back in 1997. The art style was in pencil – Pointalism and the whole premise of Mixed Roots is about Identity, Diversity, but most importantly Unity. Also to share that We all have Mixed Roots tracing from all over…Our roots run very deep, but they are also continuously intermingling with one another and growing…The Brand and Art of Mixed Roots will be focused on a Message of Unity and Inviting People to discover their own roots – Who are they, What are they and How are they making a difference in the world…
The brown root signifies IDENTITY (WHO ARE YOU?):
Identity is to know oneself
The Adoptee
The multicolored roots (red, yellow, blue, and green) signify DIVERSITY (WHAT ARE YOU?):
Diversity is to know others when you know yourself
The Global multicultural adoptee community including their birth, foster, adoptive, and cultural families
The brown and yellow roots united at the top signify UNITY (WHERE ARE YOU?):
Unity is to bring unity within yourself, family, and community – In order to bring unity, you need to know and serve other people
True Unity through Collaboration and Partnership for Real Change Together
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Yes…Definitely reach out and identify Mentors/Advisors and those who have been there, so you can lean on them for encouragement, advice, and resources. I always say it’s not what you know, it’s who you know on how you can achieve your goals and make a difference…Also, Make sure to focus on balance and learn and get educated as much as possible on whatever your dream or passion is…It is very helpful to get sound legal and financial advice, so you can protect yourself, art, craft, passion or company/organization. Lastly, Take your time on finding the right people to work with you especially if they will have access to your dreams and network…Again, You have to be very careful on who you keep close and i have been told the most people in your life you need can be counted on one hand. Lastly, network as much as possible and join the Chamber and/or other organizations that will allow you to network with your industry as well as possibly allow you to share your story.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I will be launching an online campaign/store at www.iammixedroots.org which will feature the original artwork/poster for sale as well as showcase artists including local and global brands as well as other items/products for sale that will embrace the Mixed Roots brand and overall design/message of Identity, Diversity, Unity. The goal is to prelaunch the campaign/website early July 2020 with soft launches of various items through December 31st and then officially launching the #IAMMIXEDROOTS campaign for the 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of Mixed Roots Foundation in January 2021…
Contact Info:
- Address: Mixed Roots Foundation
A Legacy for the Adoption and Foster Care Community
445 S Figueroa Street, Suite 3100
Los Angeles, CA 90071 - Website: www.mixedrootsfoundation.org
- Phone: 800.659.6958
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixedroots/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mixedrootsfoundation
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mixedroots
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hchbachman/
Image Credit:
Holly Choon Hyang Bachman
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