Sarah discovered Legacies on Twitter and has been in 6 other zines/anthologies. She was also a part of Ringling College’s Meanwhile VOL 9 comic.
Below are the responses from Sarah Dickover’s interview with Legacies Staff:
Tell us a little about yourself. Where you were born, how do you identify yourself, and what are some things you enjoy.
I was born in northern Virginia! I identify myself as half Korean and half white (a whole handful of different euro countries). I definitely feel like I am more Korean though because the family members around me growing up were almost all from my mom’s side (Korean side). A couple times every week, my cousins and I would get together and play the N64 or play Yugioh! My love of gaming has stuck with me my whole life because of that!
How did you get into illustrating or writing?
I was always into drawing since I was a baby, but I never really was serious about trying to get better at drawing until I was in 7th grade. I even quit drawing for a few years before then because I didn’t think it was going to go anywhere for me. After I started drawing again, I started to fall back in love with making art again. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school that I realized that being an illustrator was an actual career that I could pursue.
What inspired you to contribute to the project? (Why did you want to contribute to this project?)
I wanted to be able to share at least a little piece of the identity issues I’ve developed from being half Korean and half white. I’ve been wanting to talk about this issue for a while, but never really had the courage to do so.
How would you describe, or summarize, your submission?
A cute illustration of my mom and I discussing my name.
What was the hardest things to write/draw about? (I.e. revisiting a trauma, self-realization, etc.) In other words, did you struggle to write/draw a certain aspect?
The identity issues I’ve developed from people constantly saying I didn’t look Korean enough.
Why did you choose to write/illustrate your specific submission? (What was the significance of your submission?)
I chose the moment that I asked my mom why I didn’t have a Korean name like my other Korean friends and family. This was a very important moment for me because it was kind of the start of me being affected by others around me telling me that I was different. I chose to portray this moment as more of a happy memory though, because I was able get a little closer to the person I felt I was when I received my Korean name that night.
What, in your opinion, were setbacks you had to face, if any, and why? (I.e. time, memory, self-righteousness, etc.)
In general, a lot of my peers would make me feel like I wasn’t asian enough to be considered asian, but at the same time, I wasn’t exactly white either. So that was a weird thing for me to try to navigate growing up.
Was there anything you couldn’t address in your submission? If so, what were they?
I decided to focus on when I was a super little kid, but there’s a lot more that happened after moment portrayed that I would like to illustrate soon!
What were the most important things you wanted to hit on in your submission? (What did you want to highlight?)
I wanted to show a very personal moment that I probably wouldn’t have shared otherwise anytime soon!
What do you hope readers/people will gain from reading/seeing your work? (What do you want people to take away from your work?)
I hope they get a sense of warmth, and if any other half asian kids have felt a similar sort of thing, that they don’t get discouraged from what others might say about them!
What is your definition of being AsAm, if you have one?
I guess an AsAm person would just be an asian person who identifies as an american person.
What does writing/illustrating for this anthology mean to you?
Participating in this anthology actually means a lot, because I had a lot of issues with my identity when I was younger that still have effects on me to this day, and my illustration for this project is the first time that I’ve really expressed it!
What food/drink most reminds you of home/childhood? Why do you think food is so important to Asian American culture?
Sundubu-jjigae! My grandma would make this for us often and it was one of my favorite dishes growing up.