Do You Remember

Michelle Obama, in her 2020 Democratic Convention speech, defined empathy, as “[t]he ability to walk in someone else’s shoes; the recognition that someone else’s experience has value, too.” I’ve been thinking about how challenging it is to do just that, during this period of great political polarization, daily media hysteria, and unrest among civil society.  "Do you Remember?" depicts two women on the opposite ends of the socio-political spectrum, having a laugh and sharing a snack of Japanese rice crackers. The dominant colors of red, white, and blue were selected deliberately. "Do You Remember?" was inspired by a real-life Facebook exchange among my classmates. A woman posted a bag of Japanese crackers that she purchased to celebrate the removal of a leg brace and received comments from classmates all over the world. They not only wished her well, they shared their memories of rice crackers from their time in Japan. One classmate’s memory inspired another’s story until the comment section was filled with good cheer. It was a warm-hearted exchange among people who ordinarily stand in great opposition to each other’s political beliefs. Through this piece, I hope the viewer will consider how they might develop empathy with others through shared experiences, past and present.