Personal

Culture Project
By Kerry Connolly
EDU 280

11/12/21
Cultural Belonging
❑ Ethnic Background:
- mom: Hawaiian, Filipino, Irish, English
- dad: Irish, Scottish

I've lived in Las Vegas my whole life, but I have family in different
places across the US, including California, Hawaii, Indiana, and various New
England cities. We love to celebrate, whether it's a big occasion––like a
wedding––or something smaller, like someone simply passing a test. I love
Hawaiian & Filipino food, and I eat it whenever I am with my maternal
relatives who enjoy cooking. My dad, stereotypically Irish, never fails to
bring up the importance of a good potato (and hey, I do love potatoes, all
kinds: fried, mashed, boiled – the possibilities are endless!).
Some photos of my family and
me through the years ! (1 / 2)
(2 / 2)
Life Experiences
❑ Challenges/Crises:
Probably the most challenging life experience I have faced thus far
was when my uncle passed away in December of 2015. I have lost other
family members, including all of my grandparents, but I was not as close
with any of them as I was with my uncle. Every Sunday, for the majority of
my life, my family would gather at either my grandma or aunt's house and
spend most of the day together, eating and playing games. My uncle was
a part of this tradition. He was a positive, loving person who always took
great care of my siblings and me, and my cousins as well. It was very
difficult to lose him so suddenly not only because of my own
personal grief, but because I watched my family members––particularly
my mom, who had just lost her brother––struggle to endure the loss too.
Life Experiences
❑Challenges/Crises:
The other challenge or crisis I have faced that jumps
out at me would be my journey towards discovering my
sexuality. I am bisexual, and I came out for the first time on
October 11, (National Coming Out Day) 2016 to one of my
best friends. I came out to my parents about a year after that.
From there, I have come out many other times, to many
different people. Discovering who I am has been scary,
confusing, joyous, and invigorating all at once. Although
there have been ups and downs––with my family, in
relationships, etc.––I am at a point currently where I am super
confident in myself and my identity, and I am supported
genuinely by my family and friends.
Life Experiences

❑Era:

Being born in 2001, I feel like we are sort of the last generation to grow up
with life experience before constant technology. For example, I did not have a
phone until I was 12. So up until that point, I only went online if I was using my
mom's computer to play games or something. I played outside all the time until
middle school when I became engrossed in things like social media. I am very
thankful that my parents did not give me open access to technology from a
super young age, the way some parents do now with their elementary-age
children, because I think it can be very detrimental to one's mental health and
even rob kids of their innocence too quickly.
Life Experiences
❑ Interests, Hobbies, Skills, & Talents:
I have grown up in a very musical and artistic
family, and that gene certainly exists inside me as
well. I have been singing since I was 4 or 5, and I
started writing songs around age 10. Music is my #1 Cover art (by my sister, Kelly!) for my first
passion; I believe it is also my best talent, and it is single "a girl i met," released on all
streaming platforms in January 2020.
what I hope to make a living doing.
Besides music, I also love reading and writing. Literature/English has always been
my best subject in school, as well as the one I had the most fun with. I read constantly in
elementary and even into middle school. However, I don’t read as much
as I'd like to nowadays. This is mostly because of work and school responsibilities,
in combination with spending too much time on social media! As far as writing, I mostly
stick to songs and poetry, but occasionally I'll get little script ideas or write short stories.
My Worldview:
❑ Values, Standards, and Principles:
My worldview has definitely been influenced by my religious education, my
family, and the fact that I have grown up on the West Coast in an urban area/big
city. I attended Catholic school for nine years (kindergarten through 8th grade), so I
do have those philosophies sort of ingrained into my mind. Still, I am not
particularly religious; I don’t go to church, attend confession, or regularly pray. I do
not agree with the more conservative beliefs of the Church, such as their anti-
abortion or anti-marriage equality stances. My beliefs would be considered
"progressive," or "leftist," politically. I do, however, carry with me the most crucial
teachings and values of Catholicism, such as "love thy neighbor as thyself,"
otherwise known as the golden rule. I value compassion, truth, and equality above
all. I try, everyday, to live my life following these guiding principles, because it is
what my parents have taught me and what I believe, as an adult, is right.
Cultural Artifacts
A painting
by my great
grandfather,
Noah Virgil
Beatty

A photograph of my
great grandfather,
Stephen Francis
Connolly, my
grandfather, John
Patrick Connolly, and
my great aunt