Our Story

I'm a mom of two raisins.  When my kids were very young, I tried to explain their racial identity as "half American" and "half Asian."  At the time, I didn't have the words or awareness to explain their nuanced racial identity in a more holistic way.

Thanks to their age and the complexity of the topic, my kids walked away with a dubious message that they were "half raisins."   From then on, our encounters with friends and neighbors were often preempted with a proud proclaimation, "Did you know that I'm half raisin?"   

I think back to these days fondly, but also with a certain sense of disquiet.  I've spent so many hours since then, thinking and learning about what it means to be a mixed race individual in America.

Even though much of the stigma of being 'mixed' has largely given way, I still see the struggle my kids face in figuring out their racial identity, in trying to navigate through the suggestions of not being "white enough" or "Korean enough."   

Portmanteau Home is my redo of our raisin talk.  Portmanteau Home is where mixed race kids like mine will see themselves represented.

Just like how Portmanteau is a whole new word that is created from combining the sounds and meanings of two words, Portmanteau Home hopes to show how two cultures coming together can create something new and beautiful.