09/30/2026
What's your story? “Like Mother, Like Daughter” was written by Yaslynn Makein one of our 2025 Story Gathering Sandbox fellows.
“My mother and I are from different generations and ultimately two lifetimes. She is part of the 1.5 generation of the Khmer diaspora; she was a two and a half year old child brought into this country after escaping the Khmer Rouge. I was born here. When I was younger, I rarely considered the weight of that difference — I understood her simply as my mother, shaped by America in much the same way I was. It took time to realize that her life began elsewhere, under circumstances that made leaving not a choice, but a necessity. “
Yaslynn Makein is a second-generation child of the Khmer diaspora, dedicated to community work and to understanding the stories that shaped her family. Her journey centers on learning how to bring love, connection, and healing back into the spaces that raised me.
🔗Read Yaslynn’s story here: https://echox.org/like-mother-like-daughter/
🙏The 2025 Story Gathering Sandbox was brought to you by: City of Bellevue and the Muckleshoot Tribe. The showcase was photographed by Tina Bear Don't Walk. Photos courtesy of Yaslynn Makein and family. Thank you!
