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Her journey started when she heard an Asian American comedian refer to herself as “Appalasian.”
“That was the first time I heard that,” Salyers said. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s me.’”
Salyers said her father left behind a legacy of service, both to his country and New Boston. He served in the military for nearly 25 years, and met Jinny when he was stationed in South Korea in the late 1980s.
They fell in love and married at the U.S. embassy, though Jinny’s family disowned her for marrying an American man.
“It felt right,” said Jinny, 61, who still lives in New Boston. “He treated me like a queen. I just never looked back. I was happy.”
Growing up in Corbin, Kentucky, author Michael Croley said he was immersed in a predominantly white, male culture.
He spent many weekends hunting and fishing in the mountains with his father, uncles and cousins. And he excelled in sports, distinguishing himself as a varsity athlete in high school.
At the same time, he would eat bulgogi, kimchi and egg rolls at home. And he was often on guard, waiting for a racial slur to be hurled his way.
The son of a Korean American mother and white, Appalachian father, Croley has been shaped by a unique combination of cultures. He has explored this reality through essays for publications including The Paris Review Daily, and his 2019 short story collection, “Any Other Place: Stories.”
Meet the YWCA’s 2021 Women on the Rise
Maria Cortez spends her days building bridges.
Working at the New American Welcome Center at the YMCA of Central Ohio, she connects immigrants to various resources, including legal services, employment and community activities. She has held the title of community outreach director for three years, but she has been an advocate for the underserved since her parents moved to the U.S. from El Salvador.
“My parents still don t speak English,” said Cortez, 30, of North Columbus. “I was that little 5-year-old at the doctor s office with them interpreting, filling out important legal paperwork that I probably shouldn t have. But it definitely molded me.”