Abram Lipman.
As an Ashkenazi Jew whose family emigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, assimilation and, paradoxically, being an outsider loom large in my cultural identity. But either position ultimately means not being able to both belong AND be yourself. This feeling has been amplified for me by virtue of being a total nerd who has frequently been in settings where nerdiness is not the dominant micro-culture. When I’ve been in places where I felt I could be my total quirky self, without trying to blend in, but still be liked and appreciated, is when I’ve felt the most like I belong.
