For the final project in my Digital Nonfiction course, I used Twine to tell the story of being adopted at birth and being mixed race, causing me to struggle with my identity growing up.

The main inspiration for my project came from "Keg Party Extreme and Conversation Party," an article that describes a project where users were able to walk around a virtual space filled with objects. The user would be able to focus in on an object and hear audio that described what happened in that space or conversation between characters. I decided to use an image map as my own virtual space. The readers can click on different objects on a desk and be brought to a story related to or inspired by that object.

I created a series of vignettes that each focused on a particular time in my life. Each vignette can live on its own but when they are put together, they create one cohesive story. The pages all utilize different styles or ways to interact with the reader. On one page, readers can click through a conversation. On another, they can click through a map that shows the results of an Ancestry DNA test I took in 2015. I wanted to use these tools to make the user feel like they were in control.

As I continued my project, I got feedback from my classmates, who encouraged me to ask my family members about the different events highlighted in my project. I spoke with my Mom about what it was like to not only raise my sister and I as adopted children, but also how other family and friends reacted to the news.

Because this project is essentially my life story, it was very difficult to both plan and create. I am not used to sharing aspects of my personal life with others, and my feelings surrounding my adoption are always changing. By completing this project, I think I stepped out of my comfort zone and practiced being vulnerable with my writing. This project created a ripple effect, inspiring me to be more vulnerable in both my professional and personal life.