Midori Samson

Midori Samson (she/her) is a music professor and social worker located in Lawrence, Kansas. Her work as an artist and practitioner broadly explores healing from collective and historical trauma through musical social work projects, sound art composition, and autoethnographic research about her mixed-race Filipino/Japanese/American identity. You can learn more at her website.

Last updated November 2024

Stories from This Author

Nikkei Chronicles #13—Nikkei Names 2: Grace, Graça, Graciela, Megumi?

Conversations with the Ancestors I Never Got to Meet

Dec. 2, 2024 • Midori Samson

“You can’t give her a Japanese name. It will ruin her life.” My grandmother Marjorie Julia pleaded with her son, Gregory Michael, my father, on the day I was born. My parents gave me the name, Midori Faye, despite having zero proficiency in Japanese, and despite my grandmother’s wishes. After all, her good ol’ American name, Marjorie Julia, protected her and kept her Japanese identity a secret (or so she hoped). I can’t blame her for wanting to keep me …