Regina Ahn

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Asian adoptees in the Susquehanna Valley are reconnecting with their heritage and exploring their identities through creative outlets like martial arts, poetry and singing.

Maya Sony Schwartzwalder reflects on her adoption story

Maya Sony Schwartzwalder, who was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1998 and adopted at 10 months old, knows little about her birth parents.

“I know at my adoption that my father died of tuberculosis, and my mother had three other children before me,” Schwartzwalder said.

Hearst OwnedWGALMaya Sony Schwartzwalder

Growing up between cultures

Adopted by a queer white couple from Maine, Schwartzwalder moved to Lancaster in 2018 after graduating from high school. She said she struggled to fit in.

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“I never really assimilated being American because I looked so different — different ethnicity, skin tone — so I knew very early on I was Cambodian,” Schwartzwalder said.

Embracing Cambodian identity

Over time, she embraced her culture and even learned some of the Cambodian language.

“It’s almost like the fog is lifted, of hiding who you really are,” she said.

How “Mulan” sparked a personal awakening

Schwartzwalder said Disney’s “Mulan” was a major inspiration for her.

“I always say ‘Mulan’ was my Asian awakening,” she said.

Kung Fu used as a path to healing

The movie, which tells the story of a young woman disguising herself as a man to take her father’s place in the imperial army, inspired Schwartzwalder to learn kung fu.

“I was in Maine — that weird Asian kid to a lot of people. You know what, I’m not going to make it weird anymore. Learning kung fu, third-degree brown belt, it was healing for me,” she said.

Martial arts becomes part of her identity

Schwartzwalder went on to win awards, compete in tournaments and become a junior instructor.

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“It became a big part of my identity as a member of the AAPI community and as an individual,” she said.

Zhu Ling Jin explores identity through music and poetry

Another adoptee, Zhu Ling Jin, has turned to singing and poetry to connect with her Chinese culture.

Hearst OwnedWGAL Zhu Ling Jin

“I was born in Gui Ping. I was adopted in Naning. I don’t have much information about my birth parents,” Jin said.

Finding expression in school and beyond

Jin, whose adoptive name is Lindsay Kofaltz, was one of the few Asian students in her schools, which she said felt isolating. She found relief in music and writing.

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“Singing is something I can connect with and portray my emotions more fluidly,” Jin said.

Pandemic-era reflection deepened cultural curiosity

Jin graduated from Penn State in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and a surge in anti-Asian hate.

“It made me want to learn more about who I was and almost fueled my drive to learn about my culture, so I did more research,” Jin said.

Community and poetry provide comfort

She has since found comfort in friendships within the AAPI community and writing poetry, including one titled “Why Not Me.”

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Both Schwartzwalder and Jin are part of “Through a Different Lens,” a photography page that highlights Asian adoptees.