Empress Han

Empress Han is an Adoptee poet, artist, & activist. She emerged as a response to the profound loss, trauma, & grief of being severed from one's family, people, & origins through transracial, transnational adoption (TRA/TNA). Empress Han frames TRA/TNA within its broader sociopolitical context of American imperialism, invasion, & colonialism.

Han is a direct reference to the Korean cultural concept of han, which has been defined as a traumatic loss of identity, both collectively & individually. It has also been described as an intense angst & longing due to unresolved injustice, pain, & suffering. 

Empress Han is an assertion of claiming sovereignty over our individual identities & narratives, particularly in the context of having our stories & origins obscured & erased.

Her latest project is a musical exploration examining the experiences of loss, grief, identity, family, race, & belonging, as well as resilience & healing through the lens of a Korean Adoptee's journey.