Today we’d like to introduce you to Josi Miller.
Hi Josi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
When I think of my story, three things come to mind: travel, art, and food. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a family who values cultures and languages, so the education and experiences I had growing up were pretty rare.
I was born in China and adopted by American parents at nine months and have a brother who is biologically related to my parents and two other siblings adopted from China and Guatemala. We had the privilege of attending an international school in Indiana so we all became fluent in Spanish at young ages. I also studied in Spain and Bolivia. I acknowledge that most kids don’t have access to such unique opportunities, but they shape who I am today and why I am so passionate about travel, art, and food. Throughout my personal and professional life I connected with my host families, co-workers, and strangers through language, ceramics, painting, cooking, and storytelling.
I studied anthropology and Spanish in college with an emphasis on food culture. I took my interest in food and worked at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (2018), designed a food and identity research project with people I met at the Smithsonian Catalonia (2019), and created a cookbook with eight women in Bolivia (2019).
After graduation in 2020, I was hired to go work at the Smithsonian but unfortunately, when the pandemic hit, the entire Folklife Festival was cancelled and I had to explore other careers.
Although my current position is a project manager for a marketing agency and I have loved it thus far, I still love to travel and be creative in the kitchen with my friends and family. At 23 I can’t say for certain where I’m headed, but I’m so excited to explore my new home in Charleston, South Carolina.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Just like everyone around the world, the pandemic created unforeseen challenges for the future. After graduating from Denison University, I spent nine months living at home in Indiana with my family working odd jobs in education, food and beverage, and at my local ceramics studio. I had no idea what I was doing and felt lost. The field I wanted to work in was completely shut down and it wasn’t opening up any time soon.
This struggle isn’t unique to me and I know several people are still recovering from Covid-19’s impact but it does shape where I am today. When I finally landed a job with a marketing agency as a project manager, I was nervous and excited. This was a completely different career path but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn how to make websites and blogs and do it from the comfort of my home. With the remote position I decided it was time to just pack up my things and move. And that’s what I did! I’ll be living in South Carolina for at least a year and I’m excited to establish a new life in a place filled with art and food!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love to bake, cook, and learn pottery! For the past five years I’ve been helping out at a local ceramics studio and every day I learn how to do something new. I know the basics of wheel-throwing and molds but aside from technical skills I help clean the studio and mix the clay for classes. My teacher and I have become extremely close friends so it’s always fun to help her teach little kids the classes and then get Korean food after!
In Charleston, I just joined a beginner’s clay class so I hope that I can continue my clay journey!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
I think risk-taking is essential for personal growth. Without taking risks, you’ll always remain static, and that’s not what enacts positive changes within ourselves and our communities. Whether it’s a small or monumental risk, anything you do that is out of your comfort zone will change the way you see something or interact with someone.
I consider myself a risk-taker because I like to do things that will challenge me. For instance, going to Bolivia for a semester abroad was a risk because it’s a place that isn’t as accessible or similar to other Western countries so you have to be hyper-alert wherever you are. If I had gone to Spain, that would have been too easy for me. I needed to go to a country that was entirely different from my previous travels.
For many, going to a non-Western country wouldn’t be a big risk and it might be in their comfort zone, but for me it came with several challenges. I had to be extremely careful wherever I was for safety and health reasons. Another difficult part of being in Bolivia was being an Asian-American. People stare and call you names all the time because it’s part of their culture. I always felt a gaze over me but I had to recognize that their perspectives on race, ethnicity, and culture were different from what I was used to in the United States.
The first two weeks were really hard to navigate but once I got comfortable with my host family and friends, I was more confident and excited by the newness of it all. By the end of the semester I was really close to my host family, travel buddies, and research colleagues. I am so glad I chose Bolivia and hope to return soon!
Contact Info:
- Email: 98josi@gmail.com
- Website: travel-art-food.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travel.art.food/
- Other: https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/culinary-tourism-in-palamos-catalonia
