NJ and Dedalus
Please allow us to introduce the Sun Valley Sixers!
We are a true blended family, both in terms of merging our children from previous chapters in our lives, as well as in our varied heritage and racial identities. We call ourselves the Sun Valley Sixers (or SVS!) because there are six of us and because we live in the Sun Valley neighborhood of San Rafael, a city we are proud of for its growing social, racial, and economic diversity and for its support of the Black Lives movement, the mentally ill and homeless populations, and the immigrants who have decided to forge a new life in California.
A little about the parents – NJ (mom) grew up mostly in Canada (Vancouver and Toronto) after a brief stint in Kingston, Jamaica, her birthplace. Her parents, who emigrated from South Korea, chose North America to plant their roots and give their children 'a better life.' After several years working in print and television journalism in Canada, NJ decided to transition to the world of education and currently works at Marin Country Day School in the admissions department. She is also in the throes of completing her doctoral dissertation in Educational Leadership at the University of San Francisco. A fun fact about her is that she has her motorcycle license and is a certified sailor – the latter being a growing joy for the whole family.
Dedalus (dad) grew up as a bi-coastal kid splitting his time between Boston and the San Francisco Bay. He is a self-described mutt of English, Norwegian, German and Lithuanian descent and a proud fourth generation San Franciscan. He works as a clinical psychologist specializing in children, families, and trauma. When he's not with clients, he's trying his best to coax the rest of the family into sailing, horseback riding, camping, or traveling!
As a multi-race family, we value the commitment to diversity at MMS and appreciate witnessing Marin County become an increasingly diverse community. And like the culture at MMS, we as a family value the importance of community engagement and social justice. From demonstrating in the Black Lives Matter movement, marching together with our fellow community members, to volunteering to promote animal rights and environmental education through veganism, and in the developmentally appropriate conversations we have about racism, sexual orientation, and gender equality, we welcome inquisitive conversations with our kids and hope that they contribute to their development as people that value, honor, and strive for empathy and inclusion for all.
We know that Harrison is growing in an environment with other families who hold similar values and hopes for their children, and for society. We are so very grateful for all of you!