Identity and research reciprocally shape one another, each intertwined with other threads that define us. My own experiences in the Macedonian-American diaspora affirm this. Diasporas emerge from migrations whose displacement produces spatial trauma while also fostering transnational cultures. Members, like in other communities, are imagined together, connected through shared artifacts like language. Many adapt and meaningfully contribute to their adoptive homelands while also navigating this trauma. It is a difficult process, but not an impossible one. My methodologies and philosophy are shaped by these realities: that historical narratives are inherently subjective and shaped by power, that marginalized communities are often denied access to their own histories and materiality, and that hegemonic-subaltern dynamics render certain voices lost, forgotten, or silenced. Cultures heal by reclaiming access, materiality, and the power to produce their own history.