It started with a song. Inspired by Mitski’s “Your Best American Girl,” I compiled the stories of women of color navigating a white American landscape. This exploration of what it means to be an “all-American girl” became the final project for my journalism capstone during my senior year at the University of Texas at Austin. I utilized my writing, photography and audio skills to communicate how the song’s themes of self-love, heartache and identity resonated with the subjects, who humored me by wearing denim — a longstanding symbol of Americana. I also joined in on the fun, sharing about my own experiences. The project went live on my mostly inactive blog, Couturely Sound, in April 2022.

They say an all-American girl is beautiful and smart. Hardworking and community-oriented. Kind, wholesome and brave. Likely sporty, too. A real catch.

The term describes many women and girls in my life. Yet, the picture of an all-American girl seems so exclusive. Though she and I might be similar on paper, I don’t see myself when I think of her. 

One night, I discovered Mitski, a Japanese American indie artist, didn’t see herself as an all-American girl either.