“The Beginning,” explores identity through the lens of my early childhood memories, shaped by a Ukrainian Catholic upbringing in the 1980s.  The fragile union of my parents, sets the stage for a reflection on familial and cultural expectations. Sundays were spent at church, perched from my vantage point in the choir loft, where the echoes of angelic voices intertwined with observations of a rigid church hierarchy, marked by a kind, yet authoritative priest. I grappled with the gender roles and economic divides within the church, feeling alienated as I struggled to fit into a world that often seemed confining. The question of belonging illuminated the complexities of navigating the blurred lines of heritage, faith, and personal identity.