Zeke Anders is a director at Non-Member Films, an independent production company specializing in original narrative stories and branded content. He is also a man with a personal story to tell. Found in an alley as an infant in South Korea, he was placed in an orphanage where it was almost three years before he was adopted by an upper middle class white American couple from Dearborn, Michigan.
above left: Zeke poses with the American flag as a child in Dearborn, Michigan; above right: Zeke with the American Flag in Los Angeles just after voting, 2012
What began as an exercise in self-examination evolved into a series of short and captivating online videos. Speaking comfortably and bravely to camera, Zeke tells his story, interspersed with photos, in an earnest and compelling manner. He candidly conveys what it was like to have an indeterminate birth date, to be brought up in a ‘white’ suburb, to experience the death of his mother and his struggle with his personal identity.
above: a just-adopted Zeke being held by his new mother in the airport
above: Zeke being sworn in as a US Citizen with his adopted parents
Here is his story.
Episode #1 – Zeke sets the scene by sharing his origins and how he got adopted.
Episode #2 – Zeke opens up about his elementary years growing up in Detroit and attending a Korean-only summer camp called, Sae Jong Camp.
Episode #3 – Zeke shares his thoughts and experiences during his high school years as he struggles with his self identity.
Episode #4 – Zeke speaks candidly about the death of his mother and how it affected him during his senior year in high school.
Zeke is continuing with the ongoing series and hopes to open a dialogue with his viewers – to answer questions and hear more stories.