That which we called a rose by "Marlin" it would still smell delightful...

M-A-R-I-N.

Marin Kimberley Herold.

No,
not Maria
or Marn
or Martin
or Marline
or Marvin
or even Marlin (you'd be surprised at how many times this happens).
Simply Marin.

My name is the sort that makes substitutes apologize in advance, baristas squirm, and employers stumble. The first reaction to it is usually, "I've never heard that before" or, "How unique" followed by a five-minute-later checkup, "What was your name again?"

At first it bothered me when people said it wrong or gave me silly nicknames to cover up for the fact that they did not want to spend the time learning how to pronounce my name. But as time went along, I realized that I was not defined by my name and that no matter what people called me, I was still who I was. I was my happy-go-lucky, talkative, goofy self no matter what name I was labeled as.

This realization; however, does not stop me from loving and relating to my name's meaning. According to www.behindthename.com, the name Marin comes from the French, Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, and Macedonian form of "Marinus", which is a Latin word meaning "of the sea". I have always loved going to the beach, but I think I relate more to the history of WHY I was named Marin as opposed to the actual definition of "Marin".

My parents met in Pacifica, California, which is about twenty minutes south of San Francisco. When they dated, they would spend much of their time mountain biking across the beautiful scenic trails of Marin County, CA (about an hour away from San Fran). After a four-hour biking trip, they would cool off at a local general store for some refreshments and live music. These afternoons of bliss in the hills of Marin County were times they found joy together. When they found out I was joining the fam, they wanted to provide a name that would pass down a life of bliss and satisfaction found in these hills of Marin County.

So here I am, blissful and satisfied Marin Kimberley Herold, ready to take on life.  I will still always introduce myself as "Marin/whatever you want to call me...as long as you call me!", but I know that my name is special to me and given to me for a purpose.

As an individual, I am confident and proud of who I am and my name's personal history. As a fellow human being of this world, I know that a name is just a label, and that it is what you choose to do with your life that provides the definition of who you are. In my life, I strive to be a light for others.

I am "two".
I am a daughter to my parents.
And I am a friend to you.

I am Marin.

Othering

From the Archive - We Gave Them An Inch, Fargo, North Dakota (1999)

http://know.wingyounghuie.com/page/2

At first glance of this photograph, I see a man with a confident stance. He is wearing sunglasses that block the vision of the viewer from seeing his eyes which prohibits him/her from making a connection with the man. He is standing in front of a shop that seems to be somewhat empty. He is wearing sturdy jeans, a bracelet and a T-shirt. As I dig deeper into the photograph, I notice the man has scarred arms. He is seemingly Native American in looks and as I read his shirt which reads, "We gave them an inch and they took 5000 miles", I confirm that my assumptions are correct. His shirt is referring to when the Europeans first colonized America, which was primarily home to the Native Americans. This man presents himself in a way that encourages the concept of "othering". He presents himself as "unlike the rest of us" by wearing a shirt that uses the words "We" and "They". This is meant to influence a specific audience. If the audience happens to be fellow Native Americans, the use of "We" and "They" provides a sense of camaraderie within the Native American community by this use of "othering". However, the opposite effect is accomplished when the audience happens to descendants of the European colonizers. This diversity of audiences provides different perspectives of the same topic of this "othering". It can make people feel included or isolated. 

As presented in this picture, Margaret Atwood also uses the concept of "othering" in her book, The Handmaid's Tale. She displays Offred as a character that does not fit in with society in her thinking and perspectives. Some readers might relate to Offred by feeling like an outsider in their community, while others might feel distant from her because of their devotion to the specific culture that surrounds them. Every perspective will very due to this ever-present diversity of audiences.