When I set out to make my short film Take Me Home, I wanted to raise questions about our responsibilities to family as we grow older. The film captures a feared transitional moment for families that include a loved one who cannot live on their own: What is inherited? How do we navigate the hurdles of the American health care system when we are living on the margins of life?

I grew up as the middle child of 11. My adoptive parents had four biological children, then adopted seven more – six of whom are Korean, several with disabilities. We grew up in a John Hughes-esque suburb of America on a picturesque street. Our family stood out whether we liked it or not. Inside the house, however, adoption and disability were the norm. Everyone was the same, because everyone was different. ···