What Heritage Can Teach Us: A Conversation with Sophie Phillips

I first noticed Representative Sophie Phillips on her Facebook story. She was wearing a colorful Lehenga, and something about her confidence caught my attention. There was grace in how she carried herself, but also something real and grounded. I thought, this would make a great portrait.

I reached out and asked if I could photograph her at Blackbird Forest. She said yes. When we met, I expected a quick photo session. What I didn’t expect was to walk away with one of the most powerful stories I’ve ever heard.

Sophie is Delaware’s youngest state representative and the only Asian American ever elected to the General Assembly. She told me her background reflects almost every part of the world. “I’m African American, Caribbean, Indian, Russian, Polish, English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish,” she said. “We’re from everywhere. Seeing my ancestry results for the first time made me realize how connected we all are.”

She grew up in a mostly white neighborhood and said she was often bullied for how she looked. But summers with her cousins and grandparents were her escape. “Those were the best times,” she said. “Shrimp curry on the stove, my aunt braiding my hair, and family all around. That’s when I felt most accepted.”

Her Aunt Karen owned a salon that specialized in mixed and ethnic hair. “Every summer, I’d spend hours there,” Sophie said. “She’d braid my hair while the women talked about everything — family, work, life. It made me feel at home.”

Her family’s story stretches across continents. On her father’s side, her ancestors from India came to Trinidad as indentured servants. They experienced forced conversion and name changes, turning her Hindu Boodhooram ancestors into the Christian Phillips family. Her great-grandfather immigrated to the U.S. and opened a grocery store in New York City. Her great-grandmother was from Barbados. They met in the city and built a life together.

Her grandmother, a Russian and Polish Ashkenazi Jew, married an African American and Caribbean man with Indian heritage. At that time, it wasn’t accepted. “My great-grandfather stopped speaking to my grandmother until my dad was born,” Sophie said quietly. “I can’t imagine what that must’ve felt like.”

Her mother’s side tells a different story. Her family traces back to one of the Founding Fathers, Caleb Strong, who helped shape the U.S. Constitution. “Maybe that’s where my political side comes from,” she said with a smile. But her grandparents’ lives were far from easy. “My grandpa lived off the land in New Hampshire because they couldn’t afford food,” she said. “My grandma was homeless as a kid and lived in a tent by the river in North Carolina.”

Those stories built her. “All of that made me who I am,” she said. “It shaped how I see people and how I make decisions.”

Sophie’s life today reflects the same mix of strength and empathy. She’s a Wildlife Ecologist with Sarver Ecological and the Director of Talent Management and Operations at SheisMotivated. “My science background helps me evaluate policy,” she said. “I look at data and facts before I vote, but I always think about the people too.”

Her time as Miss Delaware in 2021 deepened her passion for environmental justice. “In my own family, I’ve seen how where you grow up changes what you have access to,” she said. “Some had parks and green spaces. Others didn’t. Everyone deserves a clean, safe environment.”

We talked about nature, and she smiled softly. “Nature brings me peace,” she said. “It reminds me of my purpose.”

When I left that day, I kept thinking about what she said. Sophie’s story isn’t just about being the youngest or the first. It’s about family, identity, and finding peace in who you are.

She reminded me that belonging isn’t about fitting in. It’s about standing in your truth — and helping others feel seen when you do.