Everyone just assumes I'm white. On occasions, I'll get the Native American card or the Hawaiian card. As much as I would love to say that I am a member of a unique and distinct culture or that I spent my childhood surfing the waves onto a Hawaiian beach, I am neither the former nor the latter. When people ask me what I am, I can't say that I am incredibly annoyed; however, there are times where it can be quite frustrating to explain my mix. When people try to group me into a race, I simply disregard them. I am not one thing. I am not one type. I am not one race. When I start to explain, beginning with the "I'm half Asian and—," I am instantly cut off. Then comes the prerecorded, "Oh yes, I see it now!" But that's a lie. There is no genetic marker for race, and genetics don't always come out in someone's appearance.
To get the record straight, I am a South Korean and Latvian Jew with a hint of Russian mixed in. I was born in Indianapolis, so I'm also American. People tell me my mom has an Asian accent and my grandfather has a Baltic accent, although I don't hear it. When I was in the sixth grade, I was told that I could not be Jewish and Asian. Sure, that's not a big deal. But imagine being the new kid, eleven years old and trying to fit into a group of people you had just met. For the next three years, I refused to tell anyone my ethnicity. I acted like my heritage and my identity was not a part of who I was. I was scared, and I was bullied to believe that I should not be proud of who I am. It wasn't until I met another hāfu (the Japanese term for biracial) that I began to embrace my identity. Annabelle, my now best friend and practically sister, helped me realize that there was nothing wrong with straying from the social norm; not to mention, it wasn't like we had much of a choice anyways.
Today, I am proud to be mixed race. I am proud to be a blend of amazing cultures, and I am grateful for my family, who has fused two cultures together beautifully. My pride in identity has also taught me that your Asian jokes aren't funny, neither are the stereotypes you hold about Asians. Your money jokes aren't humorous, and your Hitler and Nazi jokes are not even worth a run for your money. Don't expect me to laugh at them. Making fun of someone's physical appearance or the horrible genocide of an ethnic group is not cool. It's not funny, and it's not okay.
We live in a country where race is more evident and controversial than ever. When did race become such an issue? Why do we care that someone has different physical features? I'm not saying we should be color blind. Colors definitely exist. No religion is superior, no culture is superior and no race is superior. I'm saying that we should take more time to respect our colors. We should be able to wear them with pride rather than hide them from each other. Let us be a world that recognizes, respects, and accepts the significance of diversity.
