"Pale skin is prettier skin."

This phrase has haunted society for many, many years. The concept has been so deeply ingrained in our world that it found its way into everything from facial whitening products to media. Thus, the concept of whitewashing, the preference of white actors and actresses to play people of color in film, is not something that is new to society.

As an 11-year-old, one of my favorite things to do was to jump into my sofa and watch episodes of "Avatar: The Last Airbender." The cartoon was absolutely mind-blowing to me, covering all kinds of themes that were beneficial for the growth of a kid. The show taught me how to be a loyal friend, how to be honest, and how to be proud of my identity. When I had heard the show was to be followed by a live-action film, one could only imagine how ecstatic I was to watch it.

I had pulled my father and younger brother with me on a Thursday to watch the movie at my local movie theater. I made sure to arrive early on the movie's opening day as a means to affirm my die-hard commitment to "Avatar." I had entered the theater eagerly, and left bitterly. I was utterly outraged that my beloved show was recreated into such an awful film. The characters were portrayed completely against the show's representation. Even the name of the main character was pronounced differently in the film. This was my earliest memory of whitewashing.

If you are going to recreate something, you need to do it accurately, or you might as well not do it at all. While there are so many talented Asian actors and actresses in Hollywood, it is disturbing that the cast of "The Last Airbender" was not accurate to the show. It undermines the beauty of the cultures that inspired the cartoon.

When young kids see this, the phrase "pale skin is prettier skin" starts to kick into their un-molded minds. Without proper representation of people of color, kids of color who will grow up into today's world will feel a sense of confusion. Everyone should feel accepted, and the first step in getting acceptance is by incorporating minorities into the media.