As a first-generation American-born Asian kid that attended a predominantly white elementary school, many unwanted labels were forced on me. Other kids assumed that I couldn\’t speak English. Instead, they assumed I spoke Chinese, Japanese, or probably Korean. I had to tell them I was Vietnamese and that I, contrary to their beliefs, could speak English. I had to expect that people would always see me in a different way, and I experienced first-hand racism since my early childhood.
The classic motion of pulling your eyes back to make them smaller and saying the phrase “ching-chong,” was an everyday occurrence. “Ling-ling” was often a name that Asian girls were called, for no good reason. I would study hard and get a good grade on my test just for a fellow classmate to say the words, “It’s only because you’re Asian.” At home, my relationship with my family was strained. The pressure was always on to get good grades, so I could fulfill my parents’ wish of getting a full-ride scholarship to college. Since both my mother and father immigrated to the US from South Vietnam, they always thought they knew what was best for me. They never once asked what I wanted to do, or what my dream job was. As I grew older, I started to make realizations about the world around me. I became jealous of the privilege that white people had. I never thought it was fair how their parents never had to leave their home country due to war, how their existence in a public place was never questioned, and most of all, how comfortable they seemed to feel in their own skin. When I asked others about it, they would shrug and say, “That’s just how it is.” And it was.
The older I got, the more I realized that the racism I faced as a child should not have been normalized. It is clear to see that for some reason, racism against Asians is not taken seriously. People use excuses such as, “But Asians aren’t even oppressed,” or “You can’t be racist to Asians if their skin color is white, they are pretty much white people.” I laugh whenever I see or hear this phrase because it could not be farther from the truth.
I’ve read news articles and watched videos of hate crimes being committed against Asian people simply for their race. The number of hate crimes against Asians has, in fact, risen since the emergence of coronavirus – people have seemed to blame Asian people for not being able to go out with their friends. It is safe to say that COVID is not having a positive influence on the way Americans perceive Asians, especially since it’s already been established that racism against Asians is normalized. I cannot even cough in class without feeling self-conscious because maybe the girl behind me will think I have the virus. I have, however, learned to embrace the parts of me that are Asian, whereas I used to be ashamed of them.
Growing up Asian in an ever-changing and diverse country has opened my eyes and allowed me to learn so many lessons that I otherwise may not have considered. I am now 15, turning 16 in less than 2 weeks, and I finally love every part of myself for who I am.
Active India Bureau. US Lifts Arms Ban on Old Foe Vietnam as Regional Tensions Simmer, www.activeindiatv.com/international-news-and-views/39648-us-lifts-arms-ban-on-old-foe-vietnam-as-regional-tensions-simmer.