“You look white”, erases my father.

Janaki Kuruppu
Rockville, MD

As a child, my skin was darker and my hair frizzier, thanks to the genetic contribution of my father who was from Sri Lanka. As I’ve aged, I’ve come to resemble my white American mother more and more, Since my father died when I was 19, every time someone brings to my attention how little I look like I have Sri Lankan blood in me, I feel like I lose him a little more.