Lack of Language Doesn’t Define Me
Brianna Rodriguez. Growing up as a Latina, I didn’t learn the language of Spanish. Instead I knew the language of Sign Language. My Puerto Rican...
Do they see woman or Asian?
Jen Zhao. In my role, I feel like I bridge the gap between the stereotypes from me being Asian with me being female. I do...
Black Boy. White World. Perpetually Exhausted.
Esayas Mehretab I grew up in the west end of Richmond, Va in a predominantly affluent white community. I was not white and I was...
You over index as a strong woman
Linora. You are too aggressive, let me explain it to you, you need to be ‘softer’, and so many more. I have 2 boys and...
I am not an extra-special Negro.
Andrea Donnor, Williamsburg, VA, . I grew up upper-middle class in leafy New Rochelle, New York outside of the New York City, in a historical...
Unsure of where I fit in.
Jingi Hairston I’ve always been unsure of where I fit in among friend groups, workgroups, all of the above. I am a light-skinned African American...
“You accept me after we meet?”
Natalee, Richmond, VA I have experienced that over the phone on paper, people will perceive what they think I look like, I hear you sound...
Are your feelings and thoughts yours?
Peter Torres, Fredericksburg,VA My father is Puerto Rican, my mother is Italian. I grew up predominately with my mother’s family. Despite not having much growing...
We are not all HIV positive.
Rocky Coley, Richmond, VA, . I believe once people find out you are gay, the first thing that comes to there mind is are they...
Forms don’t fit my last name
Cristina Martinez de Andino. My name communicates part of my race and identity as a Hispanic Latinx woman. But, my name is too long for...
Don’t assume. Get to know me.
Rohan Oberoi. There’s so much more to me than what you can learn from looking at me, or reading or hearing my name. More than...
Multiple Sclerosis didn’t End my Life
Catherine Weston. Diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS at age 20, my life has been filled with many obstacles and plenty of turmoil. But MS didn’t...
Do I look like a terrorist?
Shaun Webb. I’m scruffy and brown. My friends used to joke and call me terrorist and I would explain how that hurt. That TSA and...
White, but Arab at the airport.
Michael Habib. I am half Italian and half Arab (Lebanese & Syrian), and am very white-passing. I grew up in a conservative, white homogeneous suburb...
Muslim Americans are patriotic citizens too.
Zaynab Malik. Growing up in America in a post-9/11 world was difficult. I always felt like I had to say that I was an American...
