Ian,
Lake Forest, CA
Being an Asian American, we are constantly under the attack of racial discrimination and stereotype. In middle school, since I lived in a white town, being the ONLY Asian in my school’s 150 years of history, I get asked the same question every single day: “Hey! you Asian right? so you eat dogs and cats right?” At first, I was furious. Growing up as a little kid in China and Korea, I never even knew that there was a dog eating culture, as dogs are being seen as pets rather than food, and animal protection laws being established throughout the years. But soon, as we learn about history, about slavery, segregation, and the deportation of many Latin Americans, I soon came to a realization that oppression and discrimination exist in every single minority group in this country, but in different shapes and forms. And as I moved on with my life, as a positive and happy person, I stopped caring about these jokes and started to focus on more important things. When I moved to Orange County, it blew my mind. Because Diversity is cherished and practiced here, and racial discrimination became less apparent. We can all see that when we appreciate and respect diversity, the world can become a much better place.
