Katie Hana Kuyama
Northridge, CA
I’ve always thought it weird to add “American” to my identity when my ethnicity is indeed Japanese. I’m a second generation Japanese living in America, but people always emphasize that because I live in America, I MUST add “American” to my identity. Not necessarily.
In paperwork or community involvement, I will put down “Japanese-American’, but me myself personally like to be identified as Japanese. I have a strong connection to my ethnic culture and I don’t want American influences to change that. I want the same for my children. I do NOT want to be assimilated. Not now. Not ever.
