Risha Patel,
Marlborough, MA
To me these words mean what I think others think when they first see an Indian. Our oiled hair and spiced food is smelly and our dark tan skin is viewed as undesirable. Stereotypically we have to be smart, exceeding in math and science. We might have great ideas to share but our thick accent is a barrier to your ears. To be Indian, is to be many things. To me, it means the cultures, the languages, and the foods. It is all so beautiful, but am I not also American? I may not be white or smell like vanilla. I am so much more than someone with dark skin, with spices in my food, and supposedly smart.
Race is just a social construct that allows people to think they know who I am. A social box I was placed in by others when I was born. Now that I am older, it does not affect me who I am, but it is infuriating that governments allow violence and hatred to flow through because of race. Why aren’t the good characteristics able to outstand the bad? Why is being dark and smart dismissive? I do not smell bad. I am just a person that every American and every Indian is.
