Nhi Nguyen,
Trinity University
In Vietnam, my ethinicity is Kinh, which is the dominant group of Vietnamese. Before coming the U.S., I never really cared about my race because I did not need to challenge any racial inequality. When I’m in the U.S. to study abroad, Vietnamese is a minority. Most people just know about Vietnam through Vietnam war or boat people. Many think that Vietnam is still a jungle (which hurts me so badly). Vietnamese like I, speaking with accent and coming from a developing, “communist” country, do not receive that much attention in public service. This is where I start seeing myself switching back and forth between the dominant and minor racial identities.
