The Race Card Project
By Michele Norris
Deborah Halperin,
Bloomington, IL
A man said this to me while we were in line at the post office. I was 18 and had just moved from Hawaii to Iowa for college. I am part Chinese and Filipino. I look Asian. He must have thought I was Vietnamese? Korean? I was caught off guard. I said nothing. No one ever said anything like that to me. In Hawaii we all look “hapa” but not on the mainland.
Sienna,
Australia.
I grew up believing racism didn’t really happen to white people, or at least not that often. But moving schools changed my perspective a bit.
I moved in Year 9 and at first it was a really good change. The school is mostly Asian students, which I didn’t mind at all — I actually wanted a different environment. But after being here for about a year and a half, I’ve started noticing comments that make me uncomfortable, and I don’t know if I’m overreacting or not.
One time, my friend was talking about counselors and said, “(Counselor name) is better. White counselors are bad and never work for me.” The counselor she liked was Asian, while another one was white. I understand feeling more comfortable with someone from a similar background, but saying all white counselors are bad felt unfair to me.
Another time, some Muslim girls were doing henna at school. I’ve always loved henna designs, and one of the girls did really beautiful work, so I waited my turn and got one done. While everyone was talking, someone asked, “What do you call henna?” I thought everyone was just joining in, so I answered, “Isn’t it just henna?” Then everyone paused and looked at me, and one girl said, “Bro, you’re just white.” It honestly made me feel awkward and embarrassed, like I was only being seen for my race.
These aren’t the only situations either. The longer I stay at this school, the more nervous I get about saying the wrong thing or speaking at the wrong time. I’m not trying to attack anyone or act like I have it worse than other people — I’m genuinely asking if these comments are racist or if I’m being too sensitive.
Dylan,
San Jose, CA
I am Vietnamese, so when people hear this, they automatically say, “So you are Asian, ” which is a big generalisation. They also think I am automatically good at school, which is why I wrote six words: Yes, I am good at math. But what they don’t see is the amount of hours I put into studying. Yes, I am good at what I study, but it isn’t a genetic thing; it’s a putting in effort thing. People are so quick to think about why they are at a disadvantage compared to others, without recognizing the work that goes into overcoming obstacles. I have seen a lot of Chinese children studying for a test, and those endless hours of studying aren’t genetics; it’s discipline.
Sonia Kang
Northridge, CA
Are you their mom? As a biracial mom (Black/Latina) married to a Korean man with children who look more Asian than anything else, we are often looked at with curiosity. They look at them then at me. Is she the nanny? Who can she be? Whether at their Korean language immersion school, Tae Kwon do class or at the park, I get the inquisitive look. There are those that just stare but then there are those bold enough to inquire, are they your children? Of course they are my children!
Ian Shi C
Malaysia
I’m Malaysian and some people classify me as other other races. It’s just silly. Just because I don’t look or act like a Malay or Chinese. There’s even a race column on my ID. It’s stated ‘Chinese’. Anybody had something like this? Plus I don’t get it why people are still racist nowadays.
Emily Einhorn,
Beachwood, OH.
Whenever there is talk about racism, a part of me feels guilty. I have lived in a small suburb my entire life. In this town, people joke you’re either black, Jewish, or Asian. I have never witnessed a racist act and I feel as if I’ve missed out on being a part of a prominent aspect in American culture. I have never felt targeted as a Jew and I have never seen any of my friends be targeted for the color of their skin. I am taught that, that is not how America really is and as ridiculous as it sounds I want to have the opportunity to stand up for what I believe is wrong. I hate feeling like a lucky little white girl.
Ben,
Reno, NV.
One time a bunch of friends and I were hanging out, and I forget what exactly was said, but one of them whispered in another ears. I asked what what it was, my friend laughed that the other friend forget I was Asian lol.
Erik Shawn Frampton,
Charlotte, NC.
I am the descendant of a line of plantation owners in South Carolina. As a gay man, my upcoming marriage will finally occur on our 20th anniversary together. My larger southern family struggles to see my identity as sacred, just as they struggle still to see minority life as sacred. But what progress. From chains to wedding bells with a gay Asian man.
Anonymous,
USA
Throughout my childhood I struggled with my identity as a Filipino American. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood where all my friends were white, and the only exposure I would have to being Filipino was with my family or visiting a Filipino restaurant on occasion. Over time I felt disconnected from the culture because I was never able to adapt to fitting in as a Filipino. I never learned Tagalog (the native language of the Philippines) and could barely understand my grandparents and other relatives who predominantly spoke that language. For instance, I would often times slow down my English just so that my relatives in the Philippines could understand how I was doing in school. Growing up I sort of tuned out the idea of trying to fit in, I grew accustomed to my learned helplessness and started to reject my heritage. I used to think that other Filipino Americans were weird for expressing their pride publicly, but who am I to say anything? I’m only doing this as a way of repressing my personal feelings and thinking I can never fit in with people like me. Bottomline is that I am trying to slowly overcome this boundary, expressing pride in what it means to be Filipino and get over my learned helplessness, so that in the end I can look back and tell my children and future generations to be proud to be Filipino like their dad
Sabrina Chia,
USA
The actual quotation is “make sure to wear your face diapers, nobody wants the China Virus” and it was said by my Cross Country coach. I was one of two, maybe three, Asians on the team. But, of course, it was freshman year of high school and I was still getting to know the people on the team. I was fresh, new, ripe, and very, very Asian. And during that tumultuous time, I feared for the lives of my family, who were now very much at risk for Asian-hate crimes. I was terrified and I was so alone. Everyone there was standing and laughing at this China-virus joke, while I was simmering in the context: Asian-hate, Japanese Encampment, the 1924 Asian Exclusion Act.
Madison Tounsley,
Pleasant Hill, IA
I am a 19 year old woman who has battled with my ethnicity/race growing up. I am part Asian and part Caucasian I have been discriminated upon for being too tan or not tan enough. It seems I could not fit in or feel understood or seem as either identity.
Lisa Ayame Eckenrode,
Asheville, NC
I spend too much time on the /hapa reddit but it’s the only place I can find mixed community right now
Yilan Miao,
Selinsgrove, PA.
Maybe we should improved the inaccurate term “racism” with the much more accurate and potentially productive term “stereotype”. As American people always think, I am really good at math and this is the beginning of the third month for me to study in a small town of America. As you can imagine, the foreigners in the place where I live are really hard to see so it is a normal thing for people to see me surprisingly at the beginning. However, I don’t think that means kind of the racism because people are really nice to me and I have made lots of friends here now. As they start to talk with you the stereotype in their minds begin to break down and they will begin to appreciate your braveness. It is 21st century now, new idea has already had great influence on the racism. I believe as the growth of communications between different race, racism will finally disappear one day.
Sam Spencer,
West Burlington, IA
People assume I understand Chinese culture and heritage because I am half Chinese, when really I know nothing about it. I was born and raised in a majority Caucasian society, and my parents have raised me according to the culture around me.
Emma Schechter,
CA
As a half asian, half white kid, I often felt like I didn’t really belong. I didn’t quite fit
in with the white kids or the asian kids. However, as I have grown up, I have realized
that my perspective can help me relate to many people.
My experience
Seattle, WA
People say “reassuring” discounting things like “I never think of Asians as people of color, you’re like white people with funny eyes.” and operate using stereotypical assumptions believing they are operating “color-blind”. In most workplaces recognition of racial diversity is limited to certain days of celebration and when it makes HR reports look good.
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