Chapman University Archives - The Race Card Project

Am I Asian enough for you?

April 1, 2021April 1, 2021 American, Asian enough, CA, Chapman University, Emily P, lack of diversity, Long Beach, model minority, stereotype

Emily P,
Long Beach, CA

I am an Asian American that fell along the lines of a “model minority.” I was a straight-A student in high school and was in the orchestra for 8 years. Though people still assumed I was “whitewashed” or too “American.” I always thought about what it was that made me more “Asian.” Those who just perceived me from the outside just assumed I was whitewashed based on the clothes I wore and my proper English. I am currently a student at Chapman University and feel that I am still being looked at with a certain stereotype, especially with its lack of diversity.

Chapman University

Breaking news: I am not rich

April 1, 2021 assumptions, Brooke Evans, CA, Chapman University, cisgender, minority groups, not rich, rich, Santa Barbara, stereotype, tuition, white

Brooke Evans,
Santa Barbara, CA

I am white with blonde hair and blue eyes and I grew up in Santa Barbara, which is a fairly wealthy town. Because of how I look and where I am from, people assume I am very wealthy, which is not the case. My family has always struggled with money and it has been a huge issue ever since I can remember that has caused many fights between my parents. I also attend a private school with an expensive tuition, so this adds to people’s assumption that my family and I have money. However what people don’t know is that I am attending school entirely on scholarships and student loans because my parents could not afford to pay for my education. The town that my college is in is also very republican, so people think that I am a conservative, although I am very liberal. Despite this, I know that I am very privileged in so many ways because I am cisgender, straight, and white. I am also very much aware that many people have it a lot worse than me money wise and the assumptions people make about me are far less harmful than the assumptions made about people of color or people in other minority groups. It does at times get frustrating when people assume I am a rich republican because that is the complete opposite of who I am.
-Brooke Evans

I’m rich because I’m from here

April 1, 2021 AZ, Chapman University, Madi, money, poor, rich, Scottsdale, stereotype, struggle, upset

Madi,
Scottsdale, AZ

Actually, this is the opposite of what is true, but what everyone assumes. I’m from Scottsdale, Arizona where there are many extremely wealthy neighborhoods and fancy resorts. It is also a predominantly white city, which my family is as well. Growing up my parents really struggled with making money after the market crash. Now it’s not something that upsets me as much because I know there are much worse issues to have, but it’s the most common thing people assume based off how I look and where I live.
-Chapman University

“I’m not racist” just won’t do

April 1, 2021 actions speak louder than words, CA, Chapman University, I'm not racist, Truckee, Zoe Brunings

Zoe Brunings,
Truckee, CA

Your actions speak louder than your words. Trying to make yourself look better by saying this doesn’t make you a better person. It is your actions in your everyday life that leads to change.

Latine is Geography, Hispanic is Language

April 1, 2021April 1, 2021 CA, Chapman University, ethnic identity, frustrated, geography, Itzel Moncayo, language, Latine, Spanish, where are you really from

Itzel Moncayo,
CA

I am Mexican-American which means my ethnic identity lies in being both Latine and Hispanic. My physical appearance resembles the stereotypical appearance of someone of this nationality, regardless, I often get asked where I am from. Where I’m ~really~ from. This question does get frustrating but so do the misconceptions within my own community that being Latine and/or Hispanic is the same or that we are a monolithic group. Being Latine refers to a person who is from Latin America while being Hispanic refers to someone from a country where the language spoken is predominantly Spanish. The perpetuation of this misconception that these identities are ethnicities and not racial contributes to the erasure of Afro-Latinos and Indigenous people. It’s frustrating that so many people within my community dismiss the fact that Latine and Hispanic is not a race which then leads to a lot of comparisons and hurt on our part towards other racial groups that are fighting for social justice.
-Itzel Moncayo, Chapman University

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