Kristine Ratanaphruks
Durham, NC

I look ethnically ambiguous and, at times, I pass for white. I grew up watching white men call my father “boy” — I’ve heard countless racist remarks made by people who don’t realize my heritage — I’ve heard the question ” What are you? ” too many times to count and I’ve wanted to wash the brown off my skin because I thought it made me look dirty. I am Thai-Irish American and regardless of how you’ve decided to categorized me, I’ll never be part of the white world because I’ve been reminded enough to know that I don’t belong in it.