Armenian, Greek, What’s in a name?
Chris Terzian, Gainesville, FL As an Armenian and Greek individual, my race and heritage are known by the last three letters of my name (ian)....
Ambiguous ethnic origin depending on place
Melissa Bowie, MD It wasn’t until I moved to the DMV (the Washington DC metro area, for the uninitiated), that I began to chafe under...
White but grew up as minority
Vicki Hohner, Olympia, WA While I am a white midwesterner by origin, I spent most of my formative years as a minority. First as part...
I believe in the hyphen!
Roberto Jara, Alto, MI. It drives me nuts when people say, “Let’s all be color blind, forget our cultures of origin and just be ‘American,’...
Wearing your difference on the outside.
Mona Khadr, Washington, DC. “But where are you from, originally?” is a question I get a lot. When I was younger, I answered proudly (“Egyptian!”)...
Acknowledge the human race’s African origin
Ted Fink, Rhinebeck, NY As a kid growing up in the 1950’s, my Grandpa wouldn’t let me play with the black kid who lived next...
I’m white my daughter is black
Jennifer Berkemeier, Farmington Hills, MI. I’m a single mom. I adopted my daughter from Haiti in 2012 when she was 4 years old. I’m white,...
I don’t even know my origin
Creytisha Gray, Lubbock, TX After centuries my ancestors being stripped from my Homeland, I have no idea where I, nor my ancestors are from. The...
Yes I’m tobacco-pickin white trash
Tracy Hart, Washington, DC. Yes, I’m from a tobacco-pickin, Southern white trash family, and I mean that in the most endearing way. Some stereotypes my...
I don’t know where I belong.
Daisy Carranza, Sparta, NC The question of belonging is something I have always struggled with. I am a hispanic who was born in the U.S....
Tenth generation American, still asked origin.
Leah Perlongo, Sunapee, NH. Ever been asked “Where are you from?” and the answer they expected was not the town you were born, but a...
I’m Black but NO-ONE believes me!
Kristi Webber Las Vegas, NV Growing up, there were several clues and incidents which occurred over the years which hinted at some sort of non-European...
Slavery is our original national sin.
Lynn Levine, Prescott Valley, AZ Our national origins in slavery constantly limit us in terms of the progress we can make towards a just society....
I am, am I, truly Canadian?
Yosh Kasuga, Canada. Canada has the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and embraces multiculturalism on the surface and yet I wonder why as someone born...
More than just a “white” woman
Brandi Schroeder, East Lansing, MI. I have a rather diverse group of friends, and the other day one made a comment about my origins. I...
