What is America?
Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it? Finally, I have some representation in the media!
Of course, there was backlash. Pretty racist backlash:
Of course, there was backlash. Pretty racist backlash:
That last one particularly made me chuckle. Foreigners living in America? Um...
Okay. Let me talk about something I don't really like talking about.
About five years ago, I won a pageant. It was like a beauty pageant, but not really. I don't really like to talk about it for reasons I won't get into, but basically, I decided to give it a try, I won, and I "reigned" as Miss Louisiana for a year. Side note - I think I was the only Asian American competing that year in my state, but I guess that didn't matter, because I won! I got to represent Louisiana! I'm pretty sure I was also the first Asian to win in Louisiana. But who cares, I got to represent my state, and my country! AND I AM ASIAN!
About five years ago, I won a pageant. It was like a beauty pageant, but not really. I don't really like to talk about it for reasons I won't get into, but basically, I decided to give it a try, I won, and I "reigned" as Miss Louisiana for a year. Side note - I think I was the only Asian American competing that year in my state, but I guess that didn't matter, because I won! I got to represent Louisiana! I'm pretty sure I was also the first Asian to win in Louisiana. But who cares, I got to represent my state, and my country! AND I AM ASIAN!
(Asians: 1, Racists: 0)
Can I also point out that our current Miss America (for a different pageant organization than the organization I competed for), is Indian American? Also, lesbi-honest, she's freakin' gorgeous.
Can I also point out that our current Miss America (for a different pageant organization than the organization I competed for), is Indian American? Also, lesbi-honest, she's freakin' gorgeous.
After the beautiful Nina won Miss America, there was a bunch of racist backlash against her. People called her a terrorist, and told her to get out of this country. So after this Coca-Cola commercial aired, I expected some similar racist backlash too.
But here was where this Coca-Cola commercial controversy (say that 5 times fast) hit home for me. This is Miss Kasey Knowles, the current Miss Kansas for the pageant organization that I competed in:
But here was where this Coca-Cola commercial controversy (say that 5 times fast) hit home for me. This is Miss Kasey Knowles, the current Miss Kansas for the pageant organization that I competed in:
Surprise!
Oh wait, I'm not surprised.
I've met her a few times through the pageant world. We've been facebook friends for a few years. I thought she was pretty cool.
But last time I checked, there was no official language in the United States of America. We Americans don't speak "American." We speak hundreds of languages, and our diversity is one of the most beautiful things that define our country. My parents, like hundreds of thousands of other immigrants, came to America to live the American dream. They are now American citizens, and both my sister and I were born American.
I can't stress that enough - I. Am. American.
Sometimes, when I meet new people (especially when I am with my parents), I find that they speak rather slowly to me at first. It took me a while to realize why, since they usually speak faster and more comfortably after a few short polite conversations with me - they don't think I can speak English well, despite the fact that English was my first language. But because I look Asian, people immediately assume that me no speak engrish.
That's aside from the point - the point is, I speak English, and I also speak Chinese. Both the American and Asian parts of are important to me, but at the end of the day, I am American. Born and raised. I've been to China once, about ten years ago, and I wasn't just a tourist, I was sort of an outcast. It's strange - despite the fact that Americans consider me Chinese, Chinese people consider me American.
I am "too American" for China, and "too Chinese" for America. And I know that thousands of other first generation children of immigrant parents feel the same way. We don't fit in a hundred percent anywhere, but we feel closer to our American side, since it's where we were raised. We've accepted our American-ness, and our hope is that America will accept us too.
When I tell my Chinese-speaking relatives about how much I love my country, I will sing "America the Beautiful." In Chinese, of course. That's why this Coca-Cola commercial meant a lot to me.
After I watched it, I felt like I belonged somewhere. And that "somewhere" is America.
But last time I checked, there was no official language in the United States of America. We Americans don't speak "American." We speak hundreds of languages, and our diversity is one of the most beautiful things that define our country. My parents, like hundreds of thousands of other immigrants, came to America to live the American dream. They are now American citizens, and both my sister and I were born American.
I can't stress that enough - I. Am. American.
Sometimes, when I meet new people (especially when I am with my parents), I find that they speak rather slowly to me at first. It took me a while to realize why, since they usually speak faster and more comfortably after a few short polite conversations with me - they don't think I can speak English well, despite the fact that English was my first language. But because I look Asian, people immediately assume that me no speak engrish.
That's aside from the point - the point is, I speak English, and I also speak Chinese. Both the American and Asian parts of are important to me, but at the end of the day, I am American. Born and raised. I've been to China once, about ten years ago, and I wasn't just a tourist, I was sort of an outcast. It's strange - despite the fact that Americans consider me Chinese, Chinese people consider me American.
I am "too American" for China, and "too Chinese" for America. And I know that thousands of other first generation children of immigrant parents feel the same way. We don't fit in a hundred percent anywhere, but we feel closer to our American side, since it's where we were raised. We've accepted our American-ness, and our hope is that America will accept us too.
When I tell my Chinese-speaking relatives about how much I love my country, I will sing "America the Beautiful." In Chinese, of course. That's why this Coca-Cola commercial meant a lot to me.
After I watched it, I felt like I belonged somewhere. And that "somewhere" is America.