Dear America

Dear America,

I came to you in 1997 because my birth parents did not want me. There was a dark and dismal future for me in China...if I even lived past 5. But in 1997, you opened your arms wide and made me feel like I could belong. I could have a bright, fulfilling, and gratifying future in your land. Growing up in your small town of St. John with loving parents, I did not know I was different. I did not know I was adopted, nor that I was Chinese. I went along with my Caucasian counterparts, just trying to do my best to fit in. A part of me always knew I was different, but I could never pinpoint what exactly made me so. That was until my fifth grade teacher pointed out to me that I was Chinese. Ah-ha, that’s what it was. From there on, I did everything in my power to fit in...sacrificing my own self to do so and not even caring that I did. You have given me an opportunity to attain higher education by attending a great university like UW. You have allowed me to transform and heal, inching me a step closer to the woman I want to be, to an identity that I feel comfortable embracing. There is so much that you have given me that I am eternally grateful for, but there still are dreams I wish you will realize.

Race has always been a heavily-discussed topic in America, but it has always been the topic of conversation between white Americans and black Americans. Sometimes we talk about Mexican Americans, but we hardly ever talk about Asian Americans...or Americans like me who still don’t understand their own identity. Even at Citizen University the state of Asian-Americans in the your land was not mentioned. I remember talking with my friends, and they told me, “You should be happy that America’s not talking about you.” Well, no, I’m not. Because if they’re not talking about me, then I’m not important. We’re not important enough to be discussed; we are the forgotten ones. The docile, quiet, and submissive ones. And it makes me uncomfortable to accept it.

So America, a lot has gone through my mind since we’ve put Donald Trump “in charge” (...is he actually in charge?). What do you want for your future, because I know what I want. I want to see an America in which not only women rise just as high as men, but we will no longer question their ascent or authority. I want to see an America in which we no longer dispute facts, because by definition they are indisputable, and we rid ourselves of post-truth politics. I want to see an America in which my race or ethnicity will not be the deciding factor on an application - either to drive up diversity efforts or to succumb to the stereotypes. Most importantly, I want to see an American in which people believe in the opportunities you provide. That we each fulfill our duties and participate as democratic citizens in this bold experiment of self-government, and that we do so with pride and love. Those are my dreams for you, but what are your dreams for yourself?