Guest Blogger #3: Indira

Q: What is your name? (First name is fine)

My friends call me Dee

Q: Where are your parents from?

My parents grew up in Southern India, in Tamil Nadu. My father came to the states for graduate school and when he married my mom in India, she came along with him.

Q: What was your upbringing like? Do you think your background was a significant influence in your upbringing?

I was raised in a loving Indian household, and many of the morals and values I hold originate from Indian culture and tradition. However, around the time of middle and high school, I became increasingly aware that I was straddling two different worlds in a sense. At home my family was very traditional, but at school, I wanted to be like the average American and fit in with my peers. It wasn’t until late high school and college when I found my balance as an Asian American growing up in what was a predominantly white American community. Currently I am proud of my Indian roots and have found a comfortable way to incorporate my culture into an American lifestyle.

Q: Where did you grow up? Were there other Asian students when you were going to school?

I attended my town’s public school system which was primarily white middle-class students. I had no Indian friends, but there were a few East Asian students in my class. Most of my friends were white, but I never felt uncomfortable being a minority. If anything, I sometimes feel uncomfortable when I am surrounded by other Asians because of the pressure to be knowledgeable about my Asian roots when I consider myself to be very americanized.

Q: Did you ever experience racism? If so, was it more common in your youth or as an adult?

I believe bias-related incidents are prominent in our society, but not always clearly noticeable. It is something that only time and knowledge can change.  I feel lucky in that I have not been subjected to any harmful acts of racism, and that any targeted acts towards me were few and far between.  

Q: Overall, how do you think that the reception towards Asian Americans has evolved?

I believe that as time goes on, Asian Americans are becoming more accepted in our society. We are a growing population in America and with time, America will truly become a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds. The stereotypes that follow Asians are still extremely prominent, but then again it is human nature to categorize individuals.

Q: How do you think being an Asian American has shaped your life? Was it an advantage or a disadvantage?

Growing up I was sometimes ashamed of my cultural background since I never seemed to fit in with the “cool kids.” However, as time went on, different experiences have made me realize the value of my diversity. I love being Asian and the different perspective it gives me. Most of my current friends are plagued with curiosity instead of judgment and are extremely respectful of my beliefs.

At the end of the day, I don’t view being Asian American as an advantage or a disadvantage. It’s just different. Everyone is human no matter what background they come from, which means we all need the same basic needs. In the long run, it really doesn’t matter what we look like or the traditions we choose to practice. Whether your family has been living in America for many generations, or you’re fresh off the boat of some foreign country, everyone has something different to bring to the table.