if you've talked to me this past semester you'll know that i think my African American families class is the most amazing thing in the world. I believe that everyone that has the opportunity to should definitely make time in their schedule to take that class, whether you feel like you know a lot or a little about people who are African American. I've learned so much about the African American culture, the people and myself.

a few weeks ago I read some really interesting articles about the effect of a predominantly White school system on Black students. The article was called "Family Life and School Experience: Factors in the Racial Identity Development of Black Youth in White Communities" by Beverly Daniel Tatum. The article depicted a study of several Black students and their experiences as students in White community schools. All of the students in the article end up going to a majority White university only to realize that they may have enjoyed their college experiences more if they'd gotten to go to an Black college. These thoughts were based on the different backgrounds of where the students had come from. There are two quotes that I think tie the article together well and I also think they give insight to my own racial identity.

"...these interviews suggest that what integrated Black students need is for their families to build a firm foundation for their developing racial identities."

"..it is important for Black students to explore same-race, as well as cross-race, friendships."

I really think that how families shape the mind of their children as well as the friendships that are developed over time affect your racial identity. When I first moved to Texas, I disliked the fact that all my friends were Asian Americans. Growing up on the west and being around people who weren't Asian most of the time felt very normal and the fact that I had all Asian friends felt very abnormal. It was almost embarrassing to go out and eat with a group of 20 Chinese people and receive some seemingly condescending glances. In fact, old friends that I grew up with would ask me if I was racist because there would be nothing but yellow faces in my pictures. Sometimes I would question, is it wrong?

After reading the article I saw how class conscious/race-avoidant African American parents put their children through a lot of toil because they didn't have a lot of opportunity to embrace the African American culture, which is so much more than BET and crude hip hop songs. Because of this lack of exposure or even fueling a desire to know their culture, many students became discontent and eventually wanted to get in touch with that part of their identity.

I realize now how blessed it is to be second generation Asian American. If you think about it, we are a people very rooted in our culture. We celebrate chinese new years, we relate to each other when we talk about taking off your shoes at the front door jokes, we understand those misconceptions that all Asians are hardcore academic freaks and everyone and their mothers think we're all smart, we know that it's not uncommon to grow up sort of bilingual, and we laugh when we've been put in ESL even though we were born in the states. We get each other because I think first generation immigrant parents make it an effort to expose us to our culture to almost force us to be rooted in our culture...whether that means 12 years of chinese school, suffering from being coerced to an adolescence of piano lessons, or even the pressures of coming out top in your class.

Pride is a good thing when comparison is not an issue and I've learned to be proud of being Asian. But at the same time I deeply enjoy the friendships that I have with those who are not Asians and that is also why I think it's not just important to be proud of who you are but also to invest in knowing others who don't share the commonalities of your ethnicity. Each culture has their own rich aspects that make this world so beautiful.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 14

God made us just as he intended; in his image and in his perfection.