Growing up as an adopted Asian American, I've always found difficulty making sense of my identity.
As #APAHM comes to a close, here is my attempt to articulate just that and what I’m doing about it – a thread.
#AAPI #AAPIHM @TwitterAsians #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth
As #APAHM comes to a close, here is my attempt to articulate just that and what I’m doing about it – a thread.
#AAPI #AAPIHM @TwitterAsians #AsianPacificAmericanHeritageMonth
My name is Annie. A lot of people assume Wu is my last name when they find me on social media since it's @Annie_Wu_22.
My last name is actually Henry, which is the last name of my adoptive family. They chose to incorporate my Chinese last name as my middle name.
My last name is actually Henry, which is the last name of my adoptive family. They chose to incorporate my Chinese last name as my middle name.
I was adopted as a baby and haven't been back to Asia since. I was adopted into a white family in a VERY white town.
Growing up, I never felt different – even though I was usually one of the only non-white children. In fact, I don't even think I realized this most of the time.
Growing up, I never felt different – even though I was usually one of the only non-white children. In fact, I don't even think I realized this most of the time.
Culturally I was brought up to be, what many call "American" – in actuality, they mean white.
My family thinks mild chicken wings are "too spicy" and calamari is "exotic." We go to Sunday church and have a literal white picket fence. I was taught to "not see color."
My family thinks mild chicken wings are "too spicy" and calamari is "exotic." We go to Sunday church and have a literal white picket fence. I was taught to "not see color."
I always knew I was different; in fact I even made stereotypical jokes: I’m bad at painting nails lol !
But being constantly surrounded by a support system that treated me so "color-blindly" shielded me to the real fact that I'll never be the same as a white person in America.
But being constantly surrounded by a support system that treated me so "color-blindly" shielded me to the real fact that I'll never be the same as a white person in America.
There were copious microaggressions, but I didn't understand their weight at the time.
Oftentimes I tended to minimize or laugh off anti-Asian racism. I made excuses like “it wasn’t meant to be offensive” or “racism against Asians doesn’t exist here.”
(Excuse the 2010 quality)
Oftentimes I tended to minimize or laugh off anti-Asian racism. I made excuses like “it wasn’t meant to be offensive” or “racism against Asians doesn’t exist here.”
(Excuse the 2010 quality)
BUT I do remember my first encounter with blatant, unequivocal racism.
It wasn't until I was 19. It was a man yelling in a grocery store parking lot.
I'm sure any minority remembers theirs too.
It wasn't until I was 19. It was a man yelling in a grocery store parking lot.
I'm sure any minority remembers theirs too.
After that, I think I subconsciously changed.
I began noticing more: inequalities, underrepresentation, microaggressions, oppression.
I felt more: anger, sadness, and absolute dismay when other people didn't "get it"
(it prob didn't help I was studying media + politics)
I began noticing more: inequalities, underrepresentation, microaggressions, oppression.
I felt more: anger, sadness, and absolute dismay when other people didn't "get it"
(it prob didn't help I was studying media + politics)
Trying to understand my privilege and identity has been confusing and conflicting.
While I will never pass as white, declaring that I am a POC feels fraudulent since I have not experienced the same oppression as people in the Black and brown communities.
While I will never pass as white, declaring that I am a POC feels fraudulent since I have not experienced the same oppression as people in the Black and brown communities.
I am well aware that my identity grants me both privileges and disadvantages.
I try to educate others about the historic and present Asian racial injustices while empathizing with the struggles of other POC groups as a fellow minority.
It's a balance & I am always learning.
I try to educate others about the historic and present Asian racial injustices while empathizing with the struggles of other POC groups as a fellow minority.
It's a balance & I am always learning.
As one of the most underrepresented groups in mainstream media, I will always advocate for more non-token Asian visibility.
I often wonder if I had seen more dolls, teachers, singers, actresses & people in power that looked like me, if I would have found Asian pride earlier.
I often wonder if I had seen more dolls, teachers, singers, actresses & people in power that looked like me, if I would have found Asian pride earlier.
When speaking about the impact of @CrazyRichMovie, @awkwafina nailed it when she said “you don't realize how important [representation] is until you realize you have been missing it your whole life.”
I felt that.
& I've embraced that.
(had some fun w recent Halloween costumes)
I felt that.
& I've embraced that.
(had some fun w recent Halloween costumes)
I'm quite honestly embarrassed to say that I never really celebrated #APAHM before. I think I was so afraid of letting my race define me, that I suppressed my pride in the process.
I was so focused on "being equal" that I played right into the systematic racism in this country.
I was so focused on "being equal" that I played right into the systematic racism in this country.
Reading other Asian-American stories online, mine is far from unique. And that’s a problem.
It shouldn’t take rejection from the white community to spark solidarity with another.
It shouldn’t take rejection from the white community to spark solidarity with another.
Thanks for reading this thread. I tried to keep it as non-political as possible, for the sake of civility🥴 – if you are looking for something political💁🏻♀️ look below👇🏼 #WashTheHate #UnapologeticallyAsian #PhenomenallyAsian #WeAreNotAVirus
https://t.co/NZk1yfrQM9
https://t.co/NZk1yfrQM9
@threadreaderapp please unroll.
