I am American.

I am American. 
You might read that post title and wonder why I would use that for a title. Well, it's because I am.  I don't know how long you've been reading my blog or if you even know me in real life, but I felt that it was necessary to state that I am, in fact, an American. You might wonder again, what is making me say that? 
Well, if you haven't noticed, I am Asian American. To be more specific, I am Filipino American. What I am trying to say is that I am a born and raised American. 
However, people don't always think that. 
I grew up in an area where minorities were the majority, so while I've always known that I was American, it wasn't something that I ever thought about because almost everyone around me was born and raised in America too, with the exception of a few people. And you could tell which of those people were not born in America. 
However, when I came to college in a higher class area where there were much more white people than minorities, I was met with an interesting experience. For the first time, people asked me if I was from America, when I moved to America, and even when I learned English. 
My American identity was challenged, and it confused me. 
It sounds bizarre, or maybe you think it's a completely valid question, but mind you--English is my first language and I really don't speak with a Filipino accent. I will also add that the people asking me these questions were people that I just met. 
So why is this important or relevant to you, regardless of your race? Well Asian Americans tend to have that stereotype of being the "forever foreigner," that even people who speak perfectly well English are assumed to be immigrants because they are Asian-looking. 
For people who did not grow up around a large population of Asians, your only encounters are probably from what is portrayed on tv and movies as well as probably stereotypical Asian shop owners when you go to an Asian shop or restaurant. So I can't blame you for thinking that most Asians you see are foreigners, however, it probably isn't very polite to ask them if they are from America or when they learned English if you just met them anyway. 
If you ask someone where they're from and they tell you, don't follow up with "Where are you REALLY from?" if they give you a place that doesn't look like a country you think they would be from. Also, just never ask someone about how well their English is, no matter the race. It just isn't very polite. 
So there.  

I am American. I am a Filipino who was born and raised in America, and English is my first language. I like living in America, but I am also very proud of my Filipino culture. I may not look like what people perceive to be "American," but I can definitely say that I am American. 
After all, we live in a country of immigrants. That's how this country got started, so naturally, there will be a bunch of immigrant families making up America. And in that, we are all American. 
------------------------------------------- Many of you may or may not know this, but May is Asian Pacific Islander Month, and I figured to bring more awareness and to incorporate more of my passion for diversity on the blog, I figured having API Heritage Month as this month's theme for the blog would be perfect. 
I hope you will read along with me and explore the Asian American culture with me! (and I hope you learn something as well!)

Let Women Be. by Sister India

Every now and then I come across an organization that I learn about their mission statement and what they're all about and I realize that I fully support them. 

Sister India is an organization that brings hope to women in India through education. The organization is also run by Christian volunteers. 

I know International Women's Day just passed, but I still think that it is important to acknowledge the importance of helping women succeed around the world. One day a year isn't enough to be thinking about these things; they should be happening year round! 

So here is Charlotte from Sister India talking a little bit about her story and what Sister India is all about! (Btw they're hosting a giveaway that ends within the next day or so so you should enter for a $200 Visa gift card!)

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I don’t know her yet, but I love her.

After 10 months of peeing on sticks to no avail, in November I saw the tiny double line I’d been longing for. I soon learned Baby likes pancakes and Dad shows his love by coming home with 8 kinds of crackers to keep the nausea at bay. And in the grab bag of first trimester surprises, something unexpected happened.

Baby was still the size of an olive and we had months to go before learning our little creature’s gender. I was watching a documentary I’d already seen twice--- about the dangers girls face all over the world. And three quarters of the way through, I lost it. I ugly-cried in a way I’ve never done so abruptly. 

All it took was one thought: “It’s a terrifying thing to bring a girl into this world.”

Terrifying to love a treasure so full of promise in a world that’s primed to break her spirit and beat her body.

As the 8 inch baby girl inside me grows, I can’t wait to meet her, to celebrate her. And more than ever, I’m passionate about creating a world that prizes her innocence, creativity, compassion and dreams.

In honor of International Women’s Day, here’s one way we can celebrate and protect the daughters of the world...

14 million girls were child brides last year.

Childbirth is the leading cause of death of girls aged 15-19.

70 million girls aged 6-12 do not attend school, often because they are forced to provide for their families.

50 million girls are missing in India--- that’s as if every girl in America were to disappear.

47% of all girls in India are married as children

India is home to more illiterate moms than any other nation. They are strong-armed into aborting their girls, selling them or sending them to work in order for the family to survive.

When we educate a mom, we break the cycle of poverty and abuse for generations! We give her the power to give her daughters the safety and opportunity that she’s always been denied.

One amazing way we can help is by sponsoring a student through Sister India. Just $30 sends an illiterate woman to school for an entire year--- where she’ll learn reading, writing, math, business skills, family health and how to make right choices for her children.

After one year 80% of students graduate with a 5th grade level of reading, writing and math! Before the class only 59% of students oppose child marriage, and by the end 95% oppose it! And by the end of the class 96% of students send their sons and daughters to school.

This literacy program, taught by caring, Indian Christian volunteers has already educated over 500,000 students in the last 30 years. Just $5,000 more would complete the funding for this year’s classes in Delhi and Haryana--- two of the most dangerous regions to be a woman.

By skipping out on 1 blouse or one shellac mani, you can transform an entire family in India. You can stand with your sister in India and give her something others said she wasn’t worthy of: an education.

A world without girls is utterly incomplete. Let’s celebrate everything we love about them--- their laughter, their ideas, their heart--- by creating a safer world for girls everywhere! Please be a voice for girls by sharing this post with the hashtag #letgirlsbe.

Learn more about Sister India // Watch the Sister India Trailer // email me: charlotte.sanchez@sisterindia.org

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Best Things About Being Raised by Immigrant Parents

I've mentioned before that the Fung Brothers are two of some of my favorite Youtubers because I like the way they talk about Asian American culture (and more recently, different cultures in general). They are able to educate people without making things too serious, which is always good with these topics that may be sensitive for some people. 
They released a video yesterday on the "10 Best Things About Being Raised by Immigrant Parents." I watched it and related to almost all of what they said if not everything because I, too, was raised by immigrant parents. 
Some of the things they said were being bilingual, getting to eat great food, knowing how to budget (because we all know how cheap our parents are haha), and more. 
Growing up, I actually didn't realize the difference of being raised by immigrant parents and parents that were born in America until maybe middle school or high school because most of my friends were raised by immigrant parents as well. When my friends with American-born parents would talk about how they were raised, I thought it was because they were white (because my friend I'm talking about is white) or because his parents had different personality types than mine. 

In high school and most definitely college, I was able to think more about how being raised by my immigrant parents in my home affected who I am. Coming to a school where most people were White and raised by American-born parents (white or an ethnic minority), it hit me in the face how my parents' parenting styles and their immigrant status (but they're American citizens btw) affected my habits. I had a white roommate my freshman year so seeing how her relationship with her mom was and how she was because of her parents really opened my eyes to understanding my relationship with my parents and how they've affected me as well. 
It's hard to be raised by immigrant parents when you don't live in an ethnic community or live in a predominantly white area, but learn to embrace it! Although there are negatives to it, there are also positives, and it helps shape our unique views on the world :] 

The Beauty of Diversity

If you follow me on Twitter or "like" my page on Facebook, you will see that every now and then I tweet or post about something regarding the Asian American community and diversity. I've also written about working for my university's diversity department in the past as well. 
I love diversity. And when people say that word they usually only think of racial and ethnic groups but it can be that, it can be people who grew up in different places, people from different classes (social classes), or even just men and women. 
However, when it comes to the topic of diversity in regards to racial and ethnic groups and the real issues that people deal with, we tend to get quiet. People are fine talking about the cultures or traveling or the foods but once issues that these people deal with come up, no one wants to talk. 
And that's understandable too. I mean, no one wants to offend anyone and for different reasons, people may just not want to deal with the problems. It might be because they just want to be "normal," it might be because someone may think that it isn't fair to talk about the struggles of certain groups and not others, or it could even be something along the lines of something regarding what their parents believed. 
Some people think being "colorblind" is the answer. Although you may have a good heart in saying that by thinking that everyone is one and the same, saying that you're colorblind actually diminishes that other person's racial/ethnic makeup and takes away their identity. And regardless of how close a person is to their racial/ethnic culture, dismissing an important part of one's identity is never okay. 
In the Christian perspective, we are all made different for a reason. God wants us to celebrate the differences rather than ignore them. Besides, Jesus interacted with a variety of different people--Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans, you name it. He hung around them and loved it. 
No one wants to be uncomfortable. Of course, we are human and we want comfort. But it is so important to be open and willing to talk about diversity because honestly, it's a beautiful thing. When people are able to celebrate each other rather than try to ignore or hide the differences, diversity can be amazing. 
Especially with everything going around the country in regards to police and race, it is the perfect time to start having open and honest conversations about race in our country. If we don't talk about it, no one will ever know how to make it better. 
So who is with me! 
What is one diverse fact about yourself that you find pretty darn great?