Culture Corner

The Day I Saw Color

I grew up in big city Phoenix, AZ. I love swimming, hiking, stargazing, and playing the violin. Home to me is midnight lightening storms, summer monsoons, and saguaro cacti. I attribute my interest in Anthropology to my early exposure to different cultures. Growing up, I had neighbors from Nigeria, Russia, Taiwan, and Brazil. I loved tasting the different foods, hearing the languages, and making wonderful friends. To me, people were individuals. It is this simplistic worldview, the wisdom of a child, that I believe society should strive to return too.

I remember the day I learned about race. As unbelievable as it may sound in this current world, race was a foreign concept to me in the beginning. It was Martin Luther King Jr. day and I was in first grade. We celebrating the remarkable legacy of MLK and his efforts towards equal rights for blacks in America. For the first time in my life, I was told that my skin was white. I was confused. I looked down at the white of my blank coloring sheet and then at my arm as it rested on the desk. “No, my skin is brown,” I said. The teacher looked back at me and with a bit of frustration repeated. “You’re white.” I then looked at my friend, who’s desk was closest to mine. “No, her skin is white!” She was a very light-skinned Chinese immigrant. I must have fallen under a very old-fashioned thinking teacher, and looking back I can’t believe that she continued to push the topic by saying, “No, she is yellow.” Needless to say, I came home to my parents after a day of much confusion. 

Learning that Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a celebration of equality I took for granted was a life-determining event. I had never imagined that in the past, bathrooms, drinking fountains, entire schools, and all of society was segregated by race. As I told my parents after school, I realized that I would have been the only one in my class if no Asians, Latinos, Native Americans, or Indians were allowed to go to my school. My heart hurts for all those who have been marginalized, persecuted, and misunderstood. For centuries, disunity has wrecked havoc on our ability to function as a society. It is my hope that history rewrites what may at times seem like a hopelessly sad ending. I truly believe that through consistent, small, individual efforts, the plague of racism can be rooted out.

Thankfully, since that day in first grade, I have put such antiquated notions as defining friends and community members by the colors of their skin, far behind me once more. Culture and diversity are beautiful parts of humanity. It is valuable to discuss our differences, and rejoice in them! Likewise, we should never forget our similarities as humans with unique perspectives and life experiences. It is only when we balance these differences and similarities, keeping both in proper perspective, that we can come together as a collective humanity to make the world a better place. Thus, my motto is: 

Live Globally, Laugh Daily, and Love Everyone.

These principles have guided my life so far, and can benefit everyone when implemented.

Living globally to me means being aware of the issues going on in different parts of the world, as well as doing our part to come to other’s aid when possible. Laughing daily is an important part of remembering not to take ourselves or our world view too seriously. Loving everyone, as simple as it sounds, can be the hardest motto to actually live by, but is also the most impactful one.

This is the start of my Culture Corner blog, where I will share information and short stories about life in different parts of the world. I’ve only just started, but am excited to continue exploring new places and foreign cultures!

One year ago I graduated with my degree in Sociocultural Anthropology, which covers religions, art forms, histories, languages, and core values of people globally. Modern or ancient, rare or familiar…. cultures fascinate me. I aim to take down harmful stereotypes and racial prejudice. My dream is to travel the world and spread cultural awareness while doing it. So far, I’ve interned in Hawaii on the Big Island. There, I explored hikes and destinations of cultural importance, studied ancient legends, and got my first taste of the travel lifestyle. Aside from that experience, most of my knowledge comes from my university classes and other adventures I’ve pursued on my own – such as Chinese Calligraphy, Bachata, Balinese Gamelan, Hula, and most recently, a year living in Seoul, South Korea!

My journey has only just begun, but little by little I’m becoming a more aware and more active participant in this big, beautiful, diverse world we call home! Join me as I continue to explore!