Tracy Wang, Period 6, 1/4/2023

Tracy Wang, Period 6

Modern Mythology 

Socio-Political Consciousness

I grew up in a number of neighborhoods, and as a result, I've encountered a wide range of stereotypes from my house to school.

School in Indiana was not like school in New York. As a Chinese student in a largely white neighborhood, I've experienced being mocked and alienated because of my skin color. I was accustomed to the typical Asian stereotypes: small eyes, math team, nail artist mother. There, my skin color made me lesser than others. However, I had no problem with these views and even made light of them. In an environment where I was ostracized, my impressionable mind was conditioned to think like them and be shameful of my culture. 

Aside from my culture, I also held right-leaning reasoning for my political beliefs prior to high school. I wasn’t knowledgeable to know what was going on, and the conclusions I made were much different from what I make now. After moving to New York, I was introduced to a new perspective that was much more accepting. With greater numbers, I saw issues in my viewpoint on the Asian community in America and change for the better. I reflected on how making fun of my community allows other people to do the same as it comes from my mouth. I realized that I was contributing to the problem. 

Outside of school, my family also lives in a different set of stereotypes. My mother’s viewpoints, for example, directly juxtapose what I’ve formed over the years. While I tend to stray away from political discussions among my peers, at home, it’s a different story. My mom and dad grew up in traditionalist China, taking their ideals alongside their families to America. Political and societal discussions over the dinner table always start light but end tense. While my friends and peers at school have a more liberal viewpoint, my mother is much more conservative. This makes it difficult for me to share my opinions at home as I feel as if I am disappointing my parents. Therefore, the development of my own opinions had been continuously difficult – I had two sides to please. As I educated myself over the past few years by reading the news and sitting through Staten Island Tech’s mandatory history classes, I am now able to form educated political opinions with no influence from the people around me. 

In 2020, the number of Asian hate crimes rose due to the pandemic. While the Chinese community has always stayed quiet about the injustices they faced, the Stop Asian Hate movement brought light to a multitude of issues that had been unaddressed by western media prior. As someone who’s faced racially motivated assault at the height of hate crimes, I can say that the fear of being in another puts me at a great disadvantage throughout my daily life. Outside the stereotypical assumptions (model minority mindset) people of the Asian community have to deal with, there are also more trivial issues. My search for a part-time job has been much harder than my friend's despite my qualifications, I often rush to the morning train before school from the cafe to avoid being near train tracks, and have even been placed on the upper floor of a restaurant alongside other people of color as if we are an eyesore for the main floor. 

There are many things individuals are willing to do for power— power not in a control sense, but the ability to live freely. In order to fit in, I've gone against my blood and sacrificed my comfort for the sake of others and equal opportunity. My self-perception has shifted significantly in the last few years due to where I live now and my mindful consumption of media.  In a place where I wasn't accepted, I did everything I could to fit in and lowered myself to avoid oppression. Now, I'm thankful I'm in a position where I can use my knowledge to develop reasons and fight against what goes against my opinion.