British | Vietnamese
Microaggressions have been something that have followed me throughout my social life, and it was only in the last few years where I heard the term and looked back on my experiences at school and understood why I was often so frustrated with my identity. Reading more, and hearing of other experiences in the media, have confirmed that my frustrations are and were valid. I have been able to express my anger, pride and confusion through art, and have supplemented this expression through academic and leisure reading of race-related concepts. The ability to use the arts in this way is such a privilege, and something that I want to continue to do throughout my life.
I have found it frustrating to navigate my route through the debates surrounding racial equality. Being White-passing means that I have not been exposed to the same types and degrees of racial discrimination as my peers, which can make it difficult. Nevertheless, it is vital to take part in these discussions. I have sought out people and spaces where I am able to discuss being mixed-race, and this has been integral to my university experience. As I enter the workforce, I hope that these discussions will only grow, and that I will be able to experience both my cultures in a deeper way.
The instances where my Vietnamese and British cultures combine which I find most endearing are those which occur without effort. For example, often at times we sit down to a meal and not consider it unusual until we actually look at our plates and see what we have in front of us. To our family, we are just putting together delicious elements which the family loves. A recent example would be using leftover gravy as a stock for phở. I'm also fond of the way my family seamlessly code switches when talking, and do not realise that we have used words from both Vietnamese and English until somebody else points it out. It is at these moments where I feel especially proud to be mixed-race.
Studying Education @cambridgeuniversity
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