Awareness For My People

Theme For English 11

A little author note before we get started, I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read this important poem that I have wrote with the help of my mother heavily editing it hee hee. I just want to educate people on how racism is currently affecting my people especially with the coronavirus that has recently been going mainstream. It hurts that the majority of people believe that all Asians carry this disease and are using this fear as an excuse to be racist. This poem was originally written for English class in which we must use Langston Hughs' poem as an inspiration but write about ourselves. Talking about the awareness of my culture makes me very emotional so reading it aloud in front of everyone was very difficult but I enjoy it because I simply want people to understand the hurt that we Asian - Americans go through. Okay let's get started, once again thank you for reading.

Side note: I do not know who the original creator of this image is but I love it so much.
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Theme for English 11
Krysta Le

The instructor said,
Go home and write
a page tonight.
And let that page come out of you—
Then, it will be true.

I am sixteen years old, a second-generation Asian American
I originally went to school in the city then moved to the suburbs
Not many people look like me here in _________, PA
I struggled here a little bit due to the lack of diversity
I am not complaining because I made friends but in reality, I still feel different

It is not easy to talk to people about this because
Who would care about what a sixteen years old girl thinks?
I want to spread my culture, to share what I love
But secretly, I am afraid of the backlash

They like to eat my food only when it is convenient for them
They call it disgusting without even trying
They say we carry this disease because of what we eat
They ink my words on their skin
Yet they make no effort to learn those words
My culture is an aesthetic to those eyes
They wear my traditional clothing and cut slits on the side
They call it a fashion trend
But it is just downright disrespectful

They call me names and ask me where I came from
Philly, I say
But that was not the answer they wanted to hear
and they ask me again "no, where do you actually come from?"
I am American but they do not see me
They make fun of our accents and nail shops
Yet they do not understand all the hard work we have done
to make it here in America
They do not see how hard we try to learn the language
I am American but they do not see me

So please see me!
Please respect my voice
Stop calling us names, stop believing in stereotypes
I am Asian and I am not good in math
I do not want to be a model minority
I am a proud Asian American

And I am simply here to say, "please respect my culture and my people, respect my little brothers, and respect my parents"
My brothers should not have to go grow up in an environment like this
It is 2020, stop using the justification of fear to be racist
You should not hate people because of the color of their skin or how they look

This is my page for English 11.
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I hope you guys enjoyed:)). As a daughter of a Vietnamese man and a Chinese woman that were raised in America, I always try my best to speak for what I believe in especially being treated poorly in my country. My father is an immigrant and my Popo (grandma) on my mother's side is an immigrant. We are seen as aliens even though we have worked hard to make it in America. What I hope that you have gathered from this poem is to stop the racism going on in today's society and stand up to the ignorant people of America. To not fear your culture, to not hate your culture. Do not change yourself just because you do not look like others. You are a minority and you should damn well be proud.

~Krysta