My name is always mispronounced and/or misspelled. I am always asked if I am good at math, or if I plan on being a doctor. Some think I will get an arranged marriage and that I am an IT whiz, while others believe that I am related to every Patel in the entire world.
Firstly, my name is pronounced “Kuu-she” and is spelled with an h. I am good at math, but I do not want to be a doctor. I will not be getting an arranged marriage, and I am definitely not an IT whiz; and for those who think I am related to every Patel in the world, I am definitely not; one in 10 people of Indian origin are Patels.
Because I went to religious temple every Sunday or even all weekend since birth and have been culturally immersed since day one, I always felt proud to be Indian. I always shared my experiences or told people how cool it was to celebrate Diwali and how colorful and pretty my Indian outfits were. However, the older I got, the more I felt judged, which is a feeling that many Asians can relate to. I stopped talking as much about my religion and my identity because it was uncool. However, joining Asian Student Alliance my sophomore year allowed me to see just how cool it actually was to speak a different language, partake in different traditions, and be Indian.
Assumptions, stereotypes, misconceptions, and misunderstandings are things that students in the ASA have all faced. Joining ASA sophomore year allowed me to learn about various Asian cultures aside from my Indian heritage, spread awareness of stigmas and problems Asian people face in and out of Asia, and also be comfortable with my identity. Being surrounded by people, Asian or not, who understand my feelings allowed me to have a support system to lean on. Joining ASA was definitely one of the best experiences and decisions I made so far in high school.
The last two years have taught me so much. Through learning about topics like cultural appropriation or the misrepresentation of Asians in media, celebrating different traditions like Diwali or Chinese New Year, talking about our experiences, or watching fun cartoons like Ponyo, I have been able to learn so much about myself, the continent of Asia, and the similarities and differences of my Asian experience versus that of others in our community. With the goal of creating a comfortable environment for Asians, spreading awareness of problems faced by the Asian community, and having fun, ASA has been a meaningful experience that I will never take for granted.