Japanese, German…

My name is Emma Shirato Almon and I identify as half-Japanese half-American with German, French, and English roots.

I attend a high school where nearly every ethnicity has a club to celebrate their culture; be they African-American, European, Hispanic, or Asian. My school is a very tolerant and nurturing environment, but never was there a place for the people who don’t quite belong to one nation or race. For this reason my friend and I created HALFIE (Hunterites Actively Learning From Intercultural Exploration), the first multiracial culture club at our school. We do not fall under one ethnic category nor are we to be consider misc. or “other.” The intent of this club is to embrace the blending of our backgrounds and to take pride in the multiple facets that make us unique.