Being a mix, I’ve never felt out of place, as I can relate to everyone. However, as a mix, I’ve also never felt in place. My white friends always refer to me as the Asian, and my Asian friends always refer to me as white.
Family-wise, I have gregarious, outgoing Singporean cousins on mom’s side and stoic, erudite, cultured family on my dad’s side…once again, I am that peculiar mix down the middle.
My ethnic identity was of little importance growing up, as I was raised in a whitewashed culture, but over the past few years, I have come to embrace my Asian roots. I relish any opportunity to experience the food, language, or customs. I now love that I am able to relate to everyone and still be on the outside.
While I’m extremely proud and love that I am Hapa, at the end of the day, it is not defining of me. My ethnicity may change the way others perceive me, but I am no different than anyone else. The only thing I can claim is that I am a child of God, and his love defines and fulfills my identity.
Hapa Voice 