Hiya everyone, my name is Michele. :)
I haven’t always identified as being Hapa. I was born and raised in Hawaii, so along with being half white and half Filipina, it was inevitable for me to get a tan, haha. Many people just assumed I was Hawaiian or Hispanic of some sort.
It was also confusing growing up because even though my dad, by race, is German and Swiss, he has a really rare case of appearing quite tan/brown. It’s odd, really. So when I’d tell people I was half white, they were a bit confused looking at my dad (let alone my own self). In addition to that, people didn’t usually believe I was half Filipino because of my size. xD
Needless to say, I’m glad I’ve come to my Hapa-realization. :) I’ve also come to equally embrace both Filipino and Western culture. Proud to be Hapa!
Hapa Voice 