Beyond Black and White...

Hello, friends!

It's an interesting thing being an Asian American living in the Midwest, especially having grown up in Southern California. Spending 4 years in St. Louis, 10+ years in CoMO, and the past year and a half living in Omaha has given me an interesting view on issues of race, ethnicity, and justice.

Here's the truth: to be an Asian American in most parts of the Midwest is to be fundamentally misunderstood. When most folk in the Midwest talk about race and ethnicity, they talk about it in terms of Black and White. This makes sense since it's predominantly Black and White folk living in the Midwest. Still, it makes for an interesting dynamic in conversations. White folk talk to me as if I was a White person because I'm not Black (true), forgetting that I'm still a minority. Black folk generally relate to me as a minority but there's still a sense of trying to figure out exactly where I fit into their paradigms of race. Everyone first assumes I'm an international student (because: Asia), which can lead to some interesting conversations about where I'm "really from" (Note: The answer always has, and always will be, Southern California).

For the most part, this hasn't caused me any identity issues or things like that. When we were living in CoMO, we attended a predominantly White church, most of our community was White, and most of the conversations I had with folk about race and ethnicity were with me representing the "minority perspective," a role that I took on happily.

Moving to Omaha has changed things a bit. Our church is much more diverse than in CoMO. Because of that, my social circles are more diverse, but predominantly in the Black and White sense. (Note: One time, I asked an Asian American living in Omaha if there was much in the way of Asian American community here in Omaha and he just laughed...). I'm currently in a small group with some men from my church where we're talking about race and ethnicity. Just about half the group is Black. Just about another half of the group is White. Then there's me.

What I'm wrestling with right now is what my role is in the conversation. I can't simply represent the "minority experience" anymore because there are more folk who represent that experience in a language that is better understood (read: through a Black/White lens) than before. I can be more focused and represent the Asian American experience but that experience isn't regarded as particularly because when folk think of race and ethnicity, it's in Black and White terms.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. Nor am I saying that I have nothing to say. Y'all who know me know that speaking up is not a problem that I have. It's just a matter of trying to figure out a new role in a new space with new dynamics and new demographics. I'm confident that there's a place for me at the table; it's just a matter of finding my new seat.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam