As a mixed Asian child growing up in a white community, I never fit in.

My family was not as affluent as the other families, and as much as I tried to fit in, I didn’t. I wasn’t blonde, blue-eyed, and stick thin….I had almost black hair, dark brown eyes, and more muscular. I won’t ever forget the name calling. …I never understood why…..not being included. ….but I felt worse for my brother.

While I would retreat, and keep to myself, he would fight back. Then the kids would call him more names….worse…it just never stopped. …not until another Asian family moved to town. Then the attention was finally taken off of us…..and our differences. To this day, I still remember how awful it felt to not be accepted because of how I looked.

As a teacher now, I share my story, no matter how painful it still is, because I hope that they see and understand that words do hurt.