Hours, Will You Marry Me?

For my engagement hours, (ahah get it? engagement? title?) I intend to go to come of the Multi-cultural center's movie viewings as well as participate in the discussions after. I also intend to talk to the minoirty youths I know and even visit my little brother's elementary school (where Nicki works) and observe as well as talk to those kids. It shall be fun.. I'll bring my Pokemon and Yi-Gi-Oh cards.

So, in order to become civilly involved in my topic, I have to find out what my local community is experiencing and doing about the issue of cultural deprivation in our youth. In the days of Pokemon and Batman, it's hard to compete with "superheroes" when all we have are regular human beings, (or everyday heroes in my book.) In my community, there is definitely effort being asserted to inspire kids to follow the ways of their ancestors and learn about their heritage. For example, the Buddhist temple in my neighborhood offers Chinese school on a daily basis and I've heard of many multi-cultural fairs and festivals in my neighborhood., even Sac State has a multi-cultural center and movie viewings to support minority students. I know that many Asian organizations make an effort to put on shows and exhibits during the various Asian New Year Celebrations, but the lure isn't appropriate. They have to compete with Saturday cartoons and new action hero movies. How has our culture become subordinate to the "American" culture? Like every fight in the beginning, it all starts with a dream and leads to momentous results. I say, Let Diversity Ring.

Ethnic Identity: Defined

In my search for a definition for "ethnic identity," I found out that it is undetermined. It is basically up for debate and, more importantly, interpretation. There are many factors that contribute to one's ethnic identity. One can consider historical knowledge of one's ancestry, actual practice of cultural rituals or traditions, knowledge of those traditions, and even fluency in one's native tounge. All in all, it's your own decision to establish what ethnic identity means and how one can be evaluated on whether they have a sense of it or not. I believe that ethnic identity is acknowledgement and respect for one's cultural heritage as well as taking pride in trying to preserve that heritage for future generations. As Curtis says, "Dueces."

What Exactly IS Ethnic Identity?

In reading Jean S. Phinney's "Ethnic Identity in Adolescents and Adults: Review of Research," I learned that the definition for "ethnic identity" is often debated, misconstrued, and confused. There is no set, agreed definition for this term of cultural confusion and I think that it's simply a bunch of social scientists who want to be picky about terms to use and even a hint of greed for glory. Everyone wants to be right so they want to be THE one to have come up with the perfect definition. I think it's a simple fact of knowing what one's heritage is, where their ancestors are from, and what their own particular family has gone through. Choosing whether or not one wants to practice or respect that heritage is a personal decision, I just think everyone should be like me.. Because.. well.. I'm great. haha.. no no.. I just believe in the importance of history. "Full Heart. Clear Eyes. Can't Lose" - Friday Night Lights, The Series.

Accepting Yourself, Accepting Happiness.. (and the beauty in women, a personal message)

I read a very interesting news article about how being content with your own ethnic identity can lead to a happier lifestyle. In a study of 415 ninth-graders, researchers asked students to gauge the amount of stress they come across during the two week study and then gauge how happy they are and how comfortable they are with their ethnic identity. I truly believe that happiness begins with ourselves; in order to be happy with the rest of the world, we must first be content with ourselves. I think that heritage tells us what we've been through and how exactly we got here. Even though we may not have seen the struggles, it is in our blood, it has brought us here, it has allowed us to lead the lives we live today and we should all respect that.

Everyone says that we should lead our lives, live in the moment, carpe diem, but where would we be without history? Without ancestry? We must live for the day but we must remember, respect, and honor the majesty of our ancestry. Let's not forget the beauty in our blood, the richness in our ancestry, and the history in our hearts. Let's be happy with ourselves and proud of where we have come from.

I read two blogs, one talking about interracial relationships and one talking about the Asian-American culture and the teens who have questions about it. Frankly, I find both very interesting because they both relate to me. I have many questions and curiosities about my cultural heritage and I am currently on a quest to explore that; let it be through the Internet, talking to my mother, or reading about it. I also have been accused of not being interested in Asian girls; that just isn't true. Although my past shows that I have not dated a lot of girls of the Asian descent, I do not discriminate against them. I've talked to Asian girls before, it just happens to be that I don't notice them as much.

Maybe it's because I've been around Asian women all my life and I've learned to love them only as family members and other Asian women remind me of them and that social interest isn't there. I do admit that there are cute Asian girls and I do notice *smile*, my dating record just shows that I have a more extensive interest in other types of women. Through talking to some Asian women, I've seen that there is a lot to learn from them and being to relate to someone who has the same upbringing of culture as yourself is sometimes very soothing; just knowing that you have someone who shares your views and that you're not the "only one" in the world definitely helps you find your ethnic identity.

The blog about Asian American teens with questions also dealt with that issue, that having people around you who share your beliefs and values will help you connect to the world and to your own ancestry. It helps to take away the solitude that ethnic teens encounter from time to time. It makes us human. It takes away the lonely stage and lifts the curtains to a warming light of belonging. Nobody wants to be alone, and nobody is. Whether you resent your heritage or you embrace it, there's someone in the world to help you understand why. Personally, I am going to encourage you to embrace it as I have.

One last thing, kind of off track but let me clear my record. I have the utmost respect for women; you're all beautiful in my mind and your strength as women is unbelievable. I grew up with a single mother and three sisters, trust me I see the strength everyday. Sorry to be selfish, but I am SO glad I'm a male. Seeing the "times of the months" was definitely not fun. Now, seeing my mother raise five kids on her own, that's an amazing feat of strength that I have respected all my life. With no inclination of race, all women are beautiful in the measures of their spirit and soul. That's my opinion. So all in all, I am very open to all type of women because beauty can't be measured in ounces, pounds, inches, or pigment; it's measured by a scale of the heart, spirit, and soul. Beauty is only soul-deep.

The Blogs:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/54788.php

http://www.soulcast.com/post/show/29455/On-Interracial-Relationships

http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2008/05/does-a-strong-ethnic-identity-help-or-hurt/

The Culture of We

I've read two completely different blogs on the subject of culture and the world's search for identity. When I first began this journey and decided to go into the subject of "the loss of culture in our society," I already expected to find new views on the subject, but nothing like this. One article spoke of an identity that has never crossed my mind before, being an adopted child. When we speak of culture, we are usually thinking of groups with something in common that allows for us to be able to group them in our minds and being adopted obviously has its own repetitive stages, emotions, and occurrences. The author said that they soon began to label themselves as "bastards" and "first mothers" because society has done so. Well isn't that what's happening to the youth now? As much as the government hopes to push the idea on us, we are not all AMERICANS. No, each of us carry a label and like the world, each of those labels vary from each person that sees it. We're "punk kids," "rockers," "jocks," and "arrogant jerks." I guess diversity crosses over racial lines and into the shades of lifestyle and individual experiences that separate us all. Ironically, as we separate into these groups, we form new circles of friendship among us.

The second blog spoke of the American way of panethnic grouping, or putting multiple groups of people into one large category. Instead of Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, or Korean, they are simply categorized as Asians. The author asked "Does this contribute to our loss of culture?" I believe that it does; grouping people into an assumed group only diminishes what is left of their cultural heritage. Groups in these categories may have completely different beliefs and grouping their into one broad class only robs it of its importance. Pride is at a loss. There is only blind faith in patriotism in our society. "Look there, that's the flag. Those are our stars and stripes. Do you believe in America? Do you love America?" Stop the brain wash cycle please! Where is the pride that runs inside our veins? We need to differentiate ourselves in order to blend properly into a stable society. A recipe will never work out if you don't know what you're putting into it. Society has robbed diversity and culture of its worth and importance.

I think it's about time we all took it back. I don't know exactly what compels to to search, dig, and strive for my family's culture and what is calling me from the depths of my soul to be at peace with my ancestors, but I do know that it has helped to define who I am, and who I one day want to be.


The two blogs I read:
http://persona-ingrata.blogspot.com/2008/01/adoption-loss-resilience-cultural.html

http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2006/04/

When I was younger, I played Frogger. Now I'm older, refined and in college. I play Blogger..

I've never really kept up a blog before, but the ones that I know of are usually people who have countless "fans" of their lives and moderately keep up with their lives by posting paragraphs about their lives like an open diary. Now that I know that we're using it as an academic tool, I think I can be less critical about it. Hopefully, I don't get chronic readers who expect to know what I did from the moment I woke up to the minute I go to sleep. I'm hoping that I get people who are interested in my view of the world, whether it be in agreement or not. I plan to explore what the rest of the world sees; I want to see through the eyes of others all while sharing the view through mine. I admit that, at times, I can be pretty critical and stubborn in my views but I think that I am able to give ay to the perspectives of others. I've learned a lot when I allow for others to voice their opinions and now I'm curious to the extent of those perspectives. The very fact that we are using this in a classroom setting is especiall interesting. Altough we are in college, the pinnacle of self exploration, there are those in college who are afraid to speak, to explore, and to share their emotions. I haven't been that way ever since the eighth grade. I am a very opinionated person and I am not afraid to speak. There are those who agree with me and those who think I'm hardheaded and "stupid." I am willing to take that chance so that I have the potential to shape, or alter the minds of my fellow classmates. Being in a blog, I think that my classmates will be able to be more open in a informal discussion. I hope to get into the minds of my classmates a little more. So in all, I am here to open my views to my classroom and to the world and I am hoping to explore all the perspectives of the world in order to broaden my own. Don't be afraid to criticize or comment anything I ever write because I won't hesitate to do the same to you. All right, good-bye. "Clear eyes. Full Heart. Can't lose."