Change Your Assumptions

Claire Dworsky, 2nd Place
Grade K-5
San Francisco

To me, growing up Asian is the same as any kid most of the time. I go to school, gymnastics, soccer, play with my dog, play outside – normal stuff.

But sometimes other people say things that make me feel sad or different. They make fun of my eyes and call me Chinese. The yell, “Hey Chinois!” They ask questions that aren’t really questions, like “Are you really adopted?” I say “Yes I was adopted from Kayakhstan, a country between Rusia and China. I can show you on a map if you want.” But they’re really using this questions to make fun of me. And it’s even worse. When Asian girls pick on me by saying “Oh, you have blue eyes you think you are all that.” Racism is hurtfull, no matter who says it.

But I’m hoping that we can change this

It made me feel so great to see our new president, Barack Obama elected, because he’s mixed like me. He knows what it’s like. And he talks about all people coming together to make change. He says we should focus on the things we have in common and finding new ways to solve problems.

One of the things I would change in my community is to honor prisoners on their birthdays. I have written to the wardon at San Quentin prison, which I can see from my school, to see if I could send cards for people who don’t get to celebrate their birthdays. Every person, even a person who made alot of mistakes, should get to feel a bit special on their birthday. If each person can act kindly towad others and create change, all of our community will be more open to each other.

When you know how it feels to be discriminated against you should use that feeling to imagine how others feel, and change yourself so you can help others.