There’s a common stereotype that all Asians are the same; however, this could not be further from the truth. With May being Asian American Heritage Month, it’s important to be educated about Asia and its diverse cultures. By disregarding the complexity of Asian-Americans, society gives in to these harmful generalizations.

Asia is the world’s largest continent and is composed of 48 countries. In America, there are around 24 million Asian or mixed Asians, myself included. I am the daughter of a first-generation immigrant. My mother was born in the suburbs of Manila, Philippines, while my father was born in Indiana. I grew up surrounded by kids who looked similar to me. You wouldn’t be able to tell I was half Filipina unless I said it. That was when I first started to feel out of place. Though I grew up with American culture, I also grew up with sinigang for dinner, giant balikbayan boxes filled with my old clothes, and karaoke that kept me up at night.

When I would tell people that I am half Filipina, their response would be to pull their eyes back, ask if I was good at math, or to ask  the dreaded “Do you eat dogs?” It’s because of responses like this that many Asian Americans feel as if they should hide their ethnicity or “Americanize” themselves.

The struggle of trying to fit in is a never-ending battle for Asian-Americans. To put myself in one box would be to disregard both my Asian and American sides. That is why it is so important that people are aware of the prejudice that Asian Americans face. Broadening our understanding of cultural identity is essential to forming a more open-minded society.