Peace Planet Journal
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Blatherings

Day Journal

I am a US citizen

2/16/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
I am a U.S. citizen, and I am an immigrant. While my father was on the south side of Chicago studying on a scholarship, my mother gave birth to me in Chengdu, China. She left when I was two to join my father in the States, where they made a living waiting tables while going to grad school. My relatives raised me until I was four, when I was placed on a plane to reunite with my parents.

The transition from being a child in a sea of Chinese homogeny to America’s melting pot was jarring. I was the only student who was neither white nor black, and neither Catholic nor Protestant. I struggled with being bullied because of my background, and still remember the confusion and hurt of being pushed and called a chink. Back then, those kids probably didn’t even understand what they were saying, but they learned the hate from adults around them. in the fourth grade I discovered those with similar experiences; for once my classroom was filled with more first or second-generation immigrants than non-immigrants. My teacher celebrated our differences, and the abilities and talents we each brought. She helped us realize our inherent value and potential as individuals, and also the importance of recognizing the same in others.

Since then, along with many other immigrants, Chicagoland has been my home. As a former public school teacher, tutor, artist, and small business associate, my path has crossed with myriads of people, each encounter educating and broadening my worldview. These people, with upbringings and lifestyles differing from mine, have encouraged me, challenged me, inspired me, and strengthened me. The America I know is more capable and more vibrant because of its diversity, not in spite of it.

Let us support each other, and use what time, attention, and money we can to help those who are not able to be with their families or freely pursue their livelihoods. This past month, I donated to the American Refugee Committee, and contacted my government representatives on issues close to my heart. I urge you to take action, however seemingly small, to create a positive change today.


About the Author: Susie (InsomniaBird) graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Art Education, and was a public school teacher for over four years. Currently, she is a freelance tutor and artist in Chicago, Illinois, and works for two different small businesses. View her art or contact her at www.InsomniaBirdArt.com.

Previous < > Next

1 Comment

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

    Categories

    All
    Aca
    Acro
    Activism
    Addiction
    Adventures
    Aldo Leopold Legacy Center
    American
    Artist
    Attachment
    Austrailia
    Banjo
    Beginner Cycling
    Bicycles
    Bike Austin
    Business Of Music
    Challenges
    Charlie Karls
    Chicago
    Chinese
    Citizen
    Conservationist
    Cycling
    Doing The Right Thing
    Dupage
    Eco
    Education
    Environmentalist
    Evolve
    Fairness
    Folk Rock
    Frequency
    Frequency Of Love
    Giving Tree Band
    Glow
    Greenest Band In The Land
    Happiness
    Harmony
    Healing
    Heart
    Heroin
    Heroinme
    Highest Light
    Human Rights
    Immigration
    Inner Peace
    Interbike
    Ira David Levy
    Jason Bear
    League Of American Bicyclists
    Learn To Ride Bikes
    LEED
    Lightness
    Love
    Meditation
    Mindfulness
    Modern Daily Life
    Mountain Biking
    Multicultural
    Music
    Naperville
    National Bicycle Month
    Nature
    Nature Art
    Neuqua Valley
    Outer Peace
    Pedal4life
    Pedal America
    Pedal Ireland
    Performance Bicycles
    Perseverance
    Philosophy
    Project Hero
    Protest
    Recovery
    Refugee
    Remote Work
    Road Cycling
    Rock Balancing
    Rock 'n Roll
    Safety
    Seeking
    Spirituality
    Spokane
    The Accidentals
    Todd Fink
    Truth
    Tuning In
    Vacilador
    Vegan
    Weekend Warrior
    WFH
    Will County
    Yoga
    Zen
    Zoom

    RSS Feed

(c) 2022 Infinite Origin LLC
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Blatherings