So, I get this question a lot, as I’m sure a lot of you non-white people who are living in America do. Do you consider yourself American, or Thai?*

* Or whatever crazy-ass backwater country you came from.

Now, I am not Mexican, but I did grow up in LA, and they have a word for people who have Mexican parents but grew up as US citizens (or close to it) in America. It’s chicano. And Chicanos will tell you that they are proud of their Mexican heritage, but they are 100% American from Los Angeles. They are Dodgers fans, okay?

Maybe you heard about “cholo” or “cholas”, well, they are American too. The thing that so many people do not realize is that there is Mexican, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Indian culture just as much as there is Italian-New York culture. Pizza took over the world; I know there are a lot of you who like Pad Thai at least as much.

Basically if there’s one thing I wish I could say to these kids who get those stupid questions, “Where are you really from?” I’d say “It’s okay to have grey areas.” Because you’re always gonna have idiots who say “Well, do you feel more Thai or do you feel more American?” and all you have to say is “I feel both” and then just walk away because there are a ton of other people who are way more interesting than those assholes, and why the fuck do you have to justify your identity to them anyway?