Week 9 of #TWmemorymondays: this is a continuation of my conversation with my parents from last week! I asked them what their experience is as Chinese immigrants - what memories stand out to them when it comes to race. My dad had a really specific memory that he shared with me that has stuck out to him after all these years.
If you haven't read my other posts, I'll give you a short background on my parents. My mom and dad immigrated from Hong Kong in their midtwenties, and they are ethnically Chinese. So my dad was getting his second bachelor's degree in California, and was in an English writing class. He told me that in the early days, his English speaking ability wasn't very strong, but his English writing skills was. Writing essays and grammar was something that he knew he could do really well.
During that English class, he turned in an essay that he felt really confident in. So when he didn't get a good grade for the essay, he was shocked, and the feedback of WHY he didn't get a good grade was even more shocking.
His professor wrote on the paper that my dad had perfect grammar and essay structure and content, but he docked off points for this reason: his style of writing wasn't "American" enough. It didn't use enough American colloquialism.
It was a small instant where all the unspoken assumptions and expectations came together: you must adhere to the majority white culture. It was incorrect and frowned upon to not immediately adapt to the white American culture...if you are a person of color. If you're white and British or Australian or European, that would be welcomed and admired.
Thanks to my dad for sharing! ❤️
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#TWmemorymondays: A painting inspired by a memory every Monday of 2018. Connecting abstract art to real life. Week 9/53. 'Not Enough' / 8x8 in / mixed media on paper