Jim Roberts

Atoka, TN

I’m half Caucasian and half Asian. Growing up in the rural South during the eighties was a painful and humiliating experience. It seemed as if the only racial identities anyone could process were “black” or “white.” Fitting into neither category assured my brother and me years of abuse from all sides, and we were subjected to every racial slur and physical intimidation tactic one could imagine. It seems that things may be getting somewhat better now, but the specter of racism and the emasculation of Asian men is still very real. I look forward to the day when race is nothing more than an afterthought, as significant as the color of one’s hair or eyes.