

By Sophia Whittemore

AsAmNews Intern



I wrote an article, “Things Hapas Hear”, and it received attention for being relatable. And then it occurred to me that a lot of people from multiracial households deal with this all the time. Look at any online forum to see that “identity” and “ethnic ambiguity” is a giant question that every multiracial kid has to tackle when they get older. A lot of us (not all) suffer from being perpetually confused: how, where, and with what background do we identify? Are we even allowed to complain because we should count ourselves lucky?

I decided it was time that all hapas and other multiracial kids get a happiness post. Let’s pause the identity crisis for a while and get some much-needed support.

Here are ten positive things that hapas NEED to hear in our society. Multiracial kids, if you’re struggling with your identity, remember these ten things.

Your opinion is valid. Your life experiences, positive or negative, are valid. Just because you’re half, it doesn’t mean you’re any LESS whole. You never have to pick a side. If you DO identify more with one side of your family, it doesn’t mean you are negating the other side. You have plenty of love to give. There are others like you in this world. You’re not the only one. You’re beautiful. Stop picking your features apart. You don’t NEED to have a certain facial feature or skin color of hairstyle. You’re gorgeous just as you are. Your identity is your identity no matter what other people tell you. The only person to identify yourself, ultimately, is you. Never give in to the stereotypes. You are a person, not a collection of cliches or tropes. You have a place in this world.

You heard me, fellow hapas. I’m on your side, every step of the way.

****

AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. You can show your support by liking our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/asamnews, following us on Twitter, sharing our stories,interning or joining our staff.