“I hate that I’m Asian.”

I once told this to my mother. I was embarrassed that certain words and phrases didn’t come to me as naturally, that I had difficulty formulating my thoughts into words, that I didn’t sound “white” enough. These preoccupations, coupled with microaggressions—brief indignities towards a particular group—plagued my perception of my cultural identity. When I was preceded by a group of Chinese tourists at Wood’s Seafood, I decidedly flaunted my near-perfect English during my order to dispel any notion of an association between me and the tourists. When my mother and I were mocked with shouts of “ching chong” in a Bob’s Store parking lot, I felt a hollow rage but failed to speak up.

Kevin Nadal, a Psychology professor at the City University of New York, provides insight on microaggressions: “Even though [they] are supposedly small and subtle and minuscule, they really do have an impact on people’s lives. If you experience a microaggression so often because of your race, perhaps you might not like being part of your race.” From battling cultural differences between school and domestic life to dismissing racial stereotypes, any minority student can struggle with their cultural identity and come to dislike it.

The face of Braintree is changing. As we all know, the D in Braintree High’s mission statement P.R.I.D.E. stands for diversity. Braintree High boasts a diverse student body, but just how diverse is our school? In the 2016-2017 school year, there was a 24.3% minority enrollment rate: 13.3% Asian, 5.9% African American, 4.2% Hispanic, and 0.9% Native American, Pacific Islander or other. Our school’s minority enrollment rate lies below Massachusetts’s average minority enrollment rate of 37.9%. This is not surprising as an estimated 82.9% of Braintree’s population alone was white in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau website. For minority students attending Braintree High, this can be troublesome. When they live and learn amidst a predominantly white population, they feel culturally isolated; they are forced to find a delicate balance between meeting cultural expectations at home and establishing their own American identity.

We must bring light to the importance of respecting and learning about other cultures and backgrounds. Student organizations such as Cultural Awareness Club and Gay/Straight Alliance show initiative in their morning announcements, but their points are often met with disinterest and meaningless conversation. It is up to the student body to care. To create a safe and respectful environment to keep pace with Braintree’s changing ethnic composition. Read a book about another culture, watch a documentary that demonstrates daily life in another country, educate yourself by catching a glimpse of the world that lies beyond Braintree. Together, we can build a world of unity, respect, and understanding.