Book 1 Post 1

 The Asian population in the United States has great diversity. Despite this, all Asians are often categorized as one group only — Asian Americans. Some people see Chinese, Koreans, and Filipinos simply as Asians. They do not understand that each culture differs greatly from the other. Similarly, some people do not understand that every Asian American child’s story differs greatly from another child’s. America Ferrera’s book, American Like Me, illustrates just how different each BIPOC’s story is. Children from the same country or religion can still have varying stories; every child has a different story or experience partly because culture lies in a spectrum. 

I was raised by Chinese parents in the Philippines, but that doesn’t mean that I completely relate to Jenny Zhang or Geena Rocero’s stories. I enjoyed reading American Like Me because it allowed me to see a glimpse and learn a bit about others’ experiences. It was nice to relate to some people’s stories about their parents, but it was also interesting to read about immigrant stories and their struggles on building a life for their families. I especially enjoyed reading Liza Koshy’s story about growing up in a mixed-race community. Unlike Koshy, I grew up in a community where most people were Filipino-Chinese, like me. It was interesting to read about her experience and its analogy to a salad bowl. In her community, people acknowledged differences but still belonged in a close-knit community. I think her community is exactly what America as a whole should strive to achieve.