February 10th, 2017 by Caryn Pasking

“When I was in high school, my brother was diagnosed with autism. I wanted to be that big brother but it was hard realizing you may not be able to do some of those things big brothers do. I was also a very angry person in high school – I would go from 0 to 100 at the smallest things. Having my brother really taught me to be more empathetic and patient. I didn’t like losing my temper at him and yelling at him. He’s a smart kid, he just has a hard time communicating.”

 

“I started thinking more about my identity in middle school. Growing up, it felt like if you weren’t fully Asian, you weren’t Asian at all. I was embarrassed to try Filipino things because I wasn’t sure if I was ‘worthy’ or if I could do it correctly. Later, my best friend from high school helped me embrace the fact that I am both Filipino and white and that I can still do Filipino things because it is still part of me. I learned that even if you’re half, you’re still whole.”

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