TEASED FOR BEING ASIAN

Dear Jellybean,

I go to school in an area that is predomintely Black and Hispanic. Some people are nice there and are my friends, but others make fun of me for being Asian. They actually don't even see me as my own race, but as "Chinese" which I'm not. I tell them again and again and they nod but they continue calling me Chinese girl in a very mean way the next time they see me. Please help.
Yours Truly,
Victim of Racism

Dear Victim,

These kids obviously think it's some kind of insult to call you Chinese. That's SO stupid and ignorant. Being Asian - whether Chinese or otherwise - is not something to be ashamed of. Being Asian is your heritage, where you come from, and is a big part of who you are. It is a sorry shame that the kids at your school are so judgmental on the issue of race, but unfortunately alot of North Americans don't accept people of different races because they are different. It's horrible but it's true.

I would confront these kids about their prejudice. Tell them that being Asian is not bad, and that pointing out your heritage in a negative way is just as bad as people calling them names about their skin color, or the country of their origin. You could say, "You know how you feel when someone insults you, just for the color of your skin? Why would you do that to somebody else?" Point out that their behavior is racist. They may not realize that they're being racist, but they most certainly are.

I wouldn't worry so much about taking on the job of educating these kids about the difference between being Chinese, or being Asian of some other origin. Why don't you concentrate more on showing off who you are, besides being an Asian person? Everybody is special in their own way and have all kinds of attractive qualities. Be confident and show it - be proud of your personality, your smartness, your talents, your kindness, your thoughtfulness, and other qualities. Take a good ook at yourself and point out all the good things about yourself and assert those into your everyday life and show people how confident you can be. And be proud of being Asian too, because it is a big part of who you are.

There may be a role for your school to play in all of this, too. As an educational facility, your school may be able to help educate some of those ignorant kids, about how bad it is to be racist, against any person of any heritage. Maybe you could talk to a favorite teacher about doing a heritage project in your class, where people do presentations about their background, ancestors, special traditions, and their pride in being from that culture.

Finally, I'm so glad to hear that some kids at your school are nice. Stay positive, and spend most of your time with the people who like you for who you are, and don't put you down. Have fun with them and do things that you enjoy. And when you're feeling stressed or bothered by the comments of others, talk about what is bothering you with people you know that care about you. They will listen and offer advice, or just listen. Many times it helps just to vent your anger and feelings. Good luck to you.