She was a little girl who sported two pigtails and a smile as bright as the sunlight
Who ran home in her little trousers into a house full of the smell of dumplings
Watched cartoons depicting a monkey who was born from a rock, instead of the typical Winx Club or Spongebob
Celebrated Lunar New Year instead of Easter
Attended pot luck parties instead of cookouts
Gave out pencils instead of goodie bags at birthday parties
Played the piano instead of sports
A girl who sat amidst the flowers and the trees and the sky and the wind, who felt enormous and capable of anything

That little girl was me.

Alas, no longer me.
From at 5,
When laughed at for not knowing what chocolate chip cookies were
From at 6,
When I left early from a play date, ashamed of not wanting to eat spaghetti and meatballs
From at 7,
When I stopped packing dumplings in my lunchbox, and began eating a PBJ at lunch time 
From at 9,
When mocked at by adults for being proud of having violin bow imported from China, and for being proud of being Chinese
From at 10,
When I was made fun of for playing the piano and violin, because those were not cool activities. Those were dumb things a nerd would do. 
From at 12,
When the only thing I would wear were two Aéropostale sweatshirts, because all the girls wore them too
From at 14,
Afraid of joining the speech and debate team, convinced that Asians had no talent in speaking whatsoever
From today,
Walking in the high school hallways, a little shadow in the corner, afraid she’s going to be forgotten for being  nothing.

And from today,
When I’ve decided to let all that go, speak up, and tell you the story of acceptance.

Because I still watch my Chinese monkey cartoons. Because I still eat my dumplings. Because I still play Chopin nocturnes on my piano. Because I still, believe it or not, prefer pencils for their practical use over goodie bags, and because I still, love my culture.

So today I stand here to proclaim to the world. That I am something. I will be something. Because I am me. And so will you.

So in the face of discrimination, let us scream together. I am me.