I am from a city where an elderly Asian woman was beaten by a white male

I am from a neighborhood where as a girl I don’t feel safe walking home alone

I am from a neighborhood filled with animals

I am from hoping that the world will change their opinion of what “pretty” is

I am from hoping that one day me and my family will be able to walk among the streets without the thought of being killed

I am from hoping that women and men will be treated equally

I am from a family that likes to eat juicy kebab with spicy crayfish

I am from a family that likes to make crunchy lamb buns with jalapeños

I am from Moms picture perfect brownies  

I am from a family where we don’t celebrate Christmas

I am from a family that loves eating eccentric foods

I am from a family that celebrates the lunar new year

I am from a loving family 

I am from a life of hearing my mom yell at me to clean my room

I am from a mother that tells me to walk the dog

I am from a world that discriminates against anyone that is a part of the LGBTQ+ community

I am from a world that targets people of color

I am from a world where killing innocent people is “Ok”

I am from a world where police judge you on your appearance

I am from a world where women fear for their life

I am from a world where people tell women to protect themselves instead of telling men to control their feelings

This is where I’m from