Identity & Ethnicity Series · Essay 3By Voice in Between Introduction I want my kids to learn Chinese, to know where they come from.Every year we celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival and make dumplings. I don’t want our culture to end with my generation. In an America that increasingly emphasizes “identity diversity,” some Chinese families are choosingContinue reading “Cultural Reconnection: Nostalgia, Heritage — or Isolation?”
Tag Archives: identity
Label-Free: When “I Don’t Want to Be Just Chinese”
Identity & Ethnicity Series · Extended Essay II By Voice in Between Introduction “I don’t want to always be seen as ‘that Chinese person.’”“I’m just me — I don’t want to represent any group.” In the United States, an increasing number of Chinese Americans are choosing a “label-free” path of identity. They downplay their ethnicContinue reading “Label-Free: When “I Don’t Want to Be Just Chinese””
The Model Minority Trap: The Cost of Conformity
Identity & Ethnicity Series – In-Depth Essay IBy Voice in Between Introduction In our previous installment, we introduced the idea of “conforming to the label” as one of the five identity paths commonly taken by Chinese Americans. It’s a path that appears safe and rational, but often comes at the cost of emotional repression andContinue reading “The Model Minority Trap: The Cost of Conformity”
When Hate Knocks at the Door, Are We Ready?
— Five Lessons from the Amadeo Quindara Case for the Chinese American Community By One Voice “Speak English!” — A Command That Led to a Bloody Assault On May 30, 2023, 75-year-old Filipino American Amadeo Quindara was sitting in a chair in his own garage, enjoying a quiet afternoon in the Mountain’s Edge neighborhood ofContinue reading “When Hate Knocks at the Door, Are We Ready?”
Preserving Our Map: The Future Battle for Chinatown and Chinese Belonging
Reflections on “Big Fight in Little Chinatown”: As Chinese Americans, how do we preserve a place we can still call home? By One Voice Introduction｜A Moment to Ask: Where Did We Come From, and Where Are We Going? On July 26, 2025, a community screening and dialogue was held at the Marjorie Barrick Museum ofContinue reading “Preserving Our Map: The Future Battle for Chinatown and Chinese Belonging”
Assimilate or Stay True?
——When “Identity” Is Dismissed as a False Question Identity & Belonging Series (Extra) By Voice in Between At a recent community forum, an elderly Chinese immigrant raised his hand during the Q&A session and said earnestly, “I think for people like us—minorities in this country—there’s no point in obsessing over ‘identity.’ What really matters isContinue reading “Assimilate or Stay True?”
Who Gets to Write Our Shared Future?
Identity & Belonging Series (Part 5) When Ethnic Identity Moves Beyond “Who Am I” into Structures, Narratives, and Collective Action By: Voices in Between Prologue｜From “Who Am I” to “Who Are We” In the first four essays of this series, we explored how identity is formed, distorted, and reimagined—from the shared struggles across ethnic lines,Continue reading “Who Gets to Write Our Shared Future?”
How the Younger Generation Is Redefining Ethnic Identity
Identity & Ethnicity Series (Part 4) Between Intergenerational Breaks and Hybrid Selves, They Are Writing a New “We” By Voices In Between Introduction｜Tradition Is Not a Burden—It’s Raw Material In earlier installments, we mapped out ethnic identity across groups, explored five identity paths among Chinese Americans, and examined how schools and communities shape how we’reContinue reading “How the Younger Generation Is Redefining Ethnic Identity”
“Who Am I” Between School and Community
Identity & Ethnicity Series (Part 3) From Classrooms to Neighborhoods: How We Are Seen, and How We Are Overlooked By Voices In Between Introduction｜Identity Is Not a Monologue—It’s a Public Encounter In Part Two, we outlined five evolving paths of Chinese American identity, each reflecting how individuals navigate culture, politics, and family.In this installment, weContinue reading ““Who Am I” Between School and Community”
Five Transformative Paths of Chinese American Identity
Identity & Ethnicity Series (Part 2) Between Labels and Lived Reality: How Chinese Americans Define “Who I Am” By Voices In Between Introduction｜From Shared Struggle to Personal Reckoning In Part One, we sketched a map of America’s diverse ethnic identities, exploring how various groups navigate the tension between social structures, historical trauma, and dominant narratives.InContinue reading “Five Transformative Paths of Chinese American Identity”
