I’ve typed and retyped words here and none really can sum up all of the emotion I feel posting this message. I #StandUpForAAPI because I have too many lived experiences of racism and bias in my life. I want my kids to have a better world and know people are capable of change for good.
I don’t want them to have “chink” written in their yearbook or be asked for the millionth time if they know karate or have the over exaggerated question of “But where are you from?” be asked over and over since just saying you’re from Virginia isn’t good enough.
I want them to know the overwhelming joy of what it means to be Korean American. 
As an adoptee, I have spent most of my life either saying “oh I’m adopted” as if it’s an apology when people don’t understand why I’m with a bunch of white people <my amazing family> or telling people I’m Irish, so they’ll just stop asking where I’m from <and to be honest, I love the confusion it brings>. And it’s exhausting.
We must #StopAsianHate and support one another. We must embrace our differences as good things, beautiful aspects of our lives, and learn from each other.
SH Burgess 