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Collard Greens, Curry, and Platanos

America is known as the melting pot of the world. Many cultures mix recipes, ideas, dress, and music. With so much sharing and exchange, it is inevitable that the people themselves will mix to produce unique individuals and ways of life. This “melting pot” concept is unique to the Americas. Many recent immigrants do not understand this concept and tend to “stick to their own.” Is that a way of protecting their culture or a form of racism/prejudice?

It is hard for me to fathom “sticking to one’s own” since I am a result of America’s great melting pot. I trace my heritage to the Caribbean and American South, where my ancestors mixed to create a blend of African, Indian, and Spanish heritages. Growing up with this unique blend of collard greens, curry, and platanos made me feel like a true world citizen and so proud of humanity’s progress in realizing that we are all one. Unfortunately, my idealistic views become less idealistic once I walk out of my door and into the outside world – into reality.

My first dose of reality was with my first love. He was from India, but yet very American and western in his thoughts and views of the world. Our budding relationship grew very serious and I saw it as the time for introductions to each other’s parents. This is where I met reality. I was told by my love that this would never happen, that his parents wouldn’t understand and that, essentially, I was not up to their “standards.” I thought to myself, “What is the problem? I am familiar with Indian culture and can even cook the foods. I am smart, conservative and all the other things that would be required from a traditional Indian family.” The problem was that I am not Indian and therefore not “suitable.” I tried to find ways to make myself seem more acceptable, to show that I could meet his parents’ standards in other ways. It was all to no avail.

From my experience, I concluded that no matter what, I am who I am and I cannot change myself. Nor should I have to. We are all special and we should celebrate our differences. I also began to see that we have far to go in realizing our common humanity, that we must unite, think unconventionally, and challenge the status quo of our societies. To the ladies of mixed heritage everywhere, I say, be strong. Never forget who you are and where you come from (even if it is more than one place!).