I am an Asian American
Daphne Casuco, MSPM
Manager, Security Operations at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park l Ex-Netflix l USC Alumni I Project Management l Risk Mitigation l Data Analytics
In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
The typical immigrant story, with a minor twist. Most people immigrate to the U.S. to give their children a better life. At age 3, my mother and father came to Los Angeles, CA. It wasn't till my early twenties when my mom told me the real reason we came to the States; guilt. She is 1 of 12 children (3rd youngest), and half of her siblings were already here along with my Lola (grandmother). They essentially guilted her into coming by saying if something happened to my grandma she would regret it. Needless to say, I tease her about this now.
Best of Both Worlds. I have never been ashamed to be an Asian American. Filipino culture is primarily rooted in personal alliance systems, especially those based in kinship, obligation, friendship, and religion (particularly Christianity). Traditional American values are characterized opposite of that; competitiveness and individualism. I am a product of the balance between the two.
Understanding how to work in a group environment but never losing my competitiveness in being ambitious. Being part of a team, but holding myself accountable as an individual in order to contribute. Placing family first, respecting my elders and tradition, but never compromising my sense of individualism.
"Hiya", shame in Tagalog, is a core trait as a Filipino. I tried to avoid shame in my actions; I was more afraid of embarrassment than failure.
I still struggle with it today at times, but growing up American has helped me improve my mindset. It's alleviated a lot of the pressure of expectations I place on myself. It has allowed me to accept myself despite my deficiencies and build self confidence.
The New Image of an "American". The stereotypical appearance of what an "American" looks like has evolved over these two centuries. It no longer is that of a tall, Caucasian with blonde hair and glue eyes; America is not as homogenous as other nations. The new American is composed of different races and ethnicities that have come together under one nationality (birthright or naturalized). This is most evident when you watch the Olympics. What other country is as diverse looking as we are? A country founded by immigrants has created the possibility of endless opportunities. Say what you want about our problems here in the U.S., but I'm still proud to be an Asian American.