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I am half white and the rest a mix of Spanish and Indian. I was born in Portland and grew up mostly in rural areas of the Pacific Northwest. I was almost always the only dark person in my class or at my work. I think that looking Asian worked in my favor, because people consider Asians to be "almost white."

I find that a lot of people are interested in my background, but what that means to me is that they are not interested in me as a person.

I have also seen the confederate flag on hats and tattoos, and this disturbs me. I never saw this in Washington, not even rural eastern Washington. I am curious about the cause of that difference. Does Oregon have more refugees from the South? Or is this part of Oregon's polarized political landscape? For whites to identify with apartheid states, in an area where they are least "threatened" by people of darker skin, seems amusing to me. Perhaps we will see the apartheid South African flag next? Why not?

I think that Oregon's lack of diversity is self-reinforcing because nobody wants to be the only black, the only Indian, or whatever, in an area.

My post is all over the place but I think it's hard to form a global picture based on one's own personal experience, and I just wanted to share my point of view.

posted 4 years, 9 months ago
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