Multiculturalism (n.): the coexistence of distinct, diverse cultures within a society.
A word that can encompass various definitions, the above definition only provides a broad, basic perspective that speaks little about individual experiences. For many in the APIDA community, this means navigating a hyphenated label (such as Vietnamese-American, Indian-American, etc.) that “defines” who we are. Oftentimes, one must try to bridge the American culture propagated by the media with the culture(s) we were raised in at home. This poses a unique challenge as many in the APIDA community struggle with embracing their identity‒especially if one grew up as a minority in their community and feels the need to act in different ways in front of different groups of people. However, dealing with these challenges demonstrates resilience and adaptability‒qualities shared by our APIDA community‒and further emphasizes our complex and diverse identities and stories.
APIDA narratives matter, and the perspectives and insight we gain from our multicultural upbringings allow us to tackle the world in unique ways.
Multiculturalism (n.): the pride and acceptance derived from one’s distinct, diverse experiences and cultural upbringing.
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