My mother is a white girl from southern California who, I'm guessing you already assumed was born here. My dad is Pakistani and became a naturalized citizen in the 80's. Due to their coupling, people can rarely place me. Given California's large Latino and Hispanic populations, as a youth, everyone assumed I was Mexican. Now that I'm a Washingtonian and my complexion is more fair olive than deep tan, people sometimes venture Italian. All they know for sure is that I am decidedly not white.
I digress. The point is, I am a half-breed (Reclaiming it. Thanks, Cher.) and for the most part, it's been a blessing to be ambiguously ethnic and not a target of Islamophopia. But I am scared for my family... for my aunt who wears a hijab, for my cousins who attend an Islamic elementary school, and for my relatives in Pakistan who may not be allowed to visit us in the future.
My faith resides in our system of checks-and-balances and I find solace in the knowledge that our Cheeto in Chief did in fact lose the popular vote. Plus, check out how voters 18-25 voted, below. The future is bright.
Keep on keeping on,
SRD.
