What is it like growing up as an International adoptee?
Being adopted internationally is kind of a fun thing. It makes me unique and it makes me stand out. But it can have its troubles. One example is the question I’ve gotten a lot is “why is the rest of your family white?” or “why are you not the same race as the rest of your family?” I used to get that question a lot, but not much anymore. As I’m getting older it’s more racism that I get, which is something that I still get a lot of. To some people it offends them and they start to feel hurt, and they feel like they don’t fit in. But for me and some others it doesn’t get to them. One of the main reasons it doesn’t get to me is because I carry myself very confident, some people like to try to fit in with the “white race” but not for me. I dress like an American and I eat American food, but I still like to embrace my race. I don’t try to hide it like some others. But the main point is that being adopted internationally you will deal with racism and you will receive lots of comments, but that doesn’t mean anything bad. You just have to learn how to embrace your race and love who you are.
Jenna, age 13
Adopted from China