Stereotypical

Hello … “I am Vietnamese American” (00:28)

That is her difference or in other words, her origin

Her experiences made her feel out of place and separated

Does her appearance have to be questioned or debated?

Growing up was rough

And at times she felt like she had to be tough

But at the end of the day

All that matters is if Salina is okay

One time in Branson

A young white man yelled, “Are you African?” (04:00)

She found it pretty weird

That speaking her native language could be as odd as it appeared

Let’s take it back to when she was picked on

For being the only Asian American in her grade

Aren’t you supposed to be the one making the straight A’s?

She attended a predominantly white school

And that experience was the moment she realized her difference wasn’t ‘cool’

She wished she would have changed the school district

But that decision would have meant more conflict

Things never escalated to violence

And she definitely maintained her silence

But as Salina grew older

She become wiser and smarter

“I am not the typical petite, skinny, and short Asian girl” (00:28)

Some may cringe and stomachs may swirl

Or how about “you’re acting white” (02:00)

Why can’t we stop with the nonsense and just unite?

Stereotypes can get carried away

Especially in our society today

That remains to be the biggest challenge she faces

And it can occur on a regular basis

For instance, let’s discuss her family

That gave her so much agony

“For the family members that were telling me that I was fat” (01:14 ; continued)

Are you not satisfied with my plump lips or that my stomach isn’t super flat?

Those words hurt deep inside

And was never pleasing in her eyes

Does she have to meet the standard?

Seems to me you’re more like a commander

Hearing “you’re fat” as a kid made things worse and unclear

If she were to start crying, would you be there to wipe the tear?

She even made a workout plan

Her brothers were two of her biggest fans

“If I’m skinny, I would be considered pretty or attractive” (00:31)

So she knew that she had to become more active

Do you understand that this affects your mental

But the words must’ve slipped out your mouth and were ‘accidental’

Why can’t we just empower one another

Instead of allowing others to break down and suffer

The name is Salina Nguyen and she was born in Kansas City

She celebrates her difference and has found her inner beauty

Back then, she tried to look like everyone else

But she soon realized that she didn’t have to ; she has to love herself

This interview was quite interesting

And our discussion was very intriguing

I asked her for advice to those in a similar situation

“Don’t give a [sic] what those people think” was her narration (2:23)

I felt the same way

Being judged for how we act or look is not okay

This is a norm in society

And to some, these views can cause anxiety

We didn’t discuss a lot about her culture or family background

Was she a refugee? The discussion would’ve had a huge turn around

Nothing was too extreme, just like Hitler and his persecution skemes

But I loved talking with my girl and her powerful words built my self esteem.