Empowerly

Student profile

Reflect on your unique background and tell us about a time when you had to relate to someone whose life experience was very different from your own. How did you approach the difference? If put in a similar situation again today, would you respond differently? If so, how?

On the first day of second grade,  my mom had packed my favorite Indian meal, Paneer Saag, a strong aromatic spinach dish. I sat down at the table with my friends and opened up my container among all my peers. All of a sudden, the rowdiness of the cafeteria died down and everyone slowly turned in my direction and started to gaze at me. Suddenly someone asked, “Why does your lunch smell and look like what I gave my dog to eat?”. With a quick glance, I noticed that my lunch looked very different from most of the lunches around me. Immediately I became embarrassed and self conscious of what I was eating. I was on the verge of tears because this was the first time I was called out and ridiculed for being Indian! When I got home, I was furious with my mom and told her that I hated being Indian because the food we ate looked like it came out the rear end of a bird. I went on to explain that I wanted to become Italian so I could eat pizzas and pasta instead. Upon realizing that I was lost in understanding what my culture was, my mom explained that I should be proud of being Indian because I was lucky to be able to eat such unique foods. She explained how Indian food used spices and flavors that were special to our cuisine. I realized that I should take pride in what I ate because it was a crucial part of who I am. Food is one of the most defining parts of somebody’s heritage and is the embodiment of their origin. I learned that losing touch with one’s cuisine meant that they have lost a big part of their identity.

The following day, I brought the same lunch to school and when the kids came back to ridicule my food, I stood up to them and explained the significance of each ingredient in my lunch. Eventually they asked to try it and were astonished by how tasty it was.  

As a first generation American Indian, I’ve spent my life trying to balance an American lifestyle with Hindu traditions to fit in with the people around me. But regardless of how well I spoke English or how “American” I was, many people still viewed me as a foreigner. I quickly learned that society pushed back against concepts they didn’t understand, especially cultures that seemed alien to their own.

Luckily I grew up in Silicon Valley and was exposed to a plethora of people from around the world. As a child I didn’t understand that every family came from a different background so it  had never made a difference to me until the minor but defining moment in my life. It ultimately changed how I viewed others along with my own Indian heritage. Since then I have chosen to help others understand the diversity within me when they openly express their judgement. My parents always preached the acceptance of everyone regardless of their faith so whenever an opportunity presents itself, I try to help people learn more about my Hindu customs because it encourages them to create a more positive outlook on cultures different from theirs. Its allowed me build a closer connection to my family’s history as I spend time investigating who I am.   University of Colorado Boulder prides themselves for being a haven for students coming from a multitudes of backgrounds so I want to be able to bring my values of acceptance to the Buff community and also experience what students from all over the country, and even the world, have to bring to the table. Attending Colorado would be the perfect opportunity for me to broaden my horizons from being surrounded by extraordinary students and faculty, a world class education, and learning what it truly means to become a proud Boulderite.