PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING PHOTO BY JORDAN SCHILLING
Junior Tara Madhav is an Indian American who identifies with two different cultures.
Junior Michele Ange Siaba was born in the Ivory Coast but moved to Palo Alto when he was young. Ever since Siaba has moved, he has felt that he belongs to both countries.
PHOTO BY WILLIAM DOUGALL
discrimination ... because you’re Asian, people expect you to be up to a certain caliber. People see Indians constantly being at the high level, and if you’re not there, it’s a surprise,” she said. European students seem to have a different experience; Lou Guillonet, a French freshman, is always met by a “That’s so cool!” when she explains where she’s from. The reactions Unal gets when she tells her peers that she is from Turkey are much more reserved and less positive. Unal also faces intolerance because of her Middle Eastern heritage. “I have been stereotyped and teased and called a terrorist,” she said. Farmanfarmaian has dealt with stereotyping because he comes from a predominantly Muslim country. Farmanfarmaian is occasionally called a terrorist by his friends, although, according to him, they “don’t mean any harm.” Hamade explained that there are different stereotypes attributed to Lebanese parents, but they don’t accurately portray her family. “I think for all Middle Eastern countries there’s a stereotype of parents being very strict. I’ve seen Vines and videos of people imitating Middle Eastern parents whipping their children with belts.” Tamar Sarig, a sophomore from Israel, feels her peers don’t judge her because of her upbringing, but rather because of the politics associated with her home country. “I do feel I have to apologize for my nationality. People associate Israel with so much negativity, and not apologizing is some kind of political statement.” Despite negative experiences, many students feel accepted and respected in the Palo Alto community. It’s hard to deny racism’s presence in our country, but Bolarinwa says he’s never encountered discrimination while in the Bay Area. “I’m really lucky that I live in an accepting place, so I don’t really have to worry about it as much as other people,” he said. Similarly, junior Bianca Al-Shamari, whose mother was born in Russia, feels that the gap dividing her and her non-Russian friends is small because she has grown up here. “In Palo Alto, everyone’s so diverse and has experiences with other cultures,” she said. Even though children with foreign-born parents face discrimination and differences in upbringing, many are able to craft an identity incorporating aspects of each culture they identify with. To Madhav, being the child of an immigrant is both a blessing and a curse: “My upbringing has both integrated me and isolated me.”
Sophomore Julia Quiao displays her American and Chinese identity.
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