The author is at her wedding. The photo is courtesy of Allison Shiozawa Miles. I didn't want to change my name. I dragged my feet as a young bride because I wanted to keep my identity and not embrace my husband. After our wedding, I playfully suggested that my new husband take my name, Shiozawa. The idea of a white man taking a Japanese surname when I had three brothers to carry it on seemed ridiculous to everyone else. My white mom and sisters-in-law have taken on a Japanese name without a second thought. I would be branded the worst kind of F-word in a conservative community if I didn't adopt my husband's name. I eventually, if begrudgingly, complied. I didn't understand how the decision would affect the rest of my life. I went to Japan for the first time on a study abroad program when I was 19 years old. I immersed myself in my heritage, connecting with host families, practicing language skills, and absorbing Japanese culture for nine weeks. I was seen as an outsider by my white classmates as a multiracial person. The introduction in Japan begins with the family name: Shiozawa Arison desu. The look on Japanese faces as they analyzed mine, their wheels turning, was a familiar look. It's the same one I've seen on many faces when meeting other Americans: eyes narrowed, brow furrowed, and some iteration of Where are. The confusion is the same. The message is the same in both situations. Maybe it's human nature. People like to put things in boxes. There is a bubble indicating your race. How is someone supposed to belong to more than one race? Universal forms have been updated to include a new option. I knew I was different. I saw what beauty looked like in the mirror. I told my dad I wanted to be blonde. At 8, a boy came to my home and told me I was Chinese. For the first time in my life, I felt comfortable in my own skin when I visited Hawaii at 14. I had never seen so many people who looked like me who didn't mind eating raw fish. There, the Hawaiian term for mixed-race people was normal. I was an Asian girl growing up in a predominantly white community. I will always remember the first day of Algebra 2, when Haley Miyatake sat beside me. I felt a rush of relief with someone who understood my world. White people like to comment on my eye shape, tugging at the corners of their own, and acting as self-appointed gatekeepers to my claim to Asian-ness. I'm accused of mounting an attack on white people if I broach the subject of race. I'm being oversensitive, choosing to be offended, or creating issues out of nothing. They ignore my experience because they don't see color. My husband described me as being raised white, like a banana, a few years into our marriage. The man asked him how long he'd been in America, and he realized that the myth of the American melting pot was a lie. Other. Imposter syndrome can apply to race. I've been angry as attacks on Asians have increased. I wonder if my outrage is valid as an Asian or an outsider. Other. If it wasn't confirmed for me, I might be able to write off feeling like an imposter. An Asian trainer told me that he didn't think I looked the part when I wore a sweatshirt reading Asian American Girl Club to the gym. Why would someone who looked like me claim to be Asian? Not enough Asian. Other. When I changed my last name, it felt like a part of my identity was gone. All it took was a few minutes at the local Social Security office and a few quick signatures. It wasn't a relief to have to say and spell a foreign name all the time. My Asian-ness was not visible on a name badge, a school roster, a professional license, or even on a credit card. When I introduced myself, it wasn't on my tongue. I lost the automatic association with my heritage because I no longer had to hear the cringeworthy butcherings of my last name. I assumed that my lived experience was that of a white person because I went from being Asian to ethnically ambiguous. I had to prove my Japanese heritage. I wouldn't change my name if I could go back in time. My husband's name has become our family's after three kids and a dog. My blue-eyed husband and I share the same name, but our three brown-eyed, brown-haired children love to use chopsticks. The dog has a Japanese name along with our English family name. Even without a Japanese name, we are a multiracial family. It's an ongoing effort to carve out my place as a multiracial Japanese American woman in this country, but I will always be proud of my Japanese name, and the rich heritages that make me who I am. Do you want your story to be published on HuffPost? Send us a pitch if you know what we're looking for. The article was originally on HuffPost. The view of the planets through the end of the month will be great for early risers, and the daily spectacle will be even better at the start of next week. Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn are visible in the early morning sky and will be visible throughout the rest of April. The quartet can be seen with a telescope in the eastern sky, and another object will join the alignment early next week. The crescent is mooing. The ramp plants will be in each of the six courses. Few know that Amazon has millions of Prime subscribers. You have an invitation to a wedding you can't attend. How can you let the lovebirds down? Fear... There were two very different names for the Sussexes. The first 7 series EV from BMW includes plenty of luxuries for both drivers and passengers. A man builds a trap to catch a thief. I wish I loved anything as much as my husband does, he loves asking me questions about movies I have never seen before. A video showing a young boy being taken into custody by police officers in Syracuse, New York, has prompted an internal investigation by the local police. A popular social media account plays into the right's growing homophobia and anti-trans agenda. Saving for retirement is all about investing, and capital gains taxes can eat up a significant portion of your earnings each year. Prince Harry said he could return to the United Kingdom for Queen Elizabeth II's jubilee in June, but warned security issues could get in the way. Clark was paralyzed from the chest down after a car accident. His cause of death is not known. A number of moves into the beauty business were announced by Farfetch. More than 100 brands will be spread across the banners of the luxury e-commerce retailer, which acquired beauty retailer Violet Grey in January. The U.K. retailer will organize its beauty offerings around themes. Four genderless fragrances will be launched by Off-White. The value of the beauty market is estimated by Farfetch. Farfetch. Dog owners are talking about a discovery in animal science. One person is dead and another is in jail after a shooting in Tennessee. The Public Culture fashion collection brings awareness to African Americn history in white institutions. Augustans liked President Warren G. Harding. The sale prices for popular internet packages could be surprising. Start your search here. A copy of the investor letter can be downloaded here. The fund's net declined in the first quarter. The S&P 500 fell by 4.6%. The Russell 1000 Growth Index declined by 9.0%. A copy of the first-quarter 2022 investor letter can be found here. The past two quarters have been difficult for growth investors. There is a threat of inflation and a rapid increase in interest rates. There is a daily look at the NHL playoffs. The five episode-run of Private Eye was solid, but the timing of the show was bad. Content is provided by the author. All opinions are our own, although we do promote products from our partner lenders. The article was first published on the blog. The post 3 Best MBA Student Loans for Business School appeared first on credible. If you thought Jeff Garlin was smiling from the depths of the valley, you might be out of luck. The Goldbergs will be back at ABC for another season. They don't know how to handle the sudden departure of Jeff Garlin, who played Murray Goldberg. A USC women's basketball recruit was wounded from gunshots at a house party in North Las Vegas.HuffPost
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