The revival of Moideen
Cal in Color
As “Deen,” I no longer had to be the ambassador for my name’s origin. I could just be an “American,” freed from the shackles of my name’s uniqueness in this country.
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With regard to the unwoke(n)
Cal in Color
He simply needed to hear the reasons why what he believed in was wrong, and my initial attempt at doing that wasn’t empathetic or conducive enough.
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The Bane of Tokenization
Cal in Color
She unwittingly reduced me and other black and brown boys to quotas on her diversity dashboard (or headboard, for that matter).
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Sex on Friday
Cal in Color
Sociocultural ideologies have affected my understanding and approach to not just my sexuality, but to women in general.
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Another view of privilege
Cal in Color
I received this lofty treatment merely because, as an American, my relatives subconsciously associated me with capital and with power — or, more specifically, with access to it.
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‘Mom, I can’t focus’
Cal in Color
I was somewhat aware of my erratic pursuits of dopamine and novel stimuli, but the problem was that there wasn’t a language in my culture to identify and to describe these issues, and certainly not in a healthy, constructive way.
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‘Bancroft, Barrows, Boalt and Berkeley’
Cal in Color
It didn’t occur to me that such a prestigious and progressive institution in the 21st century could bear the markings of a racist, post-colonial legacy.
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‘So, what exactly are you planning to do with that?’
Cal in Color
For many of us who hail from immigrant backgrounds, we know that one of our parents’ dreams is to have their child’s name bear the prefix of “Dr.”
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Microwaving my mom’s curry in the frat kitchen
Cal in Color
Those of us who are bicultural have beautiful compound identities, and only upon embracing this reality may our identities truly be wed.
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Patient and kind
Cal in Color
I’ve realized that, as a writer, I can’t completely bridge this gap between you and me, no matter how much I may try or how similar we are. I can only represent myself: weaknesses, strengths and all.
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