It's Not Like It's a Secret

by Misa Sugiura

“Just because we’re Mexican, bruh. That’s it. Just because I’m wearing a hoodie and I got brown skin.

“He didn’t let us off just because I’m Asian, did he?” “Holy blinders, Batman. Yes, he did,” says Reggie. “Totally,” agrees Elaine. “Why do you think he asked you about your grades?” Ugh. I’d been hoping I was wrong about that.

classic Mom commentary: See how those boys are sitting? Sloppy. They look like the bad students and criminal. Maybe Mrs. Ramirez is nice lady, but how can she let her daughter have those boys for friend? Those boys look like gangster. I don’t trust them.” Translation: “I don’t trust you.”

Teachers all just think I’m a lazy Mexican, anyways, so why should I do shit for them?”

“Forget two shits. If you’re Mexican you gotta shit gold,” says Arturo. “Naw, doesn’t matter how much I try. They’re gonna be racist anyway,”

insists JJ. “They look at me and they think ‘dropout.’ ‘Cholo.’ They don’t want to get to know me as a person.”

‘why aren’t you doing your homework, is everything okay at home, here’s a chance to make it up.’ A Mexican kid doesn’t do his homework, and that’s that. The teacher doesn’t say shit. Just lets him fail.” “Maybe that’s because so many Mexican kids don’t do their homework.” Oh, no. I can’t believe that just came out of my mouth.

“You think we don’t work hard. You think we’re lazy.” “No. I don’t think you’re lazy. I just. I just think you could work harder if you really wanted to.” “You think I could work harder?” Christina’s voice swings up, incredulous. When she speaks again, it’s low and steely. “I know I’m not the sweetest person and all, so you probably won’t believe this, but I’ve been

And I never said Christina was stupid. Everyone knows that the Mexican kids get bad grades. Stuff like that is always in the news, so it had to be true, right? And a third of the students at Anderson are Mexican American, but Jamie’s the only one in any of my Honors classes. They can’t all be working thirty-two hours a week. Something inside me

Didn’t Arturo just call him lazy? Just because I said it and not you, just because I’m Asian and not Mexican. Like I haven’t experienced racism. Like they’re not racist. Where does Christina get off calling me a loser nerd just because I’m Asian? She never liked me.” Which is true. “And it’s because I’m Asian.” Which might be true.

Different experiences Asians have a stereotype of being smart Mexicans have a stereotype of being cholos and lazy

“I’m not afraid of her.” Okay, I might be, a little bit. But is that because she’s Mexican, or is it because she puts me down all the time? I’m not racist, am I? How do I untangle all these threads?

known him for a couple of months and you think he’s a lazy Mexican. You think he’s a loser. You basically said he’s a criminal.”