Who am I? I am a first-generation immigrant, a minority in both race and religion – a somebody, one rainbow fish in a crowded sea. At the same time, I am also a leader in many ways, whether a third-year senior in college or an older sister with much guidance to give. I have talents and skills that define me and challenge me every day – a someone; a person with a story to tell.
That person was molded and empowered every time my perspective was challenged by the people in my life. And yes, more often than not, my point of view has been challenged before it was accepted, because of who I am or what I look like. Only after hearing my story, my perspective, have all my identities been welcomed or at least tolerated due to stereotypes and societal norms that were not easy to dismantle. There are people whom I look up to, and now those that look up to me. As people, we influence those around us in ways that we may never find out, strengthening some people and causing others to reflect.
Who am I? Well, it is difficult to answer that question; I end up editing my response depending on who is asking and why they are asking. Like quickly flipping through the pages of a picture book, I can code-switch between several languages, once again, depending on whom I am speaking to. I am fluent in some, others not so much. When I moved to New York with my parents as a first-generation immigrant at five years old, I had to shift my language enough to adapt to my peers; English first, then all others.
I am a Muslim-American. I am an Indian American. I was born in Qatar in the Middle East but grew up mostly in America. I grew up in New York and Illinois and went to school in the United States from kindergarten until college. I am not one; I am all. I guard each of those identities and fight to keep each one safe. But holding onto one aspect of my identity, I tend to let another go for a bit. I re-adjust to make room for another and the previous one slips away and out of sight for a while. I identify as one of those, or all of those at the same time – and I cannot choose between them.
Who am I? I am a daughter, a sister and a friend. I am the eldest of three and the guinea pig child that had to carve her own way in the world. Thankfully, I had a bit of help from parents, professors, friends and other role models along the way. But sometimes it was my own self that pushed me through the darkness to see the light of the next day. Every one of my roles brings new meaning to my life and bouncing between each of them multiple times a day can be an exhilarating task that carries a heavy burden. But I persist, as we all do.
You are a reader, and I am a writer. Tomorrow, you could be a speaker, and me, a listener. Each person sees me from a sole perspective, yet I see them with all of mine. There is beauty in that perspective, but no single person sees the whole story, which makes it all the more important to share each of your stories with the world.
I am a college student studying neuroscience, psychology and communications. I am both an international student and a first-generation student. I am an editor and writer, a mental health activist and a mentor to peers and siblings. I am a learner and a thinker, but I am also an innovator and an influencer. I listen to people younger than me and see the changes the world has gone through since I was in their place. I listen to people older than me and absorb the wisdom and knowledge they bring to experiences I have not yet sought out.
Who am I? Sometimes I am hard-working, and sometimes I am lazy. Sometimes I am wise, sometimes not so much. Sometimes I am outgoing, sometimes very reserved. Sometimes I fly, sometimes I fall. Sometimes I am a leader, sometimes a follower. I am a disciplined student, an academic; science is my passion. At the same time, I am someone that loves to have fun with family and friends because that is what matters most to me at the end of the day. All these traits blend to form one person that changes considerably with the flow of time: me.
With hatred spreading like wildfire in the world today, we have no choice but to impart our knowledge, speak the truth, and tell our stories to uproot evil and plant the seeds of some semblance of good. Our words have incredible power, and it matters how we use them to guide ourselves and others. The great part is that no one person is clear-cut and well-defined by any given label. Restricting ourselves to one label, one trait or one identity will not do justice. As we say in psychology, you are not one single unitary self, but a multitude of selves and personas.
We are all results of actions, thoughts and processes – we are a complex set of roles and stories that only we have read page-to-page in our hearts. I have shared a snippet of my story with you today, and maybe you will share yours one day with the world.
So, I ask you: who are you?
