Journal Entry #2

Jorja Mason
Professor Matyakubova
Eng 101
October 16, 2017

            Amy Tans heritage is Chinese, she is Asian-American. This is translated through her life as it has shaped her and influenced her in her career and everyday life. She is a writer so her stories and speeches are centered on her experiences as an Asian American, and her family upbringing. She discusses topics like the way her mother acted, why her parents left china, and morals expressed by her heritage and the importance of family. Her heritage is key to figuring herself out more as a person and giving guidance on the way she acts as a mother friend, significant other etc... Her heritage has made her, her.
            My heritage is African American and Bajan. This has shaped me in many ways as well. Growing up in a home where you don’t have much is home to a lot of love and support. My parents are always pushing me for greatness and to reach my full potential while also allowing me to learn from my own mistakes as well. Growing up Bajan-American I have felt more American than Bajan all my life, I was born here so I am very Americanized unlike some of my older sisters who were born in Barbados. Some aspects taken from Barbados would be the slang and food my family cooks. Some of the experiences I had like watching my brother be incarcerated and the everyday discrimination of being an African American woman has shaped me as well. It has made me want to go into the law field and become a lawyer so I can help people with similar and different backgrounds than mine all receive the only thing they deserve, justice. A lot of negative stereotypes have been placed upon African American woman as well, I believe my heritage has changed the way I view certain subjects and has given me the drive to never give up or ever settle.