My name is julia…
I think being born in China has definitely shaped my perspective of the world, especially when others assume I come from an Asian family as well as the stereotypes that follow. Being raised by two white parents, I wasn’t very educated about my Asian culture but as I’m getting older I definitely have been more interested in learning about it. I think one thing that is unique about me is having this special experience that a lot of people my age don’t have and it allows me to see the world through a different lens. an adoptive Chinese girl in Minnesota has been pretty neutral so far at least for me. I grew up in a predominantly white town outside of the cities and I never really experienced any form of racism besides the few bad jokes made by ignorant people. For me when people make those types of remarks it’s confusing if I should even be offended since I can’t even relate to the hurtful things said. It definitely puts me in a unique situation though, being raised “white” and looking very Chinese on the outside.
In high school I was one of the anchors on my school news broadcast that would play for the whole school every week. That's when I realized I really like learning about the world and talking while also being in front of the camera. Looking toward the future I plan on earning my degree and working for a news station in the cities. I am a freshman at in college majoring in Mass Media, currently working at the MSU Reporter, the student lead newspaper on campus, as one of the writers. My hopes are to become a broadcast journalist when I’m older and hopefully work as a news reporter.
Something I’m really passionate about is traveling, although I haven’t been doing much of it since the Coronavirus hit last year. I think there’s something really special in learning about different cultures and being emerged in a new place you’ve never been before. If I had to pick my favorite place I’ve been to so far it would have to be Alaska. I’ve been there twice now and I honestly can’t get enough of it. It is one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever visit, so diverse when it comes to nature, animals, and people.