The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

It wasn't until I traveled outside America that I really felt American.  Growing up in the United States I always categorized myself ethnically as Chinese, because that distinction was much more apparent to me than any national identity. 

It wasn't until the past few years in discussing the merits and idiosyncrasies of my country to family in Beijing, students in London, and a traveling Australian in Vienna, that I realized my identity as an American defined me just as much as my ethnic identity.  I saw that I didn't just belong to my subset of America, but that I was part of a greater whole, and the attitudes and actions of my country were an integral part of me.

Since that realization, I have felt a responsibility as an American to be aware of the issues facing different groups in the United States and to encourage others to think beyond their individual identity to embrace the diverse interests and perspectives that make our country so unique. 

Interning at LCCR/EF has given me a wonderful opportunity to fulfill that responsibility by writing website posts about civil rights injustices, supporting the nomination of an extremely qualified Hispanic woman to the Supreme Court, and helping to organize events to spread knowledge to my peers about the need and opportunities for social justice work.  Working alongside the passionate and patriotic people at LCCR/EF has inspired anew my belief in social justice and my pride in being an American.