Everyone has their own story. Everyone has their own path in life to take. We all have our individual communities. Therefore, over time we create our own “normals” and it helps distinguish what paths we will take in our life. Each community is unique and we all have different ways that we contribute and also input into our communities. However, as the communities vary, we can see how each community is treated unfairly.
So, who is Ling Xi Hang? Ling is eighteen years old and she is from China. Ling currently lives in the Bronx, New York. Ling is of Chinese descent and is an immigrant. In addition, Ling is fluent in three languages; English, Chinese, and Fuzhou dialect. Ling enjoys the presence of her family and her brother. I asked Ling which communities she resonates most with. The communities Ling believes resonate most with her consist of the Chinese and immigrant communities. The groups Ling partake in consist of the female and Chinese social groups. Ling feels comfortable in these groups because they speak the same language and there is a sense of safety because she correlates with them.
What was my first impression of Ling Xi Hang? I was expecting a person who was a closed individual. I thought the usual college student was not open to create more relationships because they knew what their goal was. However, the conversation I had with Ling Xi Hang changed the way I originally viewed her. I made my judgment too soon. I then began to learn about who Ling was and everything about her.
As I said before, as we go through each community and dive in, we eventually can see how each community is treated. We also acknowledge how some actions and statements that may seem as inoffensive, are the complete opposite. There was an incident that occurred in Ling’s life. In Ling’s middle school year, a boy asked her an offensive question that Ling at first did not understand. This question is, “Do you Chinese people really eat rats?” It was until Ling had to learn in her history class that the boy was talking about when the Chinese people did not have food to eat so they resorted to eating rodents. Although this incident occurred around 5 to 6 years ago, there is no exception. We must be mindful of the things we say to a person. When we view a person of a different race or ethnicity, that should not be the center of attention. We are all people and we should treat each other with respect.
So, I ask again who is Ling Xi Hang? We cannot define a person from details, we must examine them beyond that. From the interview I had with Ling, I was able to analyze who she was beyond her experiences and the descriptions of her life. Ling is determined, intelligent, brave, honest, open-minded, respectful, and considerate. In addition, Ling is also kind, understanding, and patient. These are Ling’s strengths. Having these types of characteristics allows Ling to create and develop more productive relationships with other people. Overall, these are things we can derive from how Ling acts. We can never get this from basic information from her life which includes her date of birth or favorite color.
As I said before, we are all unique individuals. In life, we all have our own path to take, and the decisions we make and how we present ourselves to others create the person we are today. The interview I had with Ling showcased all of this today. I was able to see who Ling is truly and understand how she is able to present herself to others in a friendly manner. Overall, this is who Ling Xi Hang is, she is more than a name, she is more than a City College student.
