Crash Course in Identify

What would happen one day if you woke to find out that you weren’t who you thought you were. Say for example that tomorrow Saturday November 14th, you log onto the internet and discover that to your surprise an identity you comfortably held onto turned out to be an imagined identity on your part. This pretty much sums up what happened to Lou Jing, a young woman from Shanghai who is the product of an African American father and Chinese mother, after appearing on "Go Oriental Angel" a Chinese talent show. I posted about her a few weeks ago, only casually commenting on her uniqueness in a country that by and large is mono racial, despite over 50 different ethnic groups, none of which physically stand out as much as Lou Jing . Jing’s appearance on the show left many in China questioning whether she was really Chinese, often accompanied with tinges of racism.
As an American I’m in no position to comment on the state of racism in China, compared to the United States. That would be like the U.S chiding India about Carbon emissions, or Iran on nuclear proliferation, but I’m granted some license to comment on her story as person whose parents belong to two different racial groups. I think most people of color who happen to grow up in areas that are overwhelmingly white, to some extent struggle feeling comfortable in their own non white skin. That’s not to say that people of color, and particularly people of mixed race heritage ,have a monopoly on issues of identity, but being a person of color in an area where no one else shares your phenotype does uniquely color (pun intended) the normal angst associated with growing pains.
What Lou Jing has abruptly been confronted with, is a major theme that underscores the larger American narrative; race. A blessing in disguise for Americans perhaps, but notions of race and how they affect personal constructed identities in my experience is a process that occurs quite naturally in a pluralistic country like ours, albeit not always easy. Our history also plays a large role in this narrative, and the lasting legacy of antiquated notions of race can still be observed. So a young women growing up in a society that falls on the opposite spectrum in regards to racial pluralism as the United States is just now beginning the process of constructing a racial identity, which most in the states have a started as children.
I can’t help but feel for Lou Jing as she traverses through a complicated journey of self discovery. I lack understanding about the nuances of race in a Chinese context, but wonder where her journey will lead her. I’ve read some interviews where she’s expressed a desire to study in the states, and also mentioned that Barack Obama is someone she relates to. I ‘m curious if she sees the American narrative on race as a way to help guide her on her construction of a healthy racial identity.
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