Journal 15 | Mythical Norms | Wendy Wu

I think the most prevalent mythical norm for me is the white male, the cream of the crop. I think males in the world, in general though, get distributed more resources. I hear this reoccurring a lot in my discussions, lectures, conversations, etc. For me, when there's a talk about minorities or discrimination, the white male is used as a comparison to show the difference in privileges. I think with time, I have somewhat internalized this, but I don't believe it's a fact because I remain optimistic. Although I agree that the American Dream is a myth, I do not agree that social mobility is a myth even though some say it is. I will remain hopeful because I want to be that anomaly to inspire others to question and challenge the system. I know the journey will be tough, but bring it! As a first generation college student, low-income, person of color, immigrant, and womyn, I want to prove to myself and the world that you can overcome obstacles to be in industries and positions that are not conventionally held by people like yourself. Although I am just a second year and I know my sentences are packing a punch because I cannot control what will happen in the future, I will continue to be optimistic and I will continue fighting. I've noticed that my passions - politics, law, business - are all industries that are dominated by white men, but this will not phase me. I want to be in these industries because I want to break stereotypes. I like to say that I have a progressive way of thinking, and I want to keep providing this voice in all the spaces I will be a part of in the future. I will remember my roots and return to my community to inspire youth to pursue higher education and to create the life they want to live because social mobility is possible despite how hard the path might be. Maybe my previous statement is idealistic because I can be idealistic at times. And I know that I have been pretty privileged to get to where I am today. I know hard work isn't everything, but we should not be controlled by the circumstances that we were born into and had no control over. We cannot control what we were given at birth, but we can control our present and future. I like to say that anything is possible because that's just my personality, and I want to be able to inspire others to do the same. I want to remind others to check themselves if they are not being politically correct, so I will set the example by using gender neutral language and voicing my opinion in a way that represents my community. There is hope. I will believe. :)