Feeling a Sense of Belonging

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Feeling a Sense of Belonging America, the land of the free, is the country where many people wish to live their lives. A countless number of people who live in America are not only Americans, but numerous are African-American, Mexican-American, Chinese-American, and so forth. In the essay “The Good Daughter,” by Caroline Hwang a young women who is Korean-American brings up the issue where her cultural identity becomes a problem and explains her life as living a paradox. Hwang describes the conflict between her own desires and her sense of filial duty, her obligation to comply with the wishes of her parents. living a paradox. As for me I was born in Los Angeles, but I come from a Filipino family, making me a Filipino-American. Being a daughter of immigrants I relate to Hwang’s confusion of one’s identity. Living in Los Angeles gives me connection to different cultures, but living here also allows me to connect to my own. In my opinion specifying that I am American does not hold any importance to me, but to a variety of people, such as my mom, it is imperative. To many immigrants it is important to emphasize the fact that they are also American, because it gives them a sense of belonging, Hwang’s mother in “The Good Daughter” she says to Hwang, “You are American.” I also believe that just because we live in America does not mean that we should lose any sense of heritage. Many immigrants wish for their families and future family members to have the same freedom as Americans, but they also want them to remember where they come from. Many of the new generations, those who were born in America tend to lose a sense of where their family originated. As a young Filipina born and raised in Los Angeles I feel that I am more in tune with my American side, rather then my Filipino side, just like Hwang from “The Good Daughter” who states, “[…] my cultural identity is

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