I established being beige during the summer of 2001, after having a rather lengthy discussion with a friend about being Asian-American. The conversation, although the ultimate factor that drove me to create being beige, was actually a re-inspiration. Sometime in 1996, I began a site entitled "the World of ABCs," a project that focused on the life of being an "ABC" -- an American-Born Chinese. I never got around to completing it, however, and it became a lost cause.But it was not forgotten, and five years later it came back in full swing as being beige. Shedding light on the Asian-American experience, being beige is broader than "the World of ABCs" in that it encompasses all Asians, which in turn makes it more powerful. It is designed not only to educate non-Asian-Americans about the lives and inner-workings of being Asian in America, but also to offer a unique place for Asian-Americans to come together to share, relate, and realize the exceptionality of their situation.
How did this all get started in the first place? As you would probably guess, it was a personal matter. Being Asian-American myself (more specifially, an ABC), I, like many others, struggled with my identity. At certain points I was in denial of and ashamed of my background, and I even felt that being Asian made me less attractive. After watching "The Joy Luck Club" (a great movie, and featured on this site, by the way), however, something changed. I then became very aware of my Chinese background and culture and completely submerged myself in it. I presented in multicultural fairs, taught friends Chinese, and talked about Chinese culture constantly, as if I were on a mission to spread a cause. Slowly and eventually it eased off, placing me somewhere in the middle, which is where I think I am now. It was as if I went from being "white", to being "yellow", and then to the balance in between -- the mixture of the two, "beige" -- and thus the origin of the meaning behind this site.
I talk about my experiences very simply and pointedly, but it really is more complicated than it sounds. The stages of identifying with yourself aren't blocks of time periods but rather processes that blend together. I only realized the realities of the experiences I've been through years after I went through them. The conversation that inspired me to make being beige invented the very concept of being beige, because at that point I realized that peace and understanding are reached somewhere in between being completely in avoidance and completely immersed. And obtaining that perfect balance is the constant struggle that Asian-Americans like myself have to deal with throughout their lives.
Important to know: I am not, and do not consider myself, an Asian-American expert. I am not trying to analyze, formulate conclusions about, or make judgement on the lives of Asian-Americans. This site is designed as just an introduction to what I believe is the Asian-American experience -- a different and unique life in America, which is special. I am only trying to provide awareness, not solutions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
By the way, my name is Ginny Min. I am a student at the University of Virginia, and I enjoy many, many things. These include sports, music, writing, the outdoors... to name a few. If you wish to learn about me in very great detail, please visit my personal page.
If you wish to contact me, you can do so by filling out a form on this site, emailing ginnymin@virginia.edu or talking to 'gin mei' via AOL IM.
