KAUAI, HAWAII, March 15, 2004: Hinduism Today is inviting essays from Hindu teens and young adults (ages 13 to 25) on the subject of racial identity for the young Hindu-American of Indian ancestry. This touchy subject was explained to us some years back by a young Indian student. Students in his school were divided socially mainly along racial and ethnic lines. As an Indian, he discovered that he could choose to join any of several racial groupings within his school’s social system. He could join with the African-American group, the Hispanics or the white students, and be accepted by any of them. We found that other students have had the same experience, which is perhaps a unique choice available only to students of Indian origin.
The essay should be based upon your own personal experience, as well as friends and relatives. You can describe how you have encountered this issue, how you dealt with it and how your approach changed as you advanced through school. It can also include reactions of parents and friends of the family. And it can include advice on how to deal with the racial divisions in American schools and society. The essays will be excerpted for an article in a coming issue of Hinduism Today. Authors selected for inclusion will be paid US$25. If you wish to participate, kindly e-mail “source” and let us know now that you plan to send an essay. Length can be between 250 and 500 words. The deadline for the essay is May 1, 2004. You need to e-mail a high resolution photo of yourself, and include your full name and snail mail address.
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