Work hazards.

After all the awareness building and community involvement I've been into since I was in college, it's disheartening to see that effects of the work from people like myself have gone somewhat unnoticed by the mainstream. What is the point of raising awareness if nobody knows?

I was working on some market research for a client and as I tried to find market demographics and measurments, Asians are still grouped as one demo. Most Neilsen data does not specify the hugely different ethnic groups within the "Asian" designation. Sure, I am preaching to the choir. However I can't help but feel that after years of working towards opening doors, there is a whole hallway of doors left to unlock.

It's tough. But I suppose that the only unifying factor that exists in this world is money. Revenue, profits, kick-backs and gifts...that's really the only language anybody responds to.

Obviously because I'm part of that community, I am attune to the different cultural nuances of each ethnicity. Or at least I am aware of them. It sucks when I speak to certain station reps who are surprised to find out that I am not who they pictured me to be. With an Italian/Spanish-sounding name and an undeniably Asian face, the looks I receive are remarkable.

I remember one rep who asked me if I was mixed because I looked "oriental". Yes. She said it and the world stopped for me right there. I heard tires screech to a halt. I had steam come out of my ears. My blood boiled and I knocked on my desk as a signal to my co-worker in the next cubicle that shit was about to go down. I schooled her. I felt better after that.

Still that small triumph isn't enough to change the world. It's going to take a lot more schooling for that to happen.