The treatment of Asian Americans in the United States has been brought to attention through literature and popular culture, as well as through the technique of self-representation of which Asian Americans discuss their treatment. Frank Wu, author of Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White, reveals his experience as an Asian-American child who had to bear the cost of being Asian. This essay will then analyze how racism works to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Asian Americans and the impact racism has on victims of racial stereotypes through Frank Wu's individual life experience. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Mystery: Race in America Beyond Black and White aims to address the implications of racism in creating the “model minority myth” and “perpetual stranger syndrome” that are usually felt by Asian Americans. These 'myths' have the “purpose of reinforcing racial hierarchies”. Asian Americans have been stereotyped as an unassimilable entity into mainstream culture. They are perceived as “alien” enemies and have become a racialized subject. Readers are then able to understand how social discourse in everyday interaction plays an important role in the construction of Asian American identity. Wu tends to portray how difficult it becomes for an Asian American to cope with the negative stereotypes he faces because race still remains an important marker of identity. Ultimately, these stereotypes unfortunately help shape the lives of people who become victims of racism. Furthermore, racial stereotypes are perpetuated through socialization agencies such as schools and the media. The sad truth is that a child is exposed to such negative attitudes at an early age. They internalize discrimination, they internalize that people are different and judged based on the racial group to which they belong. This made Wu realize that the world is a "kaleidoscope of cultural fragments, arranged and rearranged without plan or order." Wu extends this further when he recounts how, as a child, he had to pay the price of being an "Asian." American', a term he was unaware of, differentiated him from his classmates. He faced bullying when he was still a child just because he was Chinese. His classmates made racist comments like “How can you see with eyes like that?” Wu ultimately ends up seeking answers and explanations from his parents and asks, "Why are we Chinese?" . In fact, the issue of racialization does not end at school. If children are able to differentiate people based on their racial background, needless to say, the situation could be worse among adults. At work, his colleagues end up making racist statements despite claiming they are not racist. It often happened that his colleagues would think of him if they watched a Chinese-themed film. Wu amplifies problematic perceptions of Asian-Americans when asked the question, "Where are you 'really' from?" The word “really” highlights their hybrid identity of being an Asian American and highlights the “perpetual stranger syndrome” formed by racism. He feels that he is not accepted and realizes how very difficult it was for him to deal with these issues with the "many masks that he is given to wear". Wu's writing is able to connect readers to what he felt. Being a child and realizing that a hybrid identity could define and shape an identity.