Listening in as teens talk about race
When the pandemic triggered a wave of anti-Asian violence, 18-year-old Miranda Zanca found herself wondering about her own identity and how she fit into the moment. This is the first in a new series in The Post\u2019s Teens in America project.
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Miranda Zanca hasn\u2019t always seen herself as particularly Asian, even if others did. That\u2019s because she\u2019s mixed race \u2014 her mom is Chinese and Puerto Rican and her dad is White. And earlier this year, when the pandemic triggered a wave of anti-Asian violence, she found herself wondering what role she should play in conversations around anti-Asian hate. \u201cAm I Asian enough to be upset?\u201d she asked. \u201cAm I White enough to be making a difference?\u201d
American teenagers are part of what's likely the most diverse generation in our nation\u2019s history \u2014 new Census Bureau data shows that the population under 18 is a majority minority for the first time. These young people are also helping to shape more of the conversations we\u2019re all having about race. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that nearly three-quarters of teens say they\u2019ve talked to a parent about race in the past year. More than half say they\u2019ve had a similar conversation with a close friend. As part of The Washington Post\u2019s Teens in America series, we\u2019re exploring what those conversations sound like.
Miranda\u2019s story is the first in a new five-part series from The Post and YR Media, a nonprofit media, music and technology incubator. Listen in as teen reporters from around the country have tough conversations about race with family and friends, and with host Martine Powers.