Three Keys

But you can't give up on people. It's one of the three keys of friendship. You gotta listen, you gotta care, and most importantly, you gotta keep trying.

Race might be a social construct, but racism’s as real as the clouds,” he said, pointing at the sky. “You can see it, and you can feel it when it pours.

It’s like being a pencil, when everyone else is a pen,” she finally said. “You worry you can be erased anytime.

The pain broke my heart into a thousand pieces.

think an accent is like your very own unique signature of all the places you’ve been. Like stamps in a passport. It has nothing to do with where you’re going.

I have fear every day...But let me tell you something about fear: If you don't control it, it controls you.

Maybe being Chinese wasn't about liking red bean shaved ice or having serious chopstick skills…Maybe it had to do with yi qi and all sorts of Chinese values living inside me, just waiting to be discovered.

Here we treat everyone like family,” I said. “No matter who you are and where you came from. That’s what makes it special to me.

America is a nation of immigrants. Our founders were immigrants. They worked hard to create a country that would welcome everyone.

And by the way, your cookies are stale.

As Lupe held out the red ribbon and Jason lifted up the bow, I cut it with the golden scissors. The entire motel erupted in cheers.

Even if we hire someone else, it’s still not enough for your mom and me to both go after our dreams,” he said with a sigh. “Sometimes in families, you can only choose one.” He reached down and touched the cover of his lab technician certificate book with his calloused hands one last time, before reluctantly putting it away. “And I’m choosing your mom’s.

No way am I going to let it go to greedy Mr. Delaney and his stale cookies.

I like messing around in the kitchen, experimenting with different ingredients, seeing what works, what doesn’t work…It’s just like you and your writing.

That’s the worst.” Jorge shook his head. “The people who just watch and don’t do anything.

I kept imagining that it was my own dad in there and I might never see him again. No more Lucky Penny search nights. No more long drives out to Monterey Park. It made me wish I

What was wrong with becoming Americanized

It’s one of the three keys of friendship. You gotta listen, you gotta care, and most importantly, you gotta keep trying.

the worry that if he didn’t take every single thing, a part of him would be lost forever.