When my family came to America

we became models

me

the model at school

4.0's and perfect scores and musical talent

my father

the model at work

toiling into the hours of night in front of a computer screen

never complaining

my mother

the model housewife

shuttling her family from one place to another

but just like models on the runway

we were used against our will

society has standards for those whose skin is not white

and my family became one of the millions of families

whose yellow skin was used to keep others "in their place"

because the politicians will always question why blacks and hispanics require welfare

while "asians" don't

even though the majority of southeast asians live in complete poverty

because people in power will never stop me for looking like a "thug"

while other communities are terrorized by the fear of being shot

because I have to be submissive and quiet

in order for society to tell other women of color that they're being too loud

so i'm removing this filter

the rose colored glasses that were placed on me the moment i set foot into the promised land

because if I don't want to be america's model anymore

i won't be used as society's tool

to prove the "america dream" is alive

because for many others

it died a long time ago