2017年8月10号到12号，我被“APAPA俄亥俄”选中参加在芝加哥市中心举办的首届亚裔青年峰会。那三天，来自全国各地十多个亚裔组织的一百多名中学生，用互动和模拟等方式讨论了亚裔权利、自卫和种族歧视等问题。中间的那一天，大家自由选择是否去参加一个反川普集会。每天晚上，我们可以在二楼打乒乓球、台球或者逛逛芝加哥市中心。我意识到，休息期间，学会怎么跟其他人交朋友特别重要。有时，小小的不同能决定你是否能跟其他人做朋友。差别可以把人拉开，让人感到不合群。这就是为什么我们时常把这些差别隐藏起来，因为我们想合群。如果不会隐藏，也许我们就会陷入孤独，像一个人站在荒野中孤独无助。
在第一天的尴尬破冰游戏（自我介绍之类）之后，我计划参加一个模拟实际生活的活动，跟从俄亥俄同来的朋友分开参加到不同的游戏中去。我参加的游戏的目标是要一年挣十万美元, 获得一个硕士学位，拥有一套豪宅。每一个人收到了两张卡。有一张卡上画了不同的形状和颜色：这是你的护照，它决定了你的种族、性别、财富和年龄。有一张卡上面什么东西都没有：就是给一些机构来决定你的学历、职业、住房、银行账户等。可是，还有一个障碍 -- 警察。如果你被警察抓了三次，你一辈子就被关在监狱里，从而淘汰出局。游戏完了以后，大家讨论了我们遇到的困难，和每个形状及颜色的意思。有一个人不仅如愿达到了要求，还超额完成任务。在游戏中，我发现他老插队、爱告状，却总是得到最好的服务。大家都可以看出来他是那些机构心目中“完美的人”，因为他是处于上流社会的中年白人男性公民。我们也讨论了白人至上主义，以及怎么通过在学校的教育来抗争。我虽然没有跟很多同行的APAPA的朋友一样去选择参加艺术活动，但还是得到了很多收获。晚上有一个才艺表演，我上台表演了一个山东快书“过年”。回顾这一天：虽然我跟大家不一样，但我的决定还是带给我一个很好的结果。
我没参加第二天的反川普集会，因为我觉得有的标语口号不合适，这样我成了极少数没去的人之一。那天傍晚有个自选活动：去HANA Center看霹雳舞表演。我再次成了少数：只有两个来自APAPA的人（包括我）去参加。那霹雳舞表演挺好看的，但有点重复单调，所以我们决定跟向导提前离开。他带我们俩和其他五个人到沙滩上的一个挺特别的地方。我们倒了三次车，走了一个多小时的路，穿过四群小飞虫，终于到了目的地。这个时候，筋疲力尽的我猛一抬头，看见了叹为观止的美景：摩天大厦耸入云端，地平线下灯火闪耀。当我做了与众不同的决定时，我也就准备好接受它的结果，不管是好是坏。最后看来，我的“长途跋涉” 是值得的。
回想这几天的峰会，虽然我有时没有选择从众，但是我的选择是经过慎重的思考和比较以后做出来的。同样的道理，我非常感谢这些峰会的志愿者，因为他们不怕与众不同，敢于追求梦想并为社区服务。我们每一个人都有自己独到和不同的地方。差异尽管能引起分裂和战争，它也能把我们整个人类团结起来。从个人的角度，我们应该学会听取不同意见，团结起来为我们的权利而奋斗。
英文原文：
Embracing Our Differences
By: Craig Qi
Between August 10th to August 12th, I attended the Beyond our Boundaries: Asian Youth Leadership Summit in the heart of downtown Chicago. During those three days, about 10 groups consisting of Asian American Youth, from all around the country come together in Chicago in order to learn about Asian American rights, ways to improve rights, self-defense, and Racial Oppression through an interactive simulation of life as a certain gender/race, hence the name ‘Game of Life’. On the second day, there was an option to participate in a political rally against Trump. At night, one can play Table Tennis, Pool, and explore downtown Chicago due to the Hotel’s great location. During one’s downtime, it’s important to learn how to adapt to a new environment by making new friends. However, simple differences can be the determining factor when it comes to making friends. Differences can pull people apart and make them feel secluded and isolated from everyone else. That is why we often conceal those differences in order to fit in and belong somewhere. Without the ability to camouflage, we stand out and are left out in the wild to fend for ourselves.
On the first day -- after some awkward icebreakers, I had plans to participate in the workshop known as the Game of Life. Therefore, I had to separate from my group and stand on my own two feet. The objective of the game was to earn $100,000 a year, have a Masters degree, and own a mansion. Every person received one card with shapes and colors on them that served as their ‘ID,’ which determined your race, gender, wealth, citizenship and age. And a blank card that would be written on by the institutions to determine one’s job, education, housing, and bank account. There was one more obstacle besides the fact that the four institutions would try to prevent you from completing your objective -- the police force. If the police caught and arrested you three times, you would be imprisoned for life and would have to sit out for the game. After the simulation, we discussed the hardships we faced and what each symbol/color meant. One person not only completed the objective, but exceeded it. During the simulation, I noticed that he would always cut in line, report people for ‘smiling too much,’ and overall receiving the best service. Everyone could tell that he was supposedly the ‘perfect person’ because he was a middle-aged, white upper-class male citizen. We also discussed White Supremacy, and how to counter this, through education in schools. Although I chose to be different by playing the Game of Life instead of going with the majority to draw posters for Arts in Movement, I got a lot of food for thought through a fun and interactive simulation.In the evening, there was a talent show, and many people stood up to show the other side of them. Iperformed a Chinese Rap (Shan Dong Kuai Shu) on stage about Chinese New Year Traditions.When I look back, although I was different, I realized that my decision had a good turnout.
I didn’t attend the Anti-Trump Rally, because I thought that some of the signs were inappropriate, making me one of three people that refused to go. In the evening, there was an option to attend a breakdance battle at Hana Center. Again, I was one of two people from APAPA that wanted to watch people breakdance. Although the breakdance was enjoyable, it got very repetitive after a while. Thus, we decided to leave early with our guide Lu Han, who would take us and 5 other people to a very special part of the beach. After three buses, approximately an hour on foot, and four massive swarms of gnats, we arrived at our destination. Exhausted, I lifted my head and saw the most breathtaking and jaw-dropping scene in my life, and no amount of words could describe its beauty. Several skyscrapers stood tall above the clouds, and thousands of lights danced on the horizon below. I made a different decision from most other participants and I had to face the consequences that came with it, whether I liked it or not. However, in the end, I believe that the exhausting hour-long walk through several swarms of gnats was worth it.
When I look back, I realized that the majority of times that I made a decision, I was part of a minority and, by the same token, I appreciate the leaders and supervisors of the Summit who dared to be different by pursuing their dreams to serve the community. Every one of us are special and unique in our own separate ways. Despite the fact that differences can cause wars and tear countries apart, they can also unite all of us together in a massive group known as human beings. And as human beings, we should learn to accept each other’s different opinions, and unite together to fight for our own individual rights.
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我的难忘经历 – 参加Beyond Our Boundaries青年峰会
拒绝非法监视，保障亚裔权益 - 谈《FISA修正案》年底前的再授权
食在克村: Chagrin Falls的餐厅
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编者按：APAPA专注于通过教育、参与和领导能力的培养，提高亚太裔在美国参政、议政的意识和能力。最终的目标是把我们自己的社区做大做好做强。在俄亥俄，我们与其他亚裔和华人组织、机构、企业和个人通过多种方式一起合作，参与社区建设，扩大亚裔的影响力。我们在公众号推出”俄亥俄华人社区”系列文章，向大家介绍华人的企业、商业、成功人士和青年领袖，还有华人关心的生活方面的信息，相互扶持，相互交流，相互学习。欢迎大家积极投稿！本文仅代表作者观点，不代表APAPA Ohio官方立场。更多精彩文章，请点击“阅读原文”查看我们公众号的主页。
关于APAPA Ohio 公众号
APAPA Ohio公众号是APAPA Ohio在俄亥俄华人协会（Ohio Chinese American Association, OCAA）的支持下办的公众号，旨在为俄亥俄的亚裔群体、尤其是华人群体提供一个信息分享、交流、互助的平台，宣传APAPA Ohio、OCAA和其他有关团体的活动，和促进亚裔社区对美国社会、政治、文化、教育、法律等的了解。
关于APAPA
APAPA的全名是Asian Pacific IslanderAmerican Public Affairs Association （美国亚太联盟），是一个民间群众团体，是在美国联邦政府注册的501(c)(3)非营利组织。APAPA专注于通过教育、参与和领导能力的培养，提高亚太裔在美国参政、议政的意识和能力。APAPA于2001年在加州由著名亚裔领袖尹集成创立，目前在全国各地有4万名会员，通过其实习生项目培养了数百名亚裔青年领袖，通过组织各种草根层面的选民教育、领导力培训，推动在本地、州一级到联邦一级的亚裔参政议政，促进了数十名亚裔当选为联邦、州一级的官员。网址：apapa.org。
APAPA俄亥俄分会于2017年6月成立，致力于借助APAPA的全国平台，把美国东西两岸亚太裔积极参政议政的经验带到中西部。我们将会与其他全国性组织、俄州的相关组织通过多种方式一起合作，推动社区参与、选民教育及登记、公众事务领导力培训、政府和议会青年实习生计划等项目，带动一批草根群众成为俄亥俄、乃至全美的领袖人物。
关于OCAA
俄亥俄华人协会（Ohio Chinese American Association, OCAA）是2016年由俄亥俄华人以全美2.20挺梁活动的组织者、参与者为骨干成立的非营利组织，旨在团结俄亥俄的华人，以及华人社区的朋友，鼓励大家积极参与美国社会的各项社会活动，包括参政议政、社区服务、相互支持，提高对美国社会一员的权利和义务的认识，并行使相应的权利、履行相应的义务。网址：OhioCAA.org。
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