Clarifying the Misunderstood Individuality of the 12%
Story by: Will Lee
A second-generation immigrant in the United States is someone born and raised in the U.S. who has at least one foreign-born parent. As the children of first-generation immigrants, they grow up navigating a unique cultural and linguistic landscape that often differs significantly from their parents’ experiences. This self-turmoiled and split upbringing can lead to internal conflict, as many second-generation immigrants struggle to balance traditional family values with the expectations of American society.
These individuals often face cultural clashes that challenge their identity and burden them with ethnic stereotypes, which can shape their sense of belonging and self-worth. However, shedding light on this topic can foster a deeper understanding of the complex identities within multicultural societies.
The first extremely common identity issue that second gens experience are the feelings of being “torn” between the culture of their family and the dominant culture of the society they were born into. In these cases, the interests bred from one’s root culture directly grapple with the ones that are common in their country.
The differences in language, food, trends, entertainment, and more often lead to those born from immigrant parents to be divided in identity; this conflict therefore is a direct cause to the constant feeling that they are “not this nor that” and creating a sense of estrangement in the very country that they were born into.
Eren Huong, a second gen Vietnamese real estate agent in his 30s reflects on this issue by recalling, “At home, I spoke my parents’ native language, followed cultural customs, and was expected to uphold values that often clashed with the American norms I encountered at school. I remember feeling out of place—too ‘foreign’ in one space, not ‘authentic’ enough in the other.”
Outwardly, this leads to self-alienation, low self-esteem, and even confusion about cultural loyalty.
Furthermore, second-generation immigrants often find their identities shaped or limited based on ethnic stereotypes others place on them. These assumptions can be based on physical appearance, last names, accents, and cultural markers that may distance immigrant-born people from others, regardless of how assimilated or culturally integrated they actually are.
In some cases, many of these individuals feel they are not seen as unique and are pressured as a sort of representative of an entire group. Of course, these pressures can lead to second gens to shun their own culture and distance themselves from the values of their parents.
“At home, I spoke my parents’ native language, followed cultural customs, and was expected to uphold values that often clashed with the American norms I encountered at school. I remember feeling out of place—too ‘foreign’ in one space, not ‘authentic’ enough in the other.”
Eren Huong
There are also instances of cultural pigeonholing.
Pigeonholing is an expectation from others to behave a certain way and follow specific traditions regardless of how connected they are to their parents’ culture. Pigeonholing flattens personal identity, and individuals are often denied the complexity and nuance of their actual experiences.
In addition, it creates pressure to either over perform on stereotypes or rebel against them; some may over-conform to expectations to gain acceptance, while others may reject their ethnic identity entirely out of frustration.
All of these cases bring together pieces of a second generation immigrant; those that have personal ideas, interests, and opinions but cannot be expressed in a pure form because of not one but two societal views. Common identity issues like the ones aforementioned leave them unconfident, misunderstood, and confused at a base identity level.
All of these pressures not only distort self-perception but also hinder authentic self-expression, and it is important to point out these difficulties in a group that makes up 12% of the population.
However, while there is no universal solution, embracing self-acceptance and allowing space for a personally defined identity can empower second-generation immigrants to navigate their unique cultural paths with strength and authenticity. Schools, communities, and media should actively challenge stereotypes and promote representation that reflects the complexity of immigrant experiences even if these initiatives do not solve a root problem.
Encouraging open conversations within families about identity and cultural expectations can also ease internal conflict. Most importantly, individuals should be supported in shaping their own sense of self—one that honors both their heritage and personal values without pressure to conform.
When asked about how to solve this issue, Huong replied, “Only when I began embracing both sides of my identity on my own terms did I start to feel a sense of belonging. My story reflects just one of many, but it highlights how important it is to allow second-generation immigrants the space to define themselves without any expectations.”