Growing up people called me China. I know it was because of my double eyelids and almond eyes that turn into crescents when I smile. My father has a similar nickname that friends still call him to this day. The first Chino was my grandfather in our family. Me and my father’s names come from the love of people close to us, but my grandfather not so much. He was born in Mexico but that never mattered as walking to school people would pick on him calling him Chino. The word chino in Spanish means Chinese but also is used to denote a person of mixed racial identity or even foreign appearance. My grandfather grew to hate the word as everywhere he went he couldn't escape the one word no matter what. My dad was born with the  same almond eyes, so now my grandfather had a very difficult decision to make because he didn't want his son to ever feel the hate or racism that his eyes brought him. so he stared calling my dad chino as a nickname he hoped that if people who loved him would call him that name when others said it  with hate that it wouldnt matter my father grew up and had me continuing the line of chinos/chinas in our family with our eyes. 
 

– Izzy

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant