Danielle Mathews

i rarely talk about being indian american bc i always figured there are more interesting things to discuss. maybe it's relevant today…im a second-gen immigrant, 21 yr old brown girl. my parents were entrepreneurs who believed in the american dream. my dad is catholic, mom is hindu. i grew up going to temple on saturdays and mass sunday mornings. this combination existed bc of their love for each other. at church, i never cared nor thought others cared we were the only brown people there... i think everyone, like me, was too busy being God-fearing. imho this principle holds true in many things. our shallowly distinct traits are pretty uninteresting when you're a part of something greater. i went to johns hopkins, we didn't exactly have ut football..but i studied hard and we'd still slam tequila shots at the college bar, go to tailgates and state football games, meet people of all backgrounds. i grew up going to the local drive-in theater and playing outside with the neighbors after school. my childhood best friend taught me about her family's farm and horse riding. she came to mine where we'd eat after my mom would oil both our hair. shenadoah and our national parks hold a special place in my heart, as do ashrams back in india, bollywood movies and 2000s romcoms…i've had the honor to play for this country in my sport and just learned how to shoot a gun. make damn good kebabs and love a good bbq, will always touch my elders' feet, and take pride in my culture, hospitality and this country. i don’t drink beer but i'm a proud american bc of my values. i want to create a beautiful family here. i believe in hard work, in the law, in contributing to the country we love and respect. "all the things we could fear in this world and we pick love"