One of the things that makes SHS so special is the mix of backgrounds that come together and form a unique culture. Many students have an interesting family heritage that shapes who they are and how they interact with the broader Sycamore community.
Layla Parker, 9, has a unique family heritage herself. “My dad is African-American, and my mom is Pakistani,” Parker said. “She immigrated here in 1989.” Parker has been exposed to her family’s culture her entire life. “I’m really, really close to my grandparents on both sides. It’s good [that] they live nearby and we’re able to see them pretty much as often as we like,” Parker noted.
Growing up in a mixed-race family highlights the many differences, ranging anywhere from faith to food. “They’re from different religions,” Parker explained. “We celebrate both holidays and the food is different and a bunch of the culture and stuff they believe in is different.”
Over time, Parker has learned to balance both sides of her heritage. For example, she said, “My dad will come over and celebrate Eid with us, and we celebrate holidays as a family.”
In terms of her African-American heritage, Parker said, “My dad’s side is Christian, so we celebrate Christmas. I love the decorations and the music.” She also admits that she prefers Pakistani food.
Parker’s favorite thing about her Pakistani culture is celebrating Eid with her family. “We celebrate the end of Ramadan, [where] you don’t eat from sunrise to sunset. I love celebrating Eid because I get to wear cultural outfits and it’s really fun to hang out with my family and eat really good food.”
As an individual, Parker believes that her blended culture has helped her grows as she gets “the best of both worlds.” She added, “it just made me more open to things because I was exposed to different foods and cultures.” She has yet to identify with one side more than the other, but admits that it is possible that she will in the future.
Parker also believes that having a blended heritage has helped her become a more developed person. “I think that, especially on my mom’s side, there’s so many things in her culture that are different from stereotypical American culture,” she said, “so I feel like I’ve just learned to accept so many things that many people haven’t.”
