B. Mahmood

I'm a Pakistani American, born 33 years ago and raised in Palo Alto. I grew up in a rigorously academic household, and fortunate to have parents and teachers who instilled in me a high sense of integrity and purpose to make the world a better place.

For my last couple years of high school, my family moved back to Pakistan. I went to an American School, but all the students were from the Pakistani aristocracy. It was here I encountered bullying for the first time. Because of my dress and accent, I was nicknamed "Gora". Because of my shy demeanor, I was called a "Faggot". Because I refused to cheat, I was threatened.

The idea of being bullied by those of the same race was perplexing. It wasn't till I read Trevor Noah's biography "Born a Crime" many years later, that I understood the paradox. He describes how "People are intimidated by those who look like them but don't speak like them, while more accepting of someone who speaks their language but doesn't look like them" (paraphrasing)