Growing up, I was teased for bringing seaweed snacks to class. It was my first real experience of being Asian around white kids. At the same time, I learned about the broader history that shaped me, though I didn’t always connect the dots. 11.22 million gallons of Agent Orange were dumped on Vietnam during the war, leaving the land toxic and scarred, its effects still felt today.

In this moment, I wear an Áo dài, a traditional Vietnamese dress, while Fanta is poured into my water and onto my food. Eventually a pyramid of empty bottles stands before me. Everything is stained orange, a reminder that can never be washed away.