“When I was younger, I had a difficult time understanding what it means to be happa (half and half). What made me Japanese, and what made me Dominican? What does being American mean for a person such as myself? When my parents separated, my mother (Japanese) got custody of me, which is why I’ve spent most of my life exposed to Japanese culture. It wasn’t until later in life where I started to learn about Dominican culture through my Dad’s side in the Bronx, New York…