In “Model Minority” by Jason Koo and “Clashing in Coney Island” by Sheila Maldonado, both authors portray a sense of cultural identity within their writings to capture the complexity of being a minority in America. Koo and Maldonado are Brooklyn poets who write about their own struggles as minorities. Koo describes the Asian stereotypes he perpetuates in his daily routine. On the other hand, Maldonado captures her perspective as a Latina in Brooklyn through a classy photo. As young writers, these authors provide a new narrative to a previously underrepresented topic. Through these two poems, the authors question our current social norms in America and their impact on our national identities. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Both Jason Koo and Sheila Maldonado use their racial identity to challenge the pre-existing implicit idea that minorities are inherently inferior in terms of rights within our predominantly white population. Furthermore, both Koo and Maldonado use the idea of ​​space and relaxation to regularly emphasize the consequences of racial stereotypes. Koo describes these unspoken norms of Asian Americans during his subway ride. Koo writes, “I make myself as tight an Asian as possible in the crowd / As a courtesy to other people – / It's the model minority in me, you might say, coolly, while enjoying your extra space.” Koo illustrates a sense of internal oppression as he forces himself to make space for others at the expense of his own well-being. Since the title of this poem is “Model Minority,” this quote describes the social conformation that Asian Americans must endure to fit the stereotype of this “model minority.” More importantly, he says “it's the model minority in me” to criticize the fact that many Asian Americans have accepted this kind of attitude in society. Koo also separates the reader from his personal experience when he says “coldly” and “your extra space” to demonstrate social approval of this injustice. Furthermore, Maldonado describes the same social pressure to conform. She describes a moment in the photo with the girl next to her in the photo, Makea, and Makea's cousin, Tecia. She writes, “…along with her / cousin Tecia, whose house was a / cool, gray summer cave where we / watched Whoopi Goldberg on early cable TV / play with her “long, luxurious” blonde hair. " The house is not only a physical escape from Maldonado's school life as a teenager, but also an escape from the social forces that surround her. More importantly, it depicts Whoopi Goldberg on TV as having blonde hair. Although she is a highly acclaimed African American actress, Goldberg's image with blonde hair contradicts the social escape Maldonado was seeking because she is bombarded by this beauty standard. Whoopi Goldberg's portrait also demonstrates the role of the media in perpetuating the standard of beauty. However, just like in Koo's poem, this depiction is largely overlooked as any change would upset the entire system. In another parallel, Koo and Maldonado use minor interactions between characters to clarify the ramification of the dual identity. At the end of his poem, Koo recalls his return to his apartment. He describes an encounter with another woman who is obviously suspicious of his actions. He writes: "I soften / My steps so she doesn't have to hear them, but that makes me even more threatening / So in the end I walk past her without looking and show her / I'm just harmless.