Bill Belew has raised 2 bi-cultural kids, now 34 and 30. And he and his wife are now parenting a 3rd, Mia, who is 8.

Miss American 2014, Nina Davuluri

What is Nina Pavuluri’s Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency all about.

Nina Pavuluri is not the first Asian-American to win Miss America. She is the first Asian-American with Indian blood in her to win the title. My bet is that among the 52 or so contestants who have competed over the past 90 years there might, just might be Asian, even Indian blood in another winner. Anybody want to check?

Angela Perez Baraquio, an American of Filipino descent, won the 2000 Miss America title. Everybody knew there was Asian in her. But what about the winners from previous year?

And, here’s a question – how much of a blood line has to be Asian before someone is considered “Asian-American”?

And didn’t a whole lot a lot of Americans come from Asia over the years?

Why all the fuss?

Nina Pavuluri was one of 5 Asian-Americans in this year’s event. In other words, you could tell by their names.

There were two Chrystal Lees, one from California and one from Hawaii.

Rebecca Yeh is from Minnesota.

Bindhu Pamarthi from Washington D.C.

Why do we look at each other by where we came from? Why does that matter? Who does that matter to?

Maybe this is what Nina Pavuluri’s Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency is all about. Getting us all to become color blind.

What do you see when you look at other people?

Talk to Bill and others about their experiences raising bi-cultural Japanese-American kids.