Our columnist this week is Maya Mistry, 19, who is studying journalism.

What does it mean to be a teenage British Asian woman in the 21st century? I have been told in the past three days that third generation British Asians (the grandchildren of those who emigrated here) have no respect for their parents, are trying to replicate Black American gang culture and don't do well at school while working with people of the same race.

When I told one of these wise men' that I was a trainee journalist, he gave me a look that screamed: "You should be a doctor!".

A lot of people tend to get bored of this subject... Here we go again', I hear you say, but may the case be that it is the traditional requirements and pressure to be a normal' Asian that restrict a lot of youths from doing what they really want to do?

The formula goes, as always: get brilliant GCSEs + get brilliant A-levels + get a degree (or preferred PhD) + get a job = get married, have children, and then make sure that your offspring follow the system, and the cycle continues.

My personal view is that nurture wins over nature in this case and where you're from has a lot to do with the person you are and the way you're perceived.

Being a Midlands girl myself, I notice a large difference in the attitudes and behaviour of young Asians, particularly in Bradford. The children and young adults in the city are high-spirited and have a lot of potential but it is the rebellious behaviour that causes people to undertake regretful actions. Other areas with a high ethnic a minority population such as Leicester and Birmingham have similar issues that need modifying.

It may be that people in cities with a high population of Asian people feel that they must confine to the formula' and feel pressured to compete with those at No.58, whose son is a dentistry graduate, with a wife who's a doctor and they have five sons! What a blessing! Or is it?

However there is definitely hope for us young Asian women with a dream. My two best and also female Asian friends are a potential barrister and a future pharmacist...girls are definitely on top at the moment. With Asian-inspired fashion in the high streets and more inter-racial relationships then ever before, the future looks bright.

It is us young adults who have the potential to make a difference to the future. It is not always difficult to reason with an elderly person, but the best way to change for the better is by setting an example for the younger fourth generation.

It might sound corny and maybe not something that people our age think about, but do we really want our children getting caught up in race-related riots? Or would you rather them be representatives of intelligent and resourceful Asian people playing a positive and crucial role in the UK?

  • Do you want to write for our Voice of Youth column? We're looking for young people in Bradford with something to say for themselves. Your article will need to be 550-600 words long and we'll need a recent photo of yourself. Send your columns to Voice of Youth, Telegraph & Argus Features Dept, Hall Ings, Bradford, BD1 1Jr. Alternatively, you can e-mail to editorial.features@bradford. newsquest.co.uk, attaching a jpeg format photo of yourself.