对非中国人的交谈中，我一般说自己是Chinese American. 而不是Chinese.

If you already become a US citizen, you are as American as apple pie, as American as born in Kansas.  So, be frank and regard yourself as Chinese American to everyone you talk to.  If you honor yourself as American,  all American will honor you back.  

See, automatically, you help to raise your social status with this change of attitude.