How to navigate racism of Circassians in Russia?

Am part of the Circassian diaspora, currently learning Circassian and Russian to go back after uni, I was wondering how to handle racism there? I hear lots of stories from my relatives of Russians insisting that Circassians are really Syrians/Arabs/Turks, even though most of us don't have any mixed bloodlines. I personally, though my grandparents settled in Jolan, I really don't feel comfortable calling myself Syrian

There are also false perceptions that Muslims are quite backwards people (true in extremist areas but certainly not my extended family nor the way I practice Islam), how should I navigate bigoted people when they find out I'm Circassian/Muslim?