Nona recently wrote about her reaction to the MSNBC special “Multiracial in America”. I thought her words were so poignant, and definitely blog-worthy! :-) Nona is a mix of black/white and her husband is Mexican."My concern is that most every time I hear something in the media about multi racial Americans, it focuses on the problems....the struggle....the challenges with being mixed or living in an interracial marriage.
I loved watching the last episode of Greys' Anatomy (on YouTube:)* and seeing an interracial family with out the show making an issue of them being mixed or "trouble" that comes with it. I thought this program on MSNBC glorifed how difficult it is being mixed, how being in an interracial family is "hard" because of people staring or having family that won't accept you and blah blah blah!
I am so happy to say that my life has been great! My kids have an amazing life as tri racial little people. Being mixed has been enriching, beautiful, and not
dysfunctional at all. Now don't get me wrong...I've had the looks, I've had people challenge me as to why I don't just call myself "black", I've had to cut some of my "black" relatives off because of their ignorance......and I have had bouts of not feeling totally accepted....but who doesn't? What person hasn't had these feelings or experiences in some way or another for whatever reason.I just wish that the media would highlight the presence of the interracial family as a wonderful reflection of what the United States stands for. I wish that the mixed race person in this society would be portrayed as highly adjustable, enriched with cultural knowledge and extremely sensitive to all walks of life....I am .....because I am mixed.
These aspects are special about mixed people and I wish if we get any special publicity that it be focused on the positive and what we have to celebrate instead of all these people who feel victimized or all these people from the South who face bigotry along with every other non-white person down there. I also think that the census data is waaaaay off! For a multitude of reasons. I know lots of mixed people that are black and white who would never mark "other" or both....they would only put "black"...for whatever reason. So I could go on and on.....this is one topic that I'm really emotional about..”
Well-said, Nona! I agree that we’ve heard enough of the “tragic mulatto” stories, and not enough of the well-adjusted, well-rounded, happy-in-our-own-skin stories!! As I look at my little melting pot boys, my hope is that they will be part of a generation that feels enriched and empowered in being mixed!
*Grey's Anatomy, Season 4, Finale Episode "Freedom"
3 comments:
I love having mixed kids. I'm proud of their background on both sides. I think it is going to help them be even more open-minded and accepting of all different people. Right now they don't even think of it -- but they will someday & I think they will be proud too.
I LOVE THIS!!!! So true that we often hear about the struggle of Multi racial people... nice ot see soemone talk about the positives!YEAH!!!!
Hi! This is my first time on here and I am just so happy to read about other families like mine! I do have a question for the population at large and would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. I am of Irish ancestry but born in the U.S. My husband is Filipino and has been in the U.S. since he was four. We have four sons. I recently learned that my oldest son has been put into a third grad classroom for "children of color" so he wouldn't be a "token" in another classroom. Honestly, I was completely shocked! My sons school is relatively small, about 400 students. My son has been attending this largely Caucasian school since kindergarten and has been extremely happy and well adjusted. The only reason the principal mentioned this to me was because I commented to my son's classroom teacher that this was the second year in a row that my son was placed with all of the Asian students. Last year I thought it was a coincidence and was very happy that he had made some new friends, but now I find out this is deliberate. I love the diversity of his classroom but feel very strange that he is basically being told that he is different and all the "children of color" are placed in one class. Help!
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