I am a 43 yr female; grew up in Cambridge MA where race was not a big deal even back then; mother is white, father who was black died when I turned 4.Back then the attitude was more to ignore it and hope the problem went away unlike today where so many in terracial couples are confronting the issues head on with their children. Because my father died so early, I identified with my white mother.I didn't really see myself as black until I was 10 yrs. The world sees me as black.I only learned Black History wh en I got to college. Subsequently, though I know I am both, I feel neither.I am Austrian/Slovakian/Portuguese/ Black/and possibly Narragansett Indian.I have long wanted to communicate and participate in a community comprised of other mulatto/interracial i ndividuals like myself who understand.

I am a 23 yr. old black/German/Italian/American Indian(Haudenosaunee---Iroquois). I was adopted by two wonderful black parents. My parents did a wonderful job raising me, but their have been desires to find my heritage that they don't quite understand. I believe that being adopted makes the issue of which race to identify with much more difficult. I, also like another person, am identified many times as Puerto Rican. I even have had many Puerto Ricans and other hispanics to start speaking Spanish to me. Of course, I could not respond. It even got to the point where I wanted to give in and identify myself as hispanic--at least I wouldn't have to go through this "Oh, I'm German, Black, Italian.......(sighhhhhh)." I mean give me a break!!! I have gro wn so tired of explaining myself.
I am now engaged to a European-American, which for me make it easy, because at least we know which one of us is putting the color into the situation!!! I already have a 3-year-old little boy by a black man. My s on looks even more caucasian than me. He has reddish-brown big-curly hair, very light skin, and a round Indian face. It will be interesting to see how my fiance's and I children will look like. I think we need to appreciate each one of our differences and celebrate it...appreciate the little differences in each and every one of us that make us special. God made a masterpiece in each and every one of us. LET'S JUST SIT BACK AND ENJOY TREASURES FOUND IN EACH ONE OF US.

I am undertaking research for a screen play, where the main character researchingis 22 yr old man, whiose father is Korean and mother Caucasian. If any one has any leads, coontacts or wpould like to speak on the subject please contact me with their exper iances.n

Thanks for any help.

I'm Serbian, English-Irish and I care not to mention the other, because I just happen to claim the other race and they give me pure hell because of my skin color and hair texture. But, I do claim my sweet mother that adopted me, she raised me in the cult ure of the people I thought would be my owne. She loves me, God loves me, my two boys love me and that's all that matters, and it's strange, the Anglo people that I'm around see me as just another human, and have treated me like i'm a treasure even thoug h my skin is darker and my hair texture is different. Oh yea, God loves me too, that's why he made me a member of this new generation, new breed and new race of people....I wouldn't have it any other way. And no, I don't act White, for I can really get- widt that Ebonics thang, OKAY!?!

As A Japanese/Mexican American I identify myself as biethnic Japanese/Mexican American. Currently, as a doctoral candidate in psychology, I am interested in how other biethnic individuals identify and am also interested in different heritage combinations (i.e., minority/minority, majority/minority) and how heritage combination might influence wthnic identity. I am looking for biethnic Japanese-European American and Japanese-African American biethnic adults between the ages of 18 and 30 for my dissertati on research. If interested, please contact me by e-mail (tmukoyam@ucla.edu) or phone (213-694-1915).

I am a 17 year old female born in Canada and raised by my bi-racial mother and white
father. My background is a complex mixture of Austrailian Aborginal, Canadian (cree) Indian,
Swedish, Irish and Scotish blood.
Although I am now proud o f my intermixed bloodlines, as a child I felt that my
brownish skin was 'dirty'. I often worried that it might 'rub off' onto my white friends furniture and
I would get in trouble for messing up their house.
When I was about 10 years old, [editted] After returning from a vacation in the south, my tanne d skin brought on
comments [editted] " and the classic " So uh, where are you from?" These small realizations brought on
the search for myself that continues for me today.
Now as a teenager in a mostly-white highschool I feel more "r acial" than ever.
My hair is a fine and straight brown; my skin is a coffee-with-lotsa-cream colour; my eyes large, slantted
and deep brown; my lips full and brown. I've been mistaken for Hispanic, Italian, Portugese,
East Indian, Hawiian . . . ANYTHING you can IMAGINE!! I feel lost, confused, and misunderstood.
And I'm looking for advise. The truth is, it all depends on the day, the colour I feel.
I feel black, but look white(ish). And I don't know if others see my claim to "Col ouredness"
as an attempt to fit in, or be Black in a society that is expiriencing a "Blackness" trend in music, fashion etc.
[editted] unless I tell you my heritage
you wou ld not view me as Black. I feel torn and disturbed with my situation but because I can "pass"
(although I don't want to) I don't know if I have a right to feel this concerned, aware and troubled.
My mother, who expirienced
the same issue f irst hand, is uncomfortable talking about it. I can't seem to find any answers.
I am usually a strong and independant young woman but this is one hurddle I cannot leap.
Please, if you have any advise, respond. I think that having someone to rela te to would ease my mind.

Love, Sister-hood and Strength

Peaches

To Peaches:

Before I give any advice, let me say that I appear to be a 51 year-old white male. My wife is Chinese, and I have two sons who are 15 and 17. I think I have some Native American genes, but have not associated with that group, except philosophically.

I hear your plea, so since I am an elder, and in the Native American tradition, let me speak some gentle words of advice.

Please, accept yourself for the unique person you are. Don't worry about the rest of society--yo u are okay they way you are, but you must decide this yourself. You are blessed with skin which reacts to sunlight to protect you. I am not so blessed, and have suffered numerous sun burns. This is becoming more important as the ozone layer is depleted , and people, even Indian people, start receiving sunburn.

You should go to the library, and pick up the February 13, 1995 issue of Newsweek. Its cover story is "What Color Is Black? Science, Politics and Racial Identity." There is a whole lot o f information in these articles, including the conclusion of Biologist Richard Lewontin of Harvard University that there is a genetic case against the whole concept of race--race is scientifically invalid as a concept. In one article, it states "Last ye ar the Human Genome Diversity Project used 1990s genetics to extend Lewontin's analysis. Its conclusion: genetic variation from one individual to another of the same "race" swamps the average differences between racial groupings. The more we learn about h umankind's genetic differences, says geneticist Luca Cavalli-Sforza of Stanford University, who chairs the committee tht directs the biodiversity project, the more we see that they have almost nothing to do with what we call race."

I know that is a mouthful, but you must divid the biology from the society. Society has outdated concepts--race is just one which needs updating. Those concepts are real only to those who hold tightly to them.

Some people will try to get you to join them, and hate yourself. Don't fall for that trap. You are special, unique, and wonderfully made.

My advise to you is to enjoy the world, go out and learn all you can, find where you can contribute, and work dilligently to earn the respect of those aro und you. But know in your heart that you can do anything you put your mind to. Canada is a place of opportunity, but it is also competitive. So compete, but do so knowing that you are potentially is as good as anyone else out there, if you will work har d.

Seek out those who will support you, and ignore those who look down on anyone else who is "different." They are the ones to feel truly sorry for, as they will never get to know wonderful people such as yourself. They have shut themselves awa y.

Finally, enjoy life, and give joy to others. Worry and shame should have no part in your life. Enjoy!!

This is a very touchy subject for me because I do not like definitions of race. After 31 years of 'What are you?' you get a bit defensive!

As a Canadian I was raised in a monoracial culture primarily English/Ukranian. I am the only biracial child in my family. I have three half-siblings on my mothers side and six on my fathers(whom I've never met).

As a child I did not understand race in terms of myself. I knew I was different but I had no conception of what that meant. I looked black bu t I was raised white. I have never had a black friend in my life. The only black people I saw on were on the street. I have no black identity, but because I do not look white I feel I can't claim to be white.

That's why the word biracial appeals so strongly to me. I don't have to feel the weight of peoples expectations when they first meet me as a biracial person. Most 'curious' types deflate visibly when they discover my speech and cultural affiliations are identical to their own. They want me t o be exotic because I look different. Of course saying 'biracial' isn't good enough for most people. They want to know the whole bizarre set of circumstances that resulted in me. I feel that it is an invasion of privacy, but I still don't know how to resp ond without sounding unpleasent or making it a big deal.

Fortunately in Canada most forms I've filled out do not force you to choose one or the other. Instead they ask if you're a visible minority. I check yes, becuase I think I'm part of the mos t visible minority of all.

I am a 30 year old interracial person. I have always had a problem with the fact that most people have a need to know what "nationality" I am. I have hair, shin, and features that are not "typical" of any particular race, and people seem to be perplexed by me. Why is it that everyone (of all races) feels the need to find out what race someone belongs to before becoming close to them? I don't identify myself with any race in particular. When asked, I simply state that I am multiracial. When pressed, I proceed to tell my whole life story and hope that the individual is open-minded enough to understand and deal with the fact that I belong to the world's smallest minority (multiracial).
When I get into graduate school I plan to study the dynamics o f being multiracial and the stressors unique to those of us who are. I think we have both advantages and problems due to our ambiguous race identities, which are different from those who can identify with a single race.
I would appreciate any input f rom persons of any race. If you are multiracial, please share your perspective with me as I don't have many aquaintances who are like us.
Thanx,
CKH

Although I am mostly African and I identify as being black, I am very much proud of my
other ethnic groups (Choctaw Native American, French, Scots-Irish). What's wrong with
that? I agree, people should be able to identify anyway they want and not let society
tell you what you are. As for this census category, if there is a multiracial box, my
whole family and I tend to check it. Although if it were up to me, I'd sooner the
question of "race" not be on the census. Why can't we just ch eck American or non-
Ameriacn?

I have been in an interracial relationship for a year and a half right now. My boyfriend and I are both 19 year old college students.
old college students. He is Asain and I am white. We never expected to get very much racism with us because I have b een
in an interracial relationship before with a black man and the critisism was terrible. But i didn't
think that it would be that big of a deal. but it is almost even worse. Luckily, I get along
with his family fine. And my parents have come around to accepting Marc. Its hard enough getting
to know an entirely new culture. (he was born in Chicago, but his parents are from the Philippens
and they still practice their culture).

I love Marc very much and our relationship is str ong enough to get through the hate, but I want
to help those who's relationships aren't strong enough to not give up. my boyfriend and I are
trying to form a support group on our campus and I would appreciate any information or
suggestions an y of you have. Please e-mail me.

Thank you for all of your support stories.

TOnya

I identify myself as "mixed race" (the term interracial does not exist in the UK). I feel I have a mixed race identity. I feel different things in different cultural environments. I do not identify with White English society at all, even though it is t he culture which surrounds me. Sometimes I classify myslef as a "Black German" when I talk about German things, my mother being German. When I am with Asian people who are on the same wavelength as me I identify myself as Asian, while accepting that the re are differences between me and "mono-racial" Asians. When Whites ask me what I am I usually say mixed race: although it has derogatory connotations when I grew up people always made fun of me because I look so Asian, and describing myslef as mixed rac e is a way of trying to avoid the derogatory connotations of being labelled an Asian.
Nick

As I understand it, it worked something like this...
A Scottish man from a Scottish family came to America.
An Irish woman from and Irish family came to America.
They met in America, married and had a daughter.
A German man from a German f amily came to America.
They met in America, married and had a daughter.
A Swedish man from a Swedish family came to America.
They met in America, married and had a daughter.
A Chinese man from a Chinese family came to America.
They met in America, married and had a son...me.

My ancestry always seemed symmetric and poetic at the same time to me. Actually, I'm hiding a little asymmetry...my father is really something like 1/4 Mongolian and 3/4 Han Chinese. Maybe I should try rew riting the above in three dimensions...

I have destroyed the symmetry, as I married a woman whose mother is half German-American going many generations back and half second-generation Sicilian. We do not plan to have children, for reasons unrelat ed to the focus of this group, so my poem ends here.

My wife looks, well...white. I look Asian or Polynesian (sp?) or Hispanic depending on how I groom my hair. I'm six feet tall, 235 pounds with 52-inch shoulders. Not huge, but big. This throws off a lot of people. In ninth grade I was 4'10'' and 150 pounds. In my case, size has made a big difference in how I interact with the world. As a child, I had the stereotypical bowl haircut from my father. I looked much more Chinese/Asian than I do now. I got picked on a lot, but I had two very close (white) friends from first grade who were (and still are-I'm 32 now) very supportive. I basically took whatever abuse came my way, getting "revenge" with the assistance of my friends (who usually also dislik ed those individuals) where possible. Then I grew a lot. Size didn't make me a bully-there are always bigger folks around, but it did make most of the assholes lay off. It's been that way ever since. There are always dickheads (is that one of the words I wasn't supposed to use-please excuse the profanity...or is that an obscenity? No, I guess it's a vulgarity...anyway...) around.

So, way off topic, huh...sorry.

I'm an American. This is how I identify myself. My wife often points out that I am one of the least "ethnic" people she knows. Moreso than her, at least. I understand a little about Chinese culture, but unlike, say, Amy Tan, stepping into China will not make me feel Chinese. Nor should it, any more than stepping into Sweden...

I used to say I'm a "half-Chinese provincial from Detroit". I live in Japan now, and "I'm an American" has become my standard. I really do have many of those qualities people tease Americans for. I speak only English fluently. I speak a little Germa n...thanks, high school...and a little Japanese...I live here. I bump my head in Japanese buildings, and I am louder than I should be. I can use chopsticks but neither need them to feel comfortable eating nor feel that they give me a special "Asianness". There a number of Chinese food items I enjoy that disgust my best friends, but they have both found other items in the vast Chinese selection that disgust me equally (one married a [full-blooded and much more "ethnic"] Chinese woman). I like mayo on my ha mburgers. I love a big steak. I hate sports. I love sitting around talking about nothing over food and drink. I'm all mixed up. I'm ignorant about a lot of things. I'm usually happy and reasonably sincere. I'm American...I'm kidding.

Hi I am a 16 year old that is engaged to a 22 year old "Mexican" and my parents do not
know because he is a "Mexican." I have been with him for over a year and I am so madly
in love with him. He left to the Navy April 15, 1997 and that just mad e things worse
because now is when I really need someone to talk to. My parents would be nice to talk
to, but being that they do not believe in interracial dating I can not. I am carrying
his baby and do not know how I am going to tell the m. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I arrived at college two years ago, I remember meeting a Haitian female who asked me what I was. I looked at her cross-eyed, because I couldn't understand why she couldn't look at me and tell that I was Black. My skin is the color of carmel and my hair is kinky. Where I'm from most people are either Black (bi-racial Black and White included), White, or Asian. Then I realized that I had embarked into a whole new world of multiculturalism. A world in which many people wouldn't make the blind, ign orant assumptions I had learned to make in the past. Although I have learn a lot sense I've been here, the one thing I don't understand are racial stereotypes. It is impossible for all members of a race to be the same. So how can people say, Jews are g reedy, Hispanics are barefoot and pregnant, Blacks are gang members, etc. (you get my point). I take offense to all of these ignorant statements. Another thing that offends me is the "talking Black, talking White" thing. THERE IS NO SUCH THING. For th ose of you who don't know, let me educate you. A long time ago, Black people were not allowed to go to school and receive an education. Hence they spoke in poor English. I don't know what happened, but apparently it stuck and people are afraid to chang e it (that's my assumption anyway). Speaking proper English does not mean I want to be White. It means I want to sound educated, and that I am. :)

Comments???

I'm a 21 year biracial female. My mother is white and my father is black.
I was raised by mother and her family in a very small town. I have always identified myself as white.
I have medium colored skin, with Caucasian features. I often get the qu estion "What are you?"People have thought I was Hispanic, but I explain that my mother is white and my father black. Sometimes I feel I shouldn't have to, but even though some would assume that I'm black, I'm not black or white, so why should I place myse lf in one category or the other?
I was happy to find this site, as I've never had the opportunity to speak with others like me.

I was very glad to find this site. I'm a twenty-year old female who is Black, Filipino, and
white. I went through high school hearing "your not like other Blacks, you're different", I
know all to well the ill-treatment that mixed people recieve from Blacks as well. I'm at a
point in my life that I'm able to get over having to be just "Black", I feel that no one should
be forced to identify with one culture. I mean it all depends on the environment that you were
raised in. Coming to college has opened my eye to a new ethnic identity, although I just
starting, it has only been recently that I've began to say that I am mixed with white, before
I would just say Black and Filipino. I was raised black and filipino culture was not explored.
I really feel that I missed out by being raised only one way, but I'm beginning to take steps
that will allow me to explore all aspects of my ethnicity. I'm realizing that I feel more
comfortable when I'm in a group of friends that are also mixed. I grew up in a very small town
that was predominately white. I've gotten over the battle of "How black is she?", I now admit
that I listen to U2, Led Zepplin, and other rock groups but I still have my passion for jazz
a nd R&B. I admire people who say that they identify themselves with the culture they are
in at the time. That freedom to not be constrained by color or other peoples perceptions of
you is a goal that I'm striving to obtain. Were all humans, we all put our pants on one leg
at a time. I would love to communicate with others who can share thier feelings and how they
have gained true understanding of thier own identity. Thanks for listening,
Nicole

I id myself as mixed most of the time, but sometimes simply say black if I know my audience will hound me to death about my experience. Mind you, I have no problem talking to people about my experience, but I find people are either OVERLY interested in my story, or not interested at all.I was born and raised in california, and have found northern california a wonderful place to live. I feel most comfortable, like a normal Jane Doe- I can live my life and just know that not everyone will be all up in my b usiness trying to find out how i got my great tan. Any similar stories? What about stories from New Mexico or the East Coast, two potential future homes?

As an interracial individual who was adopted and raise by white parents in a
completely white family, you would think I would consider myself as part of the white r
race, but I don't. Because I have at times been treated as if I was differe nt, and
frequently refered to those features of mine that are black, some would think I would
consider myself as part of the black race, but I don't.

For the most part I think I consider myself as different, not really fitting
in anywhere (although this isn't a constant feeling!) and would like to hear others
opinions and experiences.

Sara

Up until this point of my life, (I am 33) I have identified as Black. My Father was Black, my Mother was White. My Mother was unknown to me and I was raised in a Black enviornment. I am physically, culturally and socially ambigious.
I am at the p oint in my life where I am laying
my Mono-Racial standard aside, and raising the
standard that reflects my "true" identity. I am
Bi-Racial and that reality is reflected more than
by my looks, it is reflected by who I am, the music
I listen to, the people I associate with, the way
I express myself, the one's I chose to Love and the
very world in which I live.

Growing up I knew I was from two diffrent cultures. From that time I didn't really care. Who cares about the color skin or how you looked. It's what's inside that counts ?right? In a world of harmony sure! but now no.
In high school i realize that r ace was a click. I look into a mirror and i see my father filipino eyes, skin tone, and black hair. I see my mother mexican smile, chin, eye brows etc. So i did not fit the "norm" So when approched by filipino they were cool to me, but i felt sort out of place, they talked about diffrent traditions, foods, and the Philipines.
Things i could not relate to, which made it harder to hold a conversation. Plus they questioned are u really FILIPINO? So obviously me and filipinos were not very sociable.
Mexican were a little bit more hospitable towards me. So i became mexican. In high school social acceptions is very important. Not to mention i was closer to my mother anyway. It wasn't until my mother died, i realized i was alone. although i had famil y on my mother side they were all in mexico. So i was closer to my dad's family. So iwas caught in the middle.
It wasn't until i got in to college i learn about my filipino side. I joined a filipino club, stuck out the cold stares and learned about my forgotten history. I learned about being mestizo a word meaning mixed blood, and learned about a common history that filipinos and mexican shared. To make story short i didn't let pride or stupidy slow me down. Now that iam officer of the club, time t o time i see mixed filipinos, and don't know there other half. I hope that they will embraces both culture. Sure i get questions about being "down" but i just say iam mestizo-thats my race I am proud of both my hertiage-no history no self. Of course mes tizo can be open to definintion, but i define it as a line. A line i stand on. Before i felt alone standing on this line, swaying on both sides, but now i know i am not alone and makes me even prouder i have a click of my own. That I don't have to choose but be equal.

In being that I come from Southwest Louisiana, I am used of being aroung b
around people of mixed race. I, for one, am of Creole
(French, Spanish, African, and Indian)and Irish decent. Though I
do consider myself African-American, I am quite a ware of my unique
Creole/Irish heritage and very proud of it for the most part.
I am totally against racial classification because there
is only one race----THE HUMAN RACE!!!!!

First off..."Greetings to all"...

Secondly...being a 'multiracial/ethnic' indivisual has made my life very 'rich'
'Rich' being; I have gone through ups and I have gone through downs...but don't we all?

I am 40 years old and I have he ard and seen almost every racial atrosity to be had....I'm a true believer that we all have some sort of destiny. That we all should be a loving people, not a seperate people.
Skin color is for a reason...to challenge those who live the 'gifted' life style...i.e.white America...for them 'gifted' is a given for they are raised in a society that dictates beauty standards as well as all other standards in America.

I have faced the 'stares' of many...including the race in which I was raised...Bla ck.
My hurt comes not from the white folks out there....but from the race that proclaims so much hurt and pain from a past that none of us can fix...for whatever reason.....NONE of us can fix.
All we can do as a 'people' is fight the good fight.. ..give of ourselves...address issues that are sensitive....be real..not angry...real.
Anger and hate only produce more anger and hate....very ugly things I might add!
Politics, and religion, and seperatism isn't anyone's answer...we of multi-cultu ral ethninticity are here on this ole' world for a reason...kinda like God's way of saying, "look around you, see what else the Father can create", for his creations are gems....and that indeed is rare!
Hopefully one day when the hate and the anger an d the pain and the ignorance isn't so prevelant....we can actually look at each other as equals...and just maybe we can live a better life. Sort-of like 'waiting to exhale' if you will! :)
As a Rastafarian...all I can say is,"One Love, One Heart".
Sincerely,
Colleen:)

People often ask me where I'm from, and I rarely have a straight answer for them.
I used to end up explaining to them my whole family history, which got people
even more confused.
What I am is an eighteen-year old English/Malay female who was born in Spain,
grew up in South Korea and was education in an American school.
To be perfectly honest, I identify myself as being from all these places.
A lot of people think it's really interesting, but to my siblings and I,
it's just. ...normal. The only aspect of being interracial which I think bothers
me the most is the fact that I have no 'home town'. Having moved
around a lot as kids we never had the opportunity to settle
down comfortably in one country.
Obvious ly, I've gotten used to that idea. Now I just consider myself 'global'
and rather than feeling 'homeless' I'm starting to understand that I have a home in
all these countries.

I am a interracial child. I am thirteen and I am half Hispanic and half Caucasion . I think that this has really opened my eyes to two different worlds, but, when my parents did this, they didn't make a point that I am mixed. They see me and my brother as individuals without a label. We are the future of America, we are proud from where we come from but we do not limit ourselves to this. I have friends from everywhere, but I do not see them as "my hindu friend" or "my friend from Vietnam" but friends. B ecause I am mixed, I can see through the flesh, into the heart of my peers.
I am proud of who I am and where I come from. I am not a Hispanic. I am not a Caucasion. I am the happy medium. "the cream in the oreo," if you will!

Hello everyone! My name is Khulthum Russell. I'm mixed African American/Native American, and I'm a Sunni (Orthodox) Muslim woman.

It is very interesting for me to see all of the comments on this page! :)) I have a strong interest in culture, h istory, religion and language as you'll see by my course of study. My major is Cultural Anthropology/Speech and my minor is Philosophy (of religion)/Spanish. I am 21 years old and I attend CSU Fresno full-time.

Throughout my childhood, I've liv ed in practically every state in the U.S. And I've lived in virtually every type of neighborhood imaginable! I've lived in the Brooklyn, NY and I've lived in the Colorado mountains. I've lived in Georgia (whew!) and I've lived in South Carolina. Now I live in central California, and i must say, that I've been through many experiences in my short lifetieme.

My parents raised my siblings and I very well I think. We traveled often (even out of the country), and I think that helped us with seeing , understanding and accepting different people. To be honest with you, race in our family was never an issue. We knew who we were and we knew the history of our people, but that is where it ended. For us Islam was our way of life, and there are no colo rs in Islam. [There is mention in the scriptures that when our prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be with him) once had council, the members of that meeting could have made up all of the colors of the rainbow!] I'm multiracial, but I simply ident ify myself as being Muslim.

And if I may say, I'm attracted to men of all races!!! They are all very uniquely beautiful to me. :)) Currently, I'm in a relationship with a French man and we hope to be married. But in the past I've been attact ed to men of SO many different races! There have been Africans, African Americans, Japanese, Punjabis, Pakistanians, American Europeans, Swedens, Jamaicans, Mexicanos, Puerto Ricans.....oh my! You'd think I loved men! But the truth is that I've only be en in love ONCE in my life and that is with my French Sweetheart :)) I can just see the beauty in all of these men (And mind you, I cut my list short! I don't want to appear like someone that I'm not.)

I just feel like people shouldn't get so c aught up in this race and color trip! I think that we REALLY ARE DIFFERENT, because our different histories have shaped and effected the way we behave and think (that's why learning the history of a people is so important), but we are all still very much the SAME. We all have the same feelings and confront the same problems. If we could learn to stop passing judgement based on steryotypes and personal prejudices, we'd be a lot better off.

I wish the best to everyone! :) and I do welcome many letters, because I like to talk and I love meeting different people! :))

Have fun, Khulthum

Hey, my name's Allison, im 13 y/o and i am of interracial heritage. I always identify myself by saying that my mother is cacusian (part italian, irish, and german) and my father is caribbean or simply, that im mixed. I find it sad and frustrating that on a lot of standarized tests i am forced to chose between my mother's or my father's side. And since i live in new jersey, and the rather stupid law here is that u the race of the child follows the race of the mother, i have to answer cacuasian even though i feel this is denying my true roots.

I am mostly Black and East-Indian, with some white in me. But I
don't see myself as a color. I see myself as a human being, nothing
more, nothing less.

I thought I was so Japanese, since I did not really fit in with everyone else in Canada. My mother is from Tokyo, and my father from the U.S.A

People referred to me as the japanese or chinesd girl ( what's the dif, right?) :)
anyways, i alwa ys felt as if i had this huge connection with japan, i had been a few times.
last summer i wen t there for the first time since i was a kid, and everyone treated me and my caucasian friends as total foreigners, here was this country where I thought I would be accepted finnally, but I wasn't, i was more shunned there for being different than here in canada. i love canada so much for it multiculturism, and i only see myself as canadian, neither japanese or canadian. buh-bye!

As a bi-racial individual(b/w)I identify myself as such. I am originally from NJ but moved to Omaha 2 years ago
and I have noticed about as many interracial relationships here as I have in NJ. I wouldn't have expected it
being in the mid-west th inking they were too conservative for interracial couples to be as numerous. And when I do
see an interracial couple I smile on the inside because I know racism can come to an end by proof of so many inter-
racial couples and bi-racial kids.

I am a 28 year old Black woman. My father is Black and my mother is 1/2 Italian and 1/2 Russian. I don't know what all the confusion is about. I never had any doubts about who I am. I am so proud of my African heritage! I think being raised in NYC helped, there are so many different cultures thrown in together that I just blended in. Besides, most of us (interracial kids) look hispanic anyway (smile)! I'm not mad at Tiger for being proud of his different ethnic backgrounds, but I don't think he has reall y come to terms with his Blackness. (maybe his Dad was not as pro-Black as mine...) I think he offended alot of his people with the casianablin comment. I think race mixing is good. ON a personal note, I am mainly a ttacted to Black men but I do feel resentful when Black men are only attracted to me because of my fair skin or "GOOD" hair. Its all so superficial.

This is absolutely incredible. I had no idea that there are so many interracial
people around. I've lived nearly 16 years in Victoria, an almost totally white town.
My mother is of Japanese descent, and my father is an English immigrant. Not
s urprisingly, my mother is the one who gets the "well, you probably weren't even
born here" garbage, even though she's lived in Canada her whole life. I can't really
identify myself as anything racially (half-this, half-that) since it never really
comes up. It really blows me away when some redneck moron stares at us (as a family)
when we sit in a restaurant, or when people just can't figure me or my brother out.
We don't really look white or asian. All my cousins (seven of them) are m ultiracial.
No matter who I date, I'm "race-mixing". I've had two white girlfriends and two
Japanese (a good ratio, I suppose). Anyways, keep it up everybody. We're the future
of humanity.

Wow, it's cool to see so many interracial persons coming together. Myself, i'm half Japanese and half a mixture of English-Danish-Scottish-Irish-French. My mother is Japanese, but from Brasil, so i was lucky enough to enjoy a childhood that incorporated a mixture of a lot of different cultural backgrounds. Because of this i don't dominantly identify myself with any particular ethnic group. i feel as much Brasillian as i do Japanese -- as much Mongolian (i lived there for 2 years) as American. One thi ng i've noticed is that while for many it seems like there is no place where interracial individuals blend in, there are really very few places where interracial individuals really stick out either. It's pretty amusing to me that in different places i've had people think i was Japanese, American, Turkish, Russian, Buryat, Mongolian, German, Chinese, Korean or just not have a clue what my ethnic background might be.
i am very glad of my multicultural background and the things that i have learned both f rom my own cultures and those that i have had the chance to observe. Currently i'm working toward a degree in international development and hope to have the chance to experience even more cultures and learn of their beauty in the future.
i truly be lieve education is the key. you can not get to know and understand a culture, a people, or a person, without coming to love, or at least respect them.

As a Hispanic and Asian female, I have had an interest in other mixed people like myself. It seems the only people I can really relate to are my brothers. It has been interesting to read the comments posted on the board because most seem to address cros sing racial borders when it comes to dating, especially with people who are either black and white. However, when you look at the world's population over 60% are of Asian decent.

I would like to challenge the readers to think beyond the US's ster eotype of diversity as only African-American without the slightest understanding that people of other backgrounds extends far beyond that one group.

Growing up in the United States as a child of different heritages has been challenging to say t he least. People pass judgement on you appearance, your name, your accent, who your friends are, what kind of foods you eat, what kind of music you listen to, what your family looks like, etc. Many times I have thought it would be much easier to live the life of a person who is not tri-cultural and is only monocultural. It seems it would be so much easier. At the same time, I consider myself very fortunate (after trial and tribulation) to be on the brink of what tomorrow's society will look and feel lik e. The racially mixed community is growing at a fast pace.

If you are a mixed person, I would enjoy talking to you. Please email. Thanks.

I am a 33 year old biracial (Black/White) individual. I am currently a doctoral candidate working on my dissertation. I am doing a case study on the application of a particular theory of psychotherapy to a group of biracial clients. I am seeking ideas on how to establish my group (8 adults). I will be seeking out individuals in the Denver,CO/Boulder,CO area who are interested in volunteering for this group to address issues of racial identity and self esteem. If anyone has an idea of resources or places to post notices for participation in this group please E-mail me at BCooper553@aol.com. Please list your subject as "Biracial"so that I know it is a valid E-mail (I get alot of unwanted junk mail that I delete before reading it) Thank You

Interracial love

This topic has "suddenly" become a topic of interest to me since
I am doing this book review assignment for a ethnicity course.
The book (Black, White or Mixed Race by Tizard and Phoenix) is
basically about the children of mixed-parentage kids in Britain.
So, it was difficult not to reflect on my background and how I
relate to things. I am of a Chinese/Burmese/Sinhalese mixture;
my dad's parents having originated from Ceylon while my mom's
side is the Chinese/Burmese part. My grandmother on my mom's side
didnt approve of my parents' marriage to begin with but she
accepted us and basically took care of us when we were growing up.
I now live in Canada but grew up in Malaysia, another multicultural
environment so it was fairly common for people to inter-marry although
some cultures still preferred one to marry within. The way I
always say to my friends who ask me how I identify with this mix
parentage thing is this: I take advantage of the good aspects of
both cultures/races. So for instance when in China Town in Toronto,
I would speak whatever little Cantonese I know, just to get the
"right service" but perhaps in other respects, I may highlight
qualities from my other side. I just feel that people in general
are often curious as to "what I am" and would make the point to
approach me just to satisfy their curiousity. I dont mind really
But I am sure where you live plays a critical role in how one
feels about his/her mixed parentage. So, for anyone looking for
a less-racist and friendlier place for mix people, Malaysia and
Canada are good joints to come.

This topic has "suddenly" become a topic of interest to me since
I am doing this book review assignment for a ethnicity course.
The book (Black, White or Mixed Race by Tizard and Phoenix) is
basically about the children of mixed-parentage kids in Britain.
So, it was difficult not to reflect on my background and how I
relate to things. I am of a Chinese/Burmese/Sinhalese mixture;
my dad's parents having originated from Ceylon while my mom's
side is the Chinese/Burmese part. My grandmother on my mom's side
didnt approve of my parents' marriage to begin with but she
accepted us and basically took care of us when we were growing up.
I now live in Canada but grew up in Malaysia, another multicultural
environment so it was fairly common for people to inter-marry although
some cultures still preferred one to marry within. The way I
always say to my friends who ask me how I identify with this mix
parentage thing is this: I take advantage of the good aspects of
both cultures/races. So for instance when in China Town in Toronto,
I would speak whatever little Cantonese I know, just to get the
"right service" but perhaps in other respects, I may highlight
qualities from my other side. I just feel that people in general
are often curious as to "what I am" and would make the point to
approach me just to satisfy their curiousity. I dont mind really
But I am sure where you live plays a critical role in how one
feels about his/her mixed parentage. So, for anyone looking for
a less-racist and friendlier place for mix people, Malaysia and
Canada are good joints to come.

This topic has "suddenly" become a topic of interest to me since
I am doing this book review assignment for a ethnicity course.
The book (Black, White or Mixed Race by Tizard and Phoenix) is
basically about the children of mixed-parentage kids in Britain.
So, it was difficult not to reflect on my background and how I
relate to things. I am of a Chinese/Burmese/Sinhalese mixture;
my dad's parents having originated from Ceylon while my mom's
side is the Chinese/Burmese part. My grandmother on my mom's side
didnt approve of my parents' marriage to begin with but she
accepted us and basically took care of us when we were growing up.
I now live in Canada but grew up in Malaysia, another multicultural
environment so it was fairly common for people to inter-marry although
some cultures still preferred one to marry within. The way I
always say to my friends who ask me how I identify with this mix
parentage thing is this: I take advantage of the good aspects of
both cultures/races. So for instance when in China Town in Toronto,
I would speak whatever little Cantonese I know, just to get the
"right service" but perhaps in other respects, I may highlight
qualities from my other side. I just feel that people in general
are often curious as to "what I am" and would make the point to
approach me just to satisfy their curiousity. I dont mind really
But I am sure where you live plays a critical role in how one
feels about his/her mixed parentage. So, for anyone looking for
a less-racist and friendlier place for mix people, Malaysia and
Canada are good joints to come.

I do not understand how half caste individuals can classify themselves as being 'BLACK'whilst one of their parents is white-its PATHETIC!!!!!!!
Have you ever stopped to think how your white parent feels when their son/daughter, their own flesh & blood, defines themselves as 'BLACK',completely disregarding their colour which is half of YOU!!!!
NB: AND YES I am half caste AND NO I do not class myself as 'BLACK'
EVERY MIXED RACE PERSON OUT THERE BETTER GET
WITH THE PROGRAMME!!!!!!

I am a BLACK AMERICAN, not fully black but the closest thing that America has to BLACK, and what I don't understand is if there is a person that has a white mother they are considered mixed but if a person has a white grandmother they're BLACK. That's the idealism that is sent to the Black-American Community when a select few decide that they are the only people of mixed raced ancestory in AMERICA. Everyone of my Black American freinds has a Cherokee Grandmother or part-Irish grandfather, so why are they the black ones and everyone else is mixed. I have often come across friend, one in particular who is (Chinese, Greman, and Black) and he can tell you everything about his Chinese and German heritage but knows nothing about his black side because he has spent so much of his life trying to seperate himself from US. Now I'm not saying go back to Africa because we aren't from Africa we're AMERICAN and if we would take the time to study our BLACK-AMERICAN heritage we would see that BLACK-AMERICA is just as mixed as we are. There we more Mulattoes, Quadroons, and Octoroons, than pure Africans in BLACK-AMERICAN history. I don't really identify with my other cultures beacuse they DON'T WANT ME. Even though I have GERMAN ancestory I couldn't join the Nazies because I'm mixed, but if I wanted to join the Black Panthers even-though I'm mixed I could still join (NOT SAYING THAT I WOULD WANT TO JOIN EITHER)but with the black I have a choice. And the people (SOME not ALL) in my Vietnamese culture murdered HAPAS(Mixed-Asians) babies when they were born so why would I want to be a part of that????? It seems as if we are going back to that age-old stereotype of MULATTOES in SLAVERY:The House Slave who would turn in his or her BLACK MOTHER and FAMILY whose trying to escape up North to eat crumbs off of his or her WHITE FATHER'S (MASSA)floor.....NOT ME!!!!!! BLACK-AMERICANS (who are not 100% BLACK) have been coming in every shade from LILY WHITE to COAL BLACK since we've been over here. Why can't we be proud of our history (AMERICA NOT AFRICA) like everyone else? Take LATINOS for instance they are another RAZA that comes in every tone and color but unlike BLACK-AMERICAN they don't separate themselves just beacuse one has an Irish Grandfather and the other's 1/4 French, they're both Latinos and are linked by their Latin ancestory, well so what If you are (supposedly 1/1024 BLACKFOOT so is everyother Black in AMERICA, our ancestors worked to hard to get US not THEM where we are today for us to be ashamed of being identified with them. MULATTOES tried to separate themselves form BLACK before the Civil War: the Gens de Colour of New Orleans, the Mulattoes of Mobile, ALB, the Washington DC LIGHT-SKINNED Elite, but after the Civil War White (who had lost everything in the war) weren't even trying to hear from some IN-BETWEEN CULTURE so all of those MULATTOES were forced back into the BLACK POPULATION, that's when everyone's grandmother became part cherokee, with a little bit of CREOLE, TODAY'S MULATTOES AREN'T THE FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a BLACK AMERICAN, not fully black but the closest thing that America has to BLACK, and what I don't understand is if there is a person that has a white mother they are considered mixed but if a person has a white grandmother they're BLACK. That's the idealism that is sent to the Black-American Community when a select few decide that they are the only people of mixed raced ancestory in AMERICA. Everyone of my Black American freinds has a Cherokee Grandmother or part-Irish grandfather, so why are they the black ones and everyone else is mixed. I have often come across friend, one in particular who is (Chinese, Greman, and Black) and he can tell you everything about his Chinese and German heritage but knows nothing about his black side because he has spent so much of his life trying to seperate himself from US. Now I'm not saying go back to Africa because we aren't from Africa we're AMERICAN and if we would take the time to study our BLACK-AMERICAN heritage we would see that BLACK-AMERICA is just as mixed as we are. There we more Mulattoes, Quadroons, and Octoroons, than pure Africans in BLACK-AMERICAN history. I don't really identify with my other cultures beacuse they DON'T WANT ME. Even though I have GERMAN ancestory I couldn't join the Nazies because I'm mixed, but if I wanted to join the Black Panthers even-though I'm mixed I could still join (NOT SAYING THAT I WOULD WANT TO JOIN EITHER)but with the black I have a choice. And the people (SOME not ALL) in my Vietnamese culture murdered HAPAS(Mixed-Asians) babies when they were born so why would I want to be a part of that????? It seems as if we are going back to that age-old stereotype of MULATTOES in SLAVERY:The House Slave who would turn in his or her BLACK MOTHER and FAMILY whose trying to escape up North to eat crumbs off of his or her WHITE FATHER'S (MASSA)floor.....NOT ME!!!!!! BLACK-AMERICANS (who are not 100% BLACK) have been coming in every shade from LILY WHITE to COAL BLACK since we've been over here. Why can't we be proud of our history (AMERICA NOT AFRICA) like everyone else? Take LATINOS for instance they are another RAZA that comes in every tone and color but unlike BLACK-AMERICAN they don't separate themselves just beacuse one has an Irish Grandfather and the other's 1/4 French, they're both Latinos and are linked by their Latin ancestory, well so what If you are (supposedly 1/1024 BLACKFOOT so is everyother Black in AMERICA, our ancestors worked to hard to get US not THEM where we are today for us to be ashamed of being identified with them. MULATTOES tried to separate themselves form BLACK before the Civil War: the Gens de Colour of New Orleans, the Mulattoes of Mobile, ALB, the Washington DC LIGHT-SKINNED Elite, but after the Civil War White (who had lost everything in the war) weren't even trying to hear from some IN-BETWEEN CULTURE so all of those MULATTOES were forced back into the BLACK POPULATION, that's when everyone's grandmother became part cherokee, with a little bit of CREOLE, TODAY'S MULATTOES AREN'T THE FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I recently read an article where Tiger Woods said he was only 1/8 BLACK,1/4 this, 1/4 that what I want to know is HOW DOES HE KNOW THAT. I guess I could say that I am a QUADROON (A person of 1/4 black ancestory:the child of a MULATTO and a WHITE person) but HOW DO I KNOW? I am so SICK of everyone making thenselves sound like some sort of RECIPIE BOOK. EVERYONE in AMERICA is mixed, especially BLACKS and LATINOS....so what's the big deal with these so called NEW MIXED PEOPLE. My Family comes from a long line of miscongeneation. I have ancestors that participated in the famous QUADROON BALLS of New Orleans, I even have MIXED(Part BLACK)ancestors that OWNED SLAVES in Haiti, New Orleans, and Cape Verde. If they were mixed back then wouldn't todays BLACKS and HISPANICS be mixed, after all they're the decendants of those PURE and MIXED SLAVES and SLAVE-OWNERS. I know I don't look BLACK, that's probably why I am so PRO-BLACK-AMERICAN....My CAPE VERDEAN family always jokes about how AMERICAN BLACKS are DILUTED and NOT BLACK AT ALL...we don't even now what tribe or part of AFRICA we came from, and this is the truth. If I had a penny for every BLACK person I knew with NATIVE AMERICAN and/or EUROPEAN blood I'd be one of the richest people in the world. MULATTOES don't exists today; a MULATTO is the offspring of a PURE BLACK & PURE WHITE. Most of these MIXED PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DECENT would see that if they studied their BLACK-AMERICAN history they already we mixed before their mom married their dad or visa versa. MY CULTURE IS MIXED FOR ME AND HAS BEEN MIXED FOR 500 or MORE YEARS....I speak a language, CREOLE, that combined the FRENCH & SPANISH & PORTUGUESE of my EUROPEAN ANCESTORS with the AFRICAN & NATIVE AMERICAN TONGUES of my DARKER ANCESTORS...so why do I need a NEW culture..this MIXED RACE THING...MIXED RACE isn't even a culture...all it is is a fasad to group everyone into one catagory...no offense but if you've ever met a CREOLE, we are a proud people...I LOVE MY HERITAGE, so why would I want to be clumped in with someone who isn't of any AFRICAN DECENT, and doesn't have the same history as I do? BLACK and HISPANIC have been the MOST excepting of all the RACES, if we weren't then we wouldn't have so many different shades of ourselves. I've heard people say that to slove the world's racial problem we should all mix into ONE RACE....NOW I'M NOT PREJUDICE, how could I be, but that's one of the worst ideas I have ever heard...OUR CULTURES AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS ARE WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT....nobody has a house that's all one color inside and out, with the furniture, food, and appliances all the same color...most people like varity, well if everyone is the same then we have no varity....and trust me if we were all the same color someone stupid would start finding ways to make us hate each other...they did it with BLACKS:DARK-SKIN HATES LIGHT-SKIN, KINKY-HAIR HATES STRAIGHT-HAIR.....I like varity. I like being able to go visit my Jewish friend one day, my Irish friend the next, and my Cuban friend the next...

I recently read an article where Tiger Woods said he was only 1/8 BLACK,1/4 this, 1/4 that what I want to know is HOW DOES HE KNOW THAT. I guess I could say that I am a QUADROON (A person of 1/4 black ancestory:the child of a MULATTO and a WHITE person) but HOW DO I KNOW? I am so SICK of everyone making thenselves sound like some sort of RECIPIE BOOK. EVERYONE in AMERICA is mixed, especially BLACKS and LATINOS....so what's the big deal with these so called NEW MIXED PEOPLE. My Family comes from a long line of miscongeneation. I have ancestors that participated in the famous QUADROON BALLS of New Orleans, I even have MIXED(Part BLACK)ancestors that OWNED SLAVES in Haiti, New Orleans, and Cape Verde. If they were mixed back then wouldn't todays BLACKS and HISPANICS be mixed, after all they're the decendants of those PURE and MIXED SLAVES and SLAVE-OWNERS. I know I don't look BLACK, that's probably why I am so PRO-BLACK-AMERICAN....My CAPE VERDEAN family always jokes about how AMERICAN BLACKS are DILUTED and NOT BLACK AT ALL...we don't even now what tribe or part of AFRICA we came from, and this is the truth. If I had a penny for every BLACK person I knew with NATIVE AMERICAN and/or EUROPEAN blood I'd be one of the richest people in the world. MULATTOES don't exists today; a MULATTO is the offspring of a PURE BLACK & PURE WHITE. Most of these MIXED PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DECENT would see that if they studied their BLACK-AMERICAN history they already we mixed before their mom married their dad or visa versa. MY CULTURE IS MIXED FOR ME AND HAS BEEN MIXED FOR 500 or MORE YEARS....I speak a language, CREOLE, that combined the FRENCH & SPANISH & PORTUGUESE of my EUROPEAN ANCESTORS with the AFRICAN & NATIVE AMERICAN TONGUES of my DARKER ANCESTORS...so why do I need a NEW culture..this MIXED RACE THING...MIXED RACE isn't even a culture...all it is is a fasad to group everyone into one catagory...no offense but if you've ever met a CREOLE, we are a proud people...I LOVE MY HERITAGE, so why would I want to be clumped in with someone who isn't of any AFRICAN DECENT, and doesn't have the same history as I do? BLACK and HISPANIC have been the MOST excepting of all the RACES, if we weren't then we wouldn't have so many different shades of ourselves. I've heard people say that to slove the world's racial problem we should all mix into ONE RACE....NOW I'M NOT PREJUDICE, how could I be, but that's one of the worst ideas I have ever heard...OUR CULTURES AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS ARE WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT....nobody has a house that's all one color inside and out, with the furniture, food, and appliances all the same color...most people like varity, well if everyone is the same then we have no varity....and trust me if we were all the same color someone stupid would start finding ways to make us hate each other...they did it with BLACKS:DARK-SKIN HATES LIGHT-SKIN, KINKY-HAIR HATES STRAIGHT-HAIR.....I like varity. I like being able to go visit my Jewish friend one day, my Irish friend the next, and my Cuban friend the next...

I am a 14 year old female who is half Irish and half South African Indian. My mother is Irish, and I was born in South Africa, and after living there for 10 years I moved here- to England. In most peoples eyes South Africa seems to be very very race concious and a very racist country on the whole. But it is not. In SA I had white, Indian, black and other bi-racial friends who all treated me as an equal. I only actually started to realise that I was different from other people when I came to England, where I found people MORE racist then South Africa. Although people wont say anything to my face, I know what they are thinking and in the town I live in, people who are not white, or are gay or different in some way are not always treated equally. When I was in America, I found everyone, just so tolerant of me, and accepting. It made me feel a lot better, to see and know that there were and are lots of different ethnic minorities in the US. Much more then in England. Here in England the term "half-caste" is used to describe people like me, and I do find it offensive, because I dont see why, we do have to be put into groups according to our skin colour, why do we have to be categorized in the first place? It would be great if I knew more people who were mixed race, as I dont know that many now, only a girl from Zimbabwe who is half American and half black. So if you would like to get in touch- email me!

Jo-Anne

I am a 33 year old female. I grew up in California. I am Filipina, White, Black and American Indian. People assume I am either hispanic or Samoan. I feel as if I don't fit in anywhere because people always try to pigeon hole me into one race and I am not. I don't really identify with one ethnicity. I wish people wouldn't always ask what I am. I'm just a person, an individual. My ethnicity shouldn't determine the type of interaction I have with people.

Hello
I'm a fifteen year old girl .
My mom is Indonesian and my dad Dutch .
When people ask me " where are you from ? "
i always say : i'm from The Netherlands , because
i'm born and raised there and i never been in Indonesia .
When they ask me what is your heritage ? i say that
my mom is from Indonesia and my dad Dutch .
People often ask me : " WHAT ARE YOU ? "
I won't answer them
because i'm not a thing !!!! IM A HUMAN BEING !!!!!
Everyone person is , it dousn't matter if black , white
red , brown , yellow , purple !
I am proud of my mixed heritage ! By the way ,i personally
believe that theres nobody in the world who's 100% of
one race .
An example : queen Charlotte , wife of king George of England is directly decendant of Margarita de Castro y Sousa
a member of a the black side of the Portugese royal house .
So even the British royals have African bloodlines !
I didn't even know this at first , but i red that yesterday
on a webpage ! Be sure to check this site out ! you'll
be amazed how many famous persons have bi-racial backgrounds!
The adress is :http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/secrets/famous/

Much love, and be sure to respect everything and all that lives cause thats the only way to become and to stay happy !!! bye !! from Adaya

Hi! My name is Rieke, at least that whatI have been called.
I do have a german name "Heike" and a pakistani name "Reehana". But that`s where the difference already
starts. By german relatives wouls call me by the german
name and the pakistani relatives would call me with the
other. So my mom decided to call me Rieke.
When I was still very young my parents moved from Canada
to Germany, where I grow up. So because of that a lot
of people tell me I should feel German. (I am blond and
lighter coloured, too.) But I also been treated different
by people, that because of by pakistani father do not
accept me as German. On the other hand, the pakistani
people often look at me in disbelieve of my pakistani
heritage, because of my fair skin colour and my blond
hair. So what am I? At least I am not raelly German and
also I am not really a Pakistani. So because I am born
in Canada, that`s what I feel like most. Or maybe Eurasian?
All I know is, that I do feel like any other person. The
only problem, people of "one race" do not seem to be able
to understand the feeling of constantly trying to fit in
somewhere, but never really seem to fit. Am I the one that
is thinking wrong?
I believe due to experience, that a lot of people with a
mixed heritage and culture are strugeling with this subject.
If we only would come together, we would realize how many
people there are that are "different" and thereby are the
same and fit into this category: "BEING A DIFFERENT, BUT
SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL"!
I probably will take a lifetime to find the answers, but
web-sites like these ones will us.
Thank you for the opportunity to talk about a very personal
issue.
Rieke (Reehana)!

i am often asked what are you? or where are you from?
I was raised in England and my fahter is English so I often say I am from England--Then they say but you don't look English or Oh. I then say I am African-American, Seminole,Cherokee,English,Irish,and Scottish and that usually keeps them quiet. I think they wish they hadn't asked. They wanted to stop the confusion that my very being has caused and all I have created with my answer was more confusion, more reasons to question the very meaning of "race". White people see me in them and so do blacks, asians, indians, hispanics, greeks, italians. I am all of you(:

I am a black and white mixed person. On my Mothers side is English/Dutch, English/Scot-Irish. On my Fathers is more of a mystery. My best guess is that he is Creole because his skin was light yet his hair was that a full black persons.
Everything I know about my Fathers heritage is from my Mother she says his Father was very white looking man with straightish hair and his Mother was a very dark, full black woman. As a mixed person I grew up in a predominatly black neighbor went to black schools and had black friends. I didn't really care to classify peoples race until about third grade. As for my own indentity I surmised that I was indeed considered black by the world. As years go by I am finding that many races look at mixed people and automatically identify them to their own race whites look at a mixed person and say he's white and blacks look at a mixed person and say he black. So when I came home for school my mom would be there everyday and reinforce her way of life which was white. I guess being raised by her and being white caused me to have white girlfriends, closer white friends and influenced my music tastes food tastes and spare time recreation. So now at a later age I surmise that I am mixed black and white. I am not white neither black. A hybrid in a sense is what I am.

Hello My name is Dawn Meyers and I am from New Orleans Louisiana where I have spent my childhood and young adulthood. The subject of interacial identity is really intriging to me. My birth certificate states that I am a negro (I was born August 1971), however most would say that I look as if I am italian or spanish decent. Both of parents were classified as negro or people of color but neither looked as if they had african decent. I personally indentify with being African American. Through completing some basic family history background I found out that I have French and possible Spanish decent also on my mother's side of the family. Let me give a brief history of that side of the family. My mother's name is Marion Meyers. Her mother's name was Inez Baginers (grandmother). Her mother's name was Louise Imbert (great-greatmother). Her mother's name was Ambrosine Ramos(great-great-grandmother) and her father's last name was Imbert (great-great-grandfather)and he was a white man that was from France. According to the laws Ambroisine was not allowed to marry this Mr. Imbert because some where in her blood history she carried african blood though she was white as snow and her hair was fair long and black. Her last name also gave me some indication that she could have possibly had been of spanish decent because her last name was Ramos which is either itailian, latin, or spanish. In the past I have had a hard time dealing with my racial identity because I did not feel a part of any particular group. I chose to identity with the African American race was because I do realize that my history began there. The only problem is that I don't have any idea where it actually began because I only have the small piece of history on my family. It has taken me years to accept that I am a part of European decent and African decent because of the tortured I endured growing up. After spending years researching African-American history I realize that I am very proud to be a part of that history. Now that my anger and millant attiude has changed I believe I have accomlished I great task in accepting the most important part of raical identity and that is I am a part of the HUMAN RACE and there is no greater on the face of this earth!!!!!

I have just stumbbled upon these emails from various people around the world.
My identity is a question which I believe impacts on all areas of my life. My biolgical father is Puerto Rican and my mother is caucasian American. However, my step-father is white British and my brother is white.
I have often felt that I have the ability to fit into many different roles i.e English, American, Black , White, Puerto Rican, Spanish, Italian, whatever. I look as though I am from most of countries in the world.
So where am I from and what does that have to do with who I am? Not sure but still trying to work it out!

Love to all

Tanya

Are you worthy of marrying nobility? let em know at the America's beauties website.

This is really a plea. I work on a new sight that has a message board on adoption. Well one visitor named patrick, an adoptive parent, asked about raising a biracial child. I have searched and your discussion is the best on the web. Would someone respond to patrick. We do not have many visitors yet and I would like his question answered www.lighthouse-inc.org/mboardadoption.asp. thanks.

I am half white and half mexican, and I identify myself that way. I am both. I am multiracial, and will always, proudly say so.

I WAS TOLD THAT WE ARE CREE INDIANS KNOWN AS METIS SANS STATUE OUR FAMILY NAME IS WRITTERN LAVERGNE (DIT)LEBUIS THEY STARTED IN ST-EUSTACHE QUEBEC WE ALSO HAVE NAMES LIKE,OLIVINE LAMOUREUX,MARIE LOUISE LEVEQUE BORN IN ROCKLAND ONTARIO.SOME OF MY FAMILY WERE BORN IN ROCKLAND ONTARIO.COULD PLEASE HELP ME WHICH ONE OF THIS PEOPLE ARE INDIAN . ANDRE LEBUIS SPOUSE MARIE LAUREN,SON BENJAMIN LEBUIS MARRIED AGALEE BLEC 28-05-1855INST-AUGUSTIN QUEBEC MOVED TO ONTARIO .ONE OF THERE SONS WILFERD LEBUIS IS THE ONE WHO MARRIED OLIVINE LAMOUREUX 27-04-1885 CLARENCE CREEK

My father is black, my mother is white...
I am usually asumed to be black by whites, but black women seem to view me as white. I have lighter skin and bright blue eyes.
I date white men almost exclusively...just personal preference.

First, a little about me. I'm 24, white, and in the US Navy. I have a degree in psychology. I was born in Georgia. And I have a beautiful and exciting black girlfriend.

Yes...Georgia. I was raised with the background that whites were a superior race against all others...especially blacks. While I am guilty for once believing this, I am sickened at the thought I could be so horrible. I have cried many times at night and hated myself for it.

Up until I was stationed here in California two years ago, I have ALWAYS been physically attracted to black women, but was always too scared to pursue such relationships. I was scared my family would dissown me (my mother is much more open-minded...but it was my father's feelings I was worried about).

Well, now that I was free and away from my family, I have hooked up with an amazingly beautiful and charming sister. We've been together two years, and we still act like the relationship is new. We connect to each other on a very deep emotional level, our love lives are simply incredible, and I to this day can't get her out of my mind. I am constantly dreaming of building a future with her and raising a loving family.

But I am still a coward. We have yet to discuss it with out parents. I just wish so much everyone could accept everything the way it is and let everyone be happy. But it's simply not that way.

From the minute I tell my father, I just know that will be the end of a mediocre (but promising) father-son relationship. If I have to sacrifice my father for my lady, I will certainly do it in a heartbeat...but I just wish I could have both.

My father is a some-what wealthy upper-management factory employee...and has grown up in the South all his life. He's not a cruel man, and he has manners when he's out in public around blacks. But at home he is dead-set against them.

How do I convince a man like this that she is the ONE that has made me happy, and that I want to spend the rest of my life with her? More importantly, how will he "stomach" the idea of his grandchildren being mixed?

Please help.

Well, I think you have a tough situation at hand-but I think your gonna have to find the nerve to tell your dad and mom. It's going to be very tough, but your gonna have to. If you try to hide and lie, its just gonna make it worse. If you are straight up with him, ans just tell him like it is, then I think he might understand. Race really doesnt matter, even if it seems like it does. Well, I can feel your pain, cause I've always have been 'into white guys' as well as black, hispanic, whatever, race just doesnt matter to me.I like they way a lot of them look, But I find it hard to be with a man outside of my race, because a lot of the ones that I have tried talking to thinks that I am trying to convert them into being black and that is not the case. I dont have a boyfriend, cause I dont feel that I should have one right now, since I am trying to settle my life down, and since I am trying to find myself, I really don't need that. But I really hope that you and your girlfriend find some happiness, and your father makes the best our of the case!

Hi,

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Hello! I am a young woman pursuing a degree in history. My father is East Indian and my mother is African-American. I personally and exclusively identify with my African hertiage due to the fact while growing up, I felt mixed-hertiage children were shunned by the East Indian community. Now as a young woman, I am beginning to feel otherwise; however, my cultural surroundings are still African. People often inquire about my race,for example, thinking I'm Spanish or soley East Indian. I simply smile, and inform them that I am in fact of African descent. I love jazz, African history, African literature, and African men. In my opinion, the African community is more accepting of mixed-hertiage people, hence my choice of identity. I must admit, my life has not been as difficult as other mixed-hertiage people, for example, those of black/white descent with light skin, ect, because I am a dark woman. One thing I am grateful for is the fact that because of my hertiage, I feel am open-mined toward other ethnic groups, which is beneficial in the multicultural society of America.

Hi, I find this site to be quite interesting and I am hoping that someone will be able to help me. I am currently working on a disseraton exploring biracial siblings who identify themselves diffrently. I, myself am a product of an interracial marraige(mom is AA, Dad is white from Argentina). While I identify myself as Black, I do acknowledge and accept my mixed heritage. My sister, who looks hispanic, identifies with Latin culture. It is my guess taht the diffrencein our racial identity comes from the fact that we physically resemble differnt races. It is hard for me to look black, yet claim another culture. My sister always found it hard to claim her blackness, because people looked at her and said, "well what are you mixed with?". So my hypothesis is that siblings who claim diffrent racial identities might be influenced to do so by their physical resembelence. I am interested in talking to sets of siblings who have divergent racial identity. They do not have to be either o!
r, one might identify themselves as mixed, while the otehr might identify themselves as black. If anyone can help me, I would really appreciate it.

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