As an interracial individual, I identify myself as being an
equal part of both ethnicities. I think that to acknowledge
only one part of yourself is to deny the other part. I don't
know as much about one of my heritages as the other, but, I
make every effort to learn as much as possible.

I consider myself as a "global"citizen. I am from India but have been in USA for last 26 years and legally I am US citizen . I have travelled in quite a few countries and have friends from all over the world. I see more similarities among people than the differences. I feel the differences are more of an "individual difference" than "racial" . Culture is changing constantly so noone really can claim to be representing an authentic culture.I enjoy knowing people who has my interests rather than who is fro m my specific race or nationality and I believe all of us create our own culture or multicultures.

My eight year old son is biracial, white and black. He
identifies himself as black. Since I am a single mother,
and am white, he has little or no experience of the
black culture. Up till this year, his attitude has been
very positive; bu t this year, one evening he told me that
he wished he were not black. He is a beautiful child,
very intelligent, very creative, and I wish I could help him
to have a richer experience of life. I am so proud
of my wonderful son, and it i s good to find that there
are others who feel, as I do, that racism must end.

I am now 28 years old and I can say for the first time that my identity as an interracial person is complete. As I was growing up I was raised in an all-white neighborhood and school system. I experienced many acts of racism directed towards me and my fa mily. Most of my early life a felt that I was white. I lived in an white environment and learned white history. My knowledge of other cultures and especially my african-American background was lost to me. After experiencing an identity crisis that las test 12 years, I have sought and taught myself the cultural heritages that I have been denied! That's why I have now dedicated my life to educating others on the illness that racism creates. Thanks for listening......!

Which one am I? This is a question that society asks people with multiracial backgrounds because they can't accept that people can be affiliated with more than one racial group. I love being mixed and I choose to celebrate both sides of my heritage. On my campus their exists many groups such as the Black Student Union and the Asian Student Union that don't meet all of my needs. So I started an organization for people with mixed backgrounds and we are becoming more widely recognized as a separate ident ity. It is wonderful to see a homepage with this topic, interracial people are the face of the future.
Stuart Hay

It seems like one can choose depending on the context faced.

But more importantly, we cannot choose to be either, since
we are both....

Does not a third category evolve?

Kapil Gupta.
imfwb@aol.com

It seems like one can choose depending on the context faced.

But more importantly, we cannot choose to be either, since
we are both....

Does not a third category evolve?

Kapil Gupta.
imfwb@aol.com

A few months ago, my boyfriend who is half Japanese and half White American (I am half Japanese and half Black American) and I watched a video called "Double." You can probably find it at your university library but not at Blockbuster. In any case, the mo vie emphasized that interracial people are double; we are not one or the other, but both. We experience both cultures/races and are representative of both. It's not a matter of choosing one over the other. We are both; we are double. When asked my heritag e, I answer, I am both Japanese and Black American. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am really happy to have come across this homepage and will be visiting often to read more on what people have to say about being interracial.

I was born in America which is a country that desperately
tries to put everyone into the black or white category. In
Canada, I find that to claim to be black or white is confusing
to most people. They can see that I have brown skin and are
more interested in the fact that I am an American. My
American heritage is far more threatening to Canadians and
their culture than my racial heritage. If I have to identify
myself by some hyphen or other, it would have to be as an
Amer i-Canadian.

Yes, I know, my wife is a married Canadian ;-)

As a woman living in a country where 'image is everything',
I find I must identify myself both privately and publicly in
different ways. I am African American with Cherokee,
Choctaw and Welsh roots. However, because of the 'socially'
accepted race designations in America, I identify myself as
a African American, since that blood is the most visually
dominant. Privately, I acknowledge myself as
African-American AND Native American, and honor that via my
personal r elationships with persons of all races, as well
as a positive attitude towards everyone.

I have always been very proud of the fact that I am interracial.
I have never felt that I should have to choose one race over the
other, and yet, I understand why some people do. I have friends
who look completely one race and it is a const ant fight for them
to defend their heritage. There are so many interracial
people in the world today that I feel that very soon we will
be a strong race on our own.

I feel I am who I am! I used to think I was black but now I do not know! Is anybody really black? If so how black are you! Not everyone can clearly say they are African! They don't know much about their history to say that! I am black and white so am I gr ey! Am I really a color or just a human being! I am drowning in this storm! How can I tell? Who should I relate with?

Identifying with any given part of one's persona is partially dependent upon upbringing (i.e. how one's parents taught one to think) and partially dependent upon other people's perceptions (i.e. who they think one is).

For me in particular, I fin d it difficult at times to satisfy the different expectations from different parts of the community. The Chinese community, for instance, expects me to consider myself Chinese Australian, while the wider community sometimes criticises me for spending too much time supporting the causes of a small part of the society as a whole. I think neither point of view is entirely correct. I say that I am half Irish, half Chinese, and wholly Australian. I also joke that the worst thing about being half Irish and half Chinese is that half of me wants to drink and the other half wants to argue about the price.

I do believe that as the years go by there will be more Eurasians in Australia. I am just one of the pathfinders.

I do, and always have, identified myself as multiracial. For
me, saying anything else is a lie. I am very proud of my
African-American, Irish, German, Norwegian and Native
American background. My parents have always stressed the
impor tance of embracing all parts of our heritage to me and
my brothers, and their guidance has lead us to be self-confident
and accepting of others, in spite of race.

I'm black and Korean. My Korean mother remarried when I was
about four. The only father I ever knew is white. I was raised, if any,
in the Korean culture. I love my family, and I'm very satisfied with
how I turned out overall.
But my question is why as individuals do we have
to identify ourselves as anything more than what we have to
offer as human beings?

I am half Japanese American and half Greek American. After growing up half in the US (in many different parts of the States) and half in other countries, as well as attending an international school, I don't identify with any one area of the world or any one race or ethnicity. That is too simplistic to reflect the reality of my life! I am just me - influenced by and fond of many different cultures and places.

My husband is half Jewish and half Welsh/German, and we are expecting our first child. I look forward to watching this child grow up and carve out her own unique space in this world!

I am Filipino, Chinese, Scandanavian and French. People are so
overwhelmed by the complexity of my genetic makeup and cultural
heritage. I grew up in So. California, and when I looked in the
mirror I saw a white girl. I never experienced any negative
prejudice. Only higher expectations because I was Asian.
When my family moved to Oregon in 1973 I was rudely introduced to
what prejudice and discrimination is. I began to see myself as
Asian from then on.

Decid ing which race to marry was a concern of mine for years.
The Asian side of my family pressured me to marry Asian..
ANY Asian was fine with them. I chose a German-American.

As a multiracial person, I never really fit in. I went as far as
to move to the Phillipines thinking that finally I would fit in.
They thought I was a Peace Corp worker.

At family reunions, my immediate family is always easily
identifiable. We're either the only white ones. Or the
only As ian ones. Again...we don't quite fit in.

The State of Oregon threatened to not issue birth
certificates for my children unless I chose only one
category of race. Social Security also only allows
one category. So my blonde haired , white skinned
children are classified as Asian!!!

As a child I watched as my parents endured a tremendous
amount of prejudice. It was illegal for them to
marry in the US, so they had to go to Mexico. When they
were courting they had to meet secretly.

Growing up interracial was NOT fun. If I were on only one
race...I would have chosen to marry within my race.
Because of the difficulties I have experienced in 37 yrs
of life, I would discourage interrac ial couples from
having children. The parents may feel that they have
the strength to endure the problems that accompany being
interracial, but I think it is unfair to burden the
children with their choice.

Enduring discriminat ion has built my strength of character.
But my siblings have not fared so well.

This is not so simple as to be only about love and getting
along with one another. People need to be more realistic!
There is a lot more to being interra cial than just how one
identifies themselves...

It is how the rest of the world identifies us!

I think the insistence of some multiracial people to just do away with all racial categories is both unrealistic and undesirable. I am proud to be half black, half white and Jewish, and I have no desire to see my distinct black or Jewish cultures vanish into a melting pot. I call myself black in most contexts (particularly the Census, when federal funds and other resources are at stake. But I reserve the right to assert my biraciality at times that are appropriate. I reject the argument that acknowled ging white ancestry is an attempt to deny my blackness. If a mother with two children ignores one and favors the other, most would call her a very bad mother. It is just as possible to love two ethnicities equally as it is to love two children equally. It's not as if love is a finite thing that you're going to run out of.

My racial background is Black, White, and American Indian.
I find it very difficult to select from one of these groups
and say that this is what I am. I prefer to think that I am
multiracial and that my ethnic identity is a mix of different< br>groups. However, society, especially in the U.S., doesn't
like this answer. I strongly resent those who insist that I
define myself by their standards. I'm grateful that I found
this homepage and wish that I could find individuals or groups
in NYC with whom I could talk about this. It gets kind of lonely
sometimes.

I am a 17 year old BIOLOGICALLY biracial female (I have a black mother and a white father). After going through a hellish time in middle and high school figuring out my racial identity, I have realized that I am a black woman socially. I feel like a black woman. That is what influences the decisions I make every day.
Wheter we want to admit it or not, racism does exist and I am grateful to the numerous multiracial organizations for putting in an effort to try to get people to realize that th ere ARE others out there besides blacks and whites. I commend those who do identify as biracial because, although that is what we are, it does take a lot of strenth to identify that way. I am unnerved by others in the biracial community who would say that I am a "sellout" to the plight because I identify the way that I do. I face the repercussions of my choices every day too because many think that I'm Puerto Rican.
Maybe one day my views of my identity will change, but for now, at age 17 I am comfor table being a black woman with biracial ancestry.
I want to commend those individuals who have put SO MUCH time and effort into this movement like Charles Bird (Interracial Voice), Karen Downing (U of Mich.) and numerous others. It's sad that al l we are asking is to be seen as people.

Although I do not have a computer,
anyone can write me : Monique Gifford
1952 Atkinson
Detroit, MI
48206
Keep striving.

I am a 17 year old BIOLOGICALLY biracial female (I have a black mother and a white father). After going through a hellish time in middle and high school figuring out my racial identity, I have realized that I am a black woman socially. I feel like a black woman. That is what influences the decisions I make every day.
Wheter we want to admit it or not, racism does exist and I am grateful to the numerous multiracial organizations for putting in an effort to try to get people to realize that th ere ARE others out there besides blacks and whites. I commend those who do identify as biracial because, although that is what we are, it does take a lot of strenth to identify that way. I am unnerved by others in the biracial community who would say that I am a "sellout" to the plight because I identify the way that I do. I face the repercussions of my choices every day too because many think that I'm Puerto Rican.
Maybe one day my views of my identity will change, but for now, at age 17 I am comfor table being a black woman with biracial ancestry.
I want to commend those individuals who have put SO MUCH time and effort into this movement like Charles Bird (Interracial Voice), Karen Downing (U of Mich.) and numerous others. It's sad that al l we are asking is to be seen as people.

Although I do not have a computer,
anyone can write me : Monique Gifford
1952 Atkinson
Detroit, MI
48206
Keep striving.

I am a 17 year old BIOLOGICALLY biracial female (I have a black mother and a white father). After going through a hellish time in middle and high school figuring out my racial identity, I have realized that I am a black woman socially. I feel like a black woman. That is what influences the decisions I make every day.
Wheter we want to admit it or not, racism does exist and I am grateful to the numerous multiracial organizations for putting in an effort to try to get people to realize that th ere ARE others out there besides blacks and whites. I commend those who do identify as biracial because, although that is what we are, it does take a lot of strenth to identify that way. I am unnerved by others in the biracial community who would say that I am a "sellout" to the plight because I identify the way that I do. I face the repercussions of my choices every day too because many think that I'm Puerto Rican.
Maybe one day my views of my identity will change, but for now, at age 17 I am comfor table being a black woman with biracial ancestry.
I want to commend those individuals who have put SO MUCH time and effort into this movement like Charles Bird (Interracial Voice), Karen Downing (U of Mich.) and numerous others. It's sad that al l we are asking is to be seen as people.

Although I do not have a computer,
anyone can write me : Monique Gifford
1952 Atkinson
Detroit, MI
48206
Keep striving.

As a person of a white mother and black father,
I try to identify myself as multiracial whenever possible.
This, however, is difficult at times especially when
most forms and applications make you chose just one race.
Growing up biracial, I did not have much difficulty with
racism. There was always another biracial person in my class
or at least in my school. The only difficulty I have is
letting my friends know because I don't know how they will react.
Most of my friend s are white but that is just because
I am not considered "black" enough for most African-Americans.
Growing up biracial is an experience that is unique and I believe
will make me a stronger person. No one, however, should
expected it to b e easy.

As a person of a white mother and black father,
I try to identify myself as multiracial whenever possible.
This, however, is difficult at times especially when
most forms and applications make you chose just one race.
Growing up biracial, I did not have much difficulty with
racism. There was always another biracial person in my class
or at least in my school. The only difficulty I have is
letting my friends know because I don't know how they will react.
Most of my friend s are white but that is just because
I am not considered "black" enough for most African-Americans.
Growing up biracial is an experience that is unique and I believe
will make me a stronger person. No one, however, should
expected it to b e easy.

As an interracial child, I have always been taught to identify
myself as a person. My parents (white dad, black mom) were married
in Chicago in 1964 when it wasn't "cool". They have seen enough racism
in their time that I was taught good and bad from both sides.
My parents raised their children to always be the best at what
you do because people will look at you and expect you to fall
into some sort of stereotype and they will want to categorize.
I and my sisters have worked hard to put ourselves in positions
where we have the power to make a positive change and to be
the case where interracial marriages don't spawn manic
children who don't know what they are. The best advice I can
give to a parent is to raise that child to have pride in
themselves. Sure, there will be ignorent people who will call
names, but teach them that it is because they are jealous of
your hair(I got that a lot) or that you are different. Pride
in yourself will overcome everything. My parents have raised
a Doctor at Harvard, a major network marketing consultant and
owner of 2 reputable marketing firms, and an executive for GE.
Teach them to hold their heads up and be proud!!

Personally, I identify really well with
both races(I am half Jamaican and half
American). Sometimes I feel as if I identify
with my mother more and I believe that this is
because she is the same gender as I. But I also
identify with my father and my reason for this
is because I believe is that I was born and
raised in southern California like my father
and my mother was born and raised in Jamaica.
I feel myself fortunate many times because I
think I got t he best of both worlds, but in
other instances I feel unfortunate because I
don't really know which group I belong in. And
as a human being, I need that feeling of belong-
ing.
If anyone wnats to discuss this or other
issue s along this line, please write me at
jscanipe@puc.edu

My son is only a year old now ( Black/German white) and I find my self wondering how will he identify with his dual ethnicity? I am Black and American Indian, raised in Dallas Texas. I have now idea of my other half. My son now lives in Germany with his m other, and very few blacks. I fear that society will not let him be dual in his ethnicity. As I my skin dictates, I am a black man in the eyes of America. Even though I feel split and a little confused. Get back to me on this if there is a solution. Anyon e!

Is there anyone out there who is a biracial mix of black and white and would be willing to answer a brief survey about how you identify yourself, how you feel, the obstacles you've faced etc. ? I am a graduate student taking a class in cultural diversity , and some classmates and I are studying biracial individuals. If you want to participate, please send me a brief e-mail and I'll send you the survey - it should only take about 15 minutes to complete. Thank You !!

Black, Polish and ChoctawBut fiercely and proudly Black.

Black, Polish and ChoctawBut fiercely and proudly Black.

well, this screen is tremendously small. in fact it reminds me a great deal of the itty - bitty boxes i check on those rude little forms they keep giving me. i would suggest to you out there who are interested in making a new category that the issue is n ot "race", but a value system which promotes binary opposition. Until we begin allowing ourselves room for something besides either/ or - one or the other, we're not going to change anything in this stratified system.
Personally, i'm black. I'm going to be black until the day i die. Black is a constructed notion. Like saying Jewish is a race, it's an unreality. I appreciate that in that noone is completely black or ever will be. I live in blackness, because it allows the most room for reconstruction and deconstruction, although it is not without its difficulties.
I'll hit off more some other time. E - mail me if you ever feel to .
watsob01@newschool.edu

As an Interracial Male, I identify myself as both black and white,
however, I affiliate myself predominantly with those of African-American
descent, and most often date those who are bi-racial. Though this
was not always the case. I am 21 yea rs old now, and haved lived
in Southern California my entire life. I grew up in a upper-middle-class
neighborhood, which primarily consisted of elderly Caucasion
people. The children in the neighborhood were also Caucasion, thus
that was who I identified with, for the majority of my childhood.
I endured in such extra-curicular events as surfing, skateboarding,
and swimming,events deemed as being, "white sports." It wasn't until
junior high school that I got pressured by the " black folks" to
start "acting my color." I also started playing basketball, and
two of my teammates, (who happened to be black), were friends of
mine from some of my classes. So to make a long story short, I
made a metamorphosis from the surfer "white-boy wanna be", to
the basketball playing "homeboy!" At that point in my life it
was extremely difficult to find a true identity. The identity
I was acting in was just that, an act. It wasn't until my Junior
year in high schoo l, that I accepted who I was, being that of my
Dutch mother and my Black father. I was a complete whole, from
two different halves, and since then I have loved the interracial
person I've always missed.

As an Interracial Male, I identify myself as both black and white,
however, I affiliate myself predominantly with those of African-American
descent, and most often date those who are bi-racial. Though this
was not always the case. I am 21 yea rs old now, and haved lived
in Southern California my entire life. I grew up in a upper-middle-class
neighborhood, which primarily consisted of elderly Caucasion
people. The children in the neighborhood were also Caucasion, thus
that was who I identified with, for the majority of my childhood.
I endured in such extra-curicular events as surfing, skateboarding,
and swimming,events deemed as being, "white sports." It wasn't until
junior high school that I got pressured by the " black folks" to
start "acting my color." I also started playing basketball, and
two of my teammates, (who happened to be black), were friends of
mine from some of my classes. So to make a long story short, I
made a metamorphosis from the surfer "white-boy wanna be", to
the basketball playing "homeboy!" At that point in my life it
was extremely difficult to find a true identity. The identity
I was acting in was just that, an act. It wasn't until my Junior
year in high schoo l, that I accepted who I was, being that of my
Dutch mother and my Black father. I was a complete whole, from
two different halves, and since then I have loved the interracial
person I've always missed.

I identify myself as African American, I am very light and unfortunately many people mistake me for Hispanic or non-African American, this makes me feel like I don't belong anywhere sometimes.
I grew up in a white community but my parents raised us to be African American and I thank them for that. My mother is 1/2 African American, my father is African American. I married a white woman and have never really dated any African American women in my 29 years. This is because I was never around any Af rican American women growing up, and my mother looks white. This is the only place where I believe I have trouble identifying.
I don't have a problem with any race of people, but I have a concern that I am not accepted by eithier African Americans or whites and that my son who at 2 looks more white than anything may have the same issues. I can only hope that it will not be an issue when he is older.