Bi Racial
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Abstract
When I was growing up I had a hard time understanding why I looked so different than the other girls did. I was always the one that did not fit in, my hair; eyes and skin were darker than the rest.
I did not have anyone that I could relate to and had a hard time making friends because I was so different. I used to wish that I was white my hair blonde and my eyes blue, I did not accept the fact that I could never be something I was not. I was the only minority in my school until fifth grade. The minorities stuck together as we were not easily accepted, and it was not until high school that we were allowed a multi cultural group in which we could address our similarities, and differences. I am a bi racial and have no real group that I feel I belong in, and like most bi racial children I struggled with my own identity. I was taller than all the Asians and had too dark of features to blend in with the Whites. The answers to the core questions are all No, because there are not too many people like me around. Most people who are bi racial are mixed with black, and I am mixed with Asian. When the media talks of race they are always talking of one solid race and we are left out of the topic. I think that my community can help by broadening the spectrum and allowing all people to be involved. This means letting children be aware of both their cultural sides and by making places where people feel welcome no matter what they look like. I am going to cover what it is like to grow up in a world where you are never accepted and always asked “what are you”. There are many like me, but not enough to be recognized.
In my community
Over the last few years Minnesota has become more racially diverse, it is estimated that in 2030 16 % of the population in Minnesota will be people of color. That is an increase of half when you compare the 9% color proportion in 2000. (Toney, 2006)
The people in my community are usually white and no racism is portrayed, but it does exist. It is stated to be harder for a person of color to obtain a high paying job. Minnesota is claimed to be one of the worst in the nation when it comes to this inequality. Districts with an enormous growth in racial communities have had legislators fail to address their needs. The laws are stricter for those who are of color; we are often made an example of. When a person of color breaks the law they get what is written in the law book, when a white person is arrested they get a second chance. The people are generally friendly, but they use discretion when interacting. My neighbor does not allow my child to enter her home when she plays with her child. I know this reason, but it is hard to explain to a five year old why she is not welcome in another persons home.
Bi Racial Americans
To be Bi racial is means; you are biologically or culturally from two or more races, ethnicities, or cultures. It is estimated that there are 10 million bi racial Americans in the United States, of that there are 126 different racial combinations.(Jones, 2004) Maris Root is an activist for the bi racial community and she has made us our own bill of rights. These simple practices are made to help the growth of a multi cultural persons life. These are the rights are as follows:
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Multiracial individuals have the right to self-definition
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Multiracial individuals must resist the oppressiveness of choosing only one heritage group
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The right to be complex, ambiguous, and to change over time and situations
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The right to claim membership in multiple heritage groups
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The right to prioritize membership with one group
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The right not to justify cultural classification
Our Struggles
Experts suggest that most bi racial people have a struggle with their own identity, and often question their heritage and where they belong. There is high rate for depression and bi polar disease. We do not fit in to one category or one social group. When there is a disagreement among races we are often able to see both sides and challenge the notion that a person can not have multiple race affiliations. We are more likely to have family members that do not accept us. My grandmother rejected me as a child and disowned my mother for having relations with a white man. She told my mother that I would never fit in and how could she bring a “yellow baby in to this world, with no race to claim.” Some times I feel that my grandmother was right. We feel pressure to relate to the group that we most look like, and like me I will never totally blend in. When we date it is hard to find a partner of the same make up, and often leads to another mix of races. My child is black, white, and Asian. I worry; she too will face the same feeling I did as a child, since she is the only one in our community that is mixed. We are part of both worlds yet we do not totally fit in with either group. There is always one member of our group that casts us to the other group. (Jones, 2004)
The Positives of Being Bi Racial
We are the new breed of human; we can bring change