It is almost inevitable to avoid the topic of race in today's society. From the trending topics of interracial dating in the A-list community to the continuing racism in the the police field. As race is a part of one's identity many individuals choose to only express the "prominent" part of their identity. As we move into 2016 more and more individuals are no longer neglecting expressing another part of their identity. These individuals are now proudly identifying themselves as bi-racial or multi-racial.
As a bi-racial individual myself (African-American and Japanese) I have also pushed back my bi-racial heritage due to many factors that try to keep individuals like myself in a line. These factors are put in part from the on-going views of race in today's society. A quote from Martha S. Jones from CNN reads "America largely believed itself organized around a racial binary. It was good to know where you stood, even if it was an awkward fit." We continue feeling like we are being marginalized by U.S. society.
For example, on paper, individuals are classified based on a box, you are prompted to answer this question "Please specify your ethnicity origin or race" following this question it states "check only one". Not until the 2000 census did for the first time residents get to check more than one ethno-racial identity and thereby identify as multi-racial. I am continuously asked "what are you?" and I state that I am African-American and Japanese. Then they continue with this " but what do you associate with more?" and in that time I have to decide what race I associate with more, based on what? I am forced to abandon a race in order to become more accepting in the norms of society because my decision of acknowledging my bi-racial identity "denies loyalty to the oppressed racial group." The accepting nature of the multi-racial population has slowly grown in the 21st century and more of the population are rejecting the color lines that have been put in place by U.S society for generations in favor of a more fluid sense of identity.
I personally have hid my heritage because of racial discrimination against minorities and the ongoing racism I face today. I have found that I am an easy target of stereotyping and racial slurs, I receive double the load. Looking from the outside you see an African American female and this is what I have relied on my entire life. I was African-American, that is all and with that I already faced the ignorant racial stereotyping.
Yet, as people got to know me and learned about my Japanese heritage the ignorant racial slurs and stereotyping got to an all time high. I was "blackanese"(black-Japanese) or a "Jigga"( Japanese n****). I received the racism toward the African American community and the Japanese community but for some odd reason I had to associate myself with one race. I wasn't "black" enough because I spoke in a different dialect or because I choose to wear my hair straight. I wasn't Japanese enough because I didn't speak the language or indulge in every aspect of the culture. This uncertainty due to racial discrimination has made me feel as if I did not belong in either race. The uncertainty over time has pushed me to discover myself and to be proud to express both my culture. Regardless of race people are going to be ignorant and misguided but we must teach the multi-racial community that because of this we must teach each other how to acknowledge and accept our races in order to avoid this uncertainty.
I am proud to be the daughter of an African-American father and Japanese mother. I am also proud of the things I have learned in the journey of finding my real identity and accepting every aspect of me. This does not always come easy to bi-racial and multi-racial individuals but with the progressive nature of society and from knowledge of these individuals I feel that acceptance will come. I am proud and hopeful.
