Chandra | Mixed Roots Stories

Online Directory of Race Research

The Center on Race and Social Problems at the University of Pittsburgh has developed a new Race Research Online Directory that provides more than 10 years of research at your fingertips.

http://www.crsp.pitt.edu/

“The center has always served as a leading resource for race-related research, but now it offers unprecedented access for students, educators, foundations, and government agencies whose work depends on good scholarship.

More than 100 videos of lectures from the speaker series, summer institutes, and the Race in America conference.
Pilot studies and other research projects at the center.
Hundreds of publications, including the journal Race and Social Problems.
Educational resources, such as a graduate course listings and award-winning student papers.
A listing of all center activities.”

The site includes the topic of “Interracial Group Relations.”

This resource is a great place for those who do academic work to gather information and possibly submit their work to expand the discussion on the Mixed experience.

This is also a great resource for those who need some background information and/or research to consider/include/inform the development of their Mixed Roots Stories!

‘Becoming Mexipino’ – A Story Worth Telling

Rudy P. Guevarra, Jr., discusses the mixed history and identity of two minority groups (Mexicans and Filipinos) in his book Becoming Mexipino: Multiethnic Identities and Communities in San Diego.

He weaves together the stories of Mexipinos in San Diego by exploring their families immigration to the United States, their fight for civil rights, participation and creation of labor unions, and socialization through cultural functions that brought couples of the two groups together.

“Thus, by examining the intimate, complex relationship between Mexicans and Filipinos in San Diego and exploring how they and their multiethnic children carved a place for themselves in the United States, we can begin to appreciate how identities and communities are formed, nurtured, and sustained over generations. Indeed, the multiple generations of Mexipinos are testimony to this unique history of multiethnic communities in the United States. It is a story worth telling.” (p. 12)

We agree! It is a STORY worth telling.

Becoming Mexipino: Multiethnic Identities and … – Amazon.com

Sharing stories through Cooking!

Food! It has a way of gathering people….families….friends…communities. Many favorite recipes are accompanied by a story that has been passed down through the generations. A recent blog post, Cooking Genes: Our Culinary Legacy on the Narrative Network, talks about the mixing of recipes that are brought from two different cultures in an a multiracial family. The author’s mother “loved to say that our food was delicious because we were a “mixed-up” family!”

http://yonarrative.com/cooking-genes-culinary-legacy/

This year Gloria Govan and Marlena Attinasi published A Mixed Girls Favorite Recipes.

“This cookbook is a collection of recipes that Gloria Govan and Marlena Attinasi have developed over the years of entertaining and raising their children. The Book is a sampling of our favorite recipes that are from the flavors of the cultures of our childhood, African American, Mexican and Italian. Some of the recipes we have named after our family members to honor them, as they have been an influence in our cooking styles and why we love food and entertaining. We are passionate about family and food being the center of every gathering. ” Find out more about the authors and order their book on their website http://www.mixedgirlsfavorites.com/

Science Fiction and Multiraciality: From Octavia Butler to Harry Potter

Did you miss the annual What Are You? discussion at the Brooklyn Historical Society?

Well don’t miss their next event: Science Fiction and Multiraciality: From Octavia Butler to Harry Potter

WHEN: Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 2:00pm

They will be exploring how science fiction narratives investigate questions about identity, racism, and fear!

It is sure to be an interesting, fun and lively discussion. You are even encouraged to dress up as your favorite sci-fi character!

This event is FREE! If you are on the East Coast…join the discussion! It will be held at:

Great Hall, Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

1st there was Johnson

Before Bill de Blasio became mayor of New York with his interracial marriage and mixed family supporting him. Kevin Johnson, mayor of Sacramento, married his supporting bride, Michelle Rhee (former chancellor of the District of Columbia School Systems) in September 2011.

Storytelling Techniques

Amanda Lewan is a digital storyteller. On her blog post 21 Awesome Storytelling Techniques (http://www.amandalewan.com/blog/digital-storytelling/25-21-awesome-storytelling-techniques) she describes storytelling as a form of sharing that can be told in many different ways.

“Storytelling is the core of who are as human beings, and it’s an art all in it’s own — no matter what form you are using. Many storytelling techniques still stand the test of time. With a little creativity and imagination, you can apply storytelling techniques to any form for your brand storytelling.”

She gives examples of 21 Awesome Storytelling techniques. Here are some favorites:

1. Show don’t tell.

4. Create a mood.

8. Appeal to our senses.

15. Make it interactive.

16. Make it visual.

19. Pull on our emotions.

How do you tell your story? What techniques inspire your creativity and imagination?

Kravitz Talks-Growing Up With White Father Black Mother

Lenny Kravitz has not been silent about his racial background. He has been known to tell his story through music. In his recent album, Black and White America, he discusses the world in which his parents met and he was raised.

In this video he shares what it was like being called out by a student on his first day of school that his father was White and what it was like being a mixed in school.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/lenny-kravitz-race-biracial_n_3355448.html

Does your family “match”?

NPR’s Code Switch blog does it again.

This story was hitting the headlines across the country. Journalists were interviewing families whose children had disappeared, thought to be kidnapped, asking them if they thought this could be their child. Meanwhile, they were showing pictures of the couple that this little girl was found with…and she looked like them…other than the fact her skin and hair was lighter. Then we find out…they ARE her parents!!!

Code Switch brings to light that this is not the first time that this has happened to a Roma Child.

This happens in America too…Families do not always MATCH! Interracial families and families who have transracial adopted children are who first come to mind of families that might not visually always look the same. But families come in a variety of different sizes, shades. and make ups. We must be cautious with first impressions on our ideas of what is a “family” and what “family” looks like.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/10/25/240865629/roma-children-removals-make-us-wonder-what-family-looks-like?sc=ipad&f=1001

Eartha Kitt – Never Finds Her White Father

The beautiful Eartha Kitt!

Did you know: She didn’t know her actual birthday until she was 71? She never knew who her father was?

Once she finally discovered her birth certificate she was allowed 15 minutes with it and her father’s name was blacked out.

Kitt died in 2008. Her daughter said: “She carried the scar of her rejection with her all her life. She was rejected for the colour of her skin ironically by both black and white.” Her daughter goes on to say: “To some extent, I think my arrival completed her because it gave her a family that she never had.”

Our mixed roots stories might have rejection, secrecy, and pain…telling and sharing our stories can provide healing.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/19/eartha-kitt-suffered-over-identity

Black and Latino

This mini-documentary, assigned in the Mixed Race Experiences course at Arizona State University, speaks to being mixed Black/Latino in America. Actors, singers, and journalists share their story on topics of language, skin tone, hair, and familial pressures (i.e. Laz Alonso, Tatyana Ali, Gina Torres, Judy Reyes, Christina Milian, Soledad O’Brien and more). They also speak about difficulties they have had in being cast due to their mixed heritage.

Black and Latino

http://www.mun2.tv/watch/shorts/black-and-latino

Great Hall, Brooklyn Historical Society 128 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201

Great Hall, Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201