Thanks to Steven F. Riley of www.mixedracestudies.org for the heads up on this wonderful radio interview. Host Al Letson and Producer Lu Olkowski visit a small town in Pike County, Ohio to learn more about a family that looks ‘white’ but some of whose family members strongly identify as ‘black.’
Author: Storyteller
Dutchman
from the 2007 New York Times review
Dutchman is a play by Amiri Baraka (still named LeRoi Jones when it was first published in 1964). The controversial play covers interracial relationships, racism, stereotypes and capitalism. (see this review of the 2007 revival from the New York Times)
I am Mixed – Reserve your copy TODAY!
Jay and Nina discover they can enjoy the best of both worlds their parents come from in this new children’s book “I am Mixed” by Garcelle Beauvais and Sebastian A. Jones. Garcelle Beauvais has joined Stranger Comics to launch an “I AM” series. “I am Mixed” is the first in the series. Pre-order your copy today!http://www.strangercomics.com/i-am-mixed/
Early Reader Summer Reading
Have an early reader in your home? Check out this early reader book series Amy Hodgepodge (www.amyhodgepodge.com) presented by the Wayans Family. This series of 6 books is bound to keep your new reader occupied this summer exploring the life of Amy, a multiracial fourth grader who moves to a new school and all her adventures. On the website you can meet her friends, see her scrap book, enjoy activities, trivia, games, merchandise and more!
Diversity amongst OUR stories
Each of our stories is uniquely diverse. The diversity amongst our stories is what makes them so important to tell. We all have a different story, don’t we?
Check out this TED talk on the danger of ONE story.
http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html
Multiracial Child Resource Book
Multiracial Child Resource Book: Living Complex Identities by Maria P. P. Root & Matt Kelley (editors)
This book is a great resource for families, teachers/educators, and counselors, as well as for multiracial individuals. In a section of Multiracial 101, history, discrimination, and health issues are addressed. There is a complete section on Identity and Development that not only address parental issues in supporting multiracial children create their stories, it goes through developmental stages providing resources throughout. The book ends with a section on Specific Multiracial Heritages. You can purchase this book from the MAVIN foundation http://www.mavinfoundation.org/new/.
Alter Egos…
In Latte Rebellion, author Sarah Jamila Stevenson explores the complexities of wanting to belong through a girl who is “half-Indian, a quarter Mexican, and a quarter Irish” (pg. 13). After another name calling incident, Asha and her friends create a little club, using alter egos, to raise awareness about mixed race students and raise money for a senior trip. Come to find out, many students were looking for a place where “lattes of the world, unite” and the club grows beyond their control. In high school, I connected with other mixed race students on my campus. We too created little nicknames for each other to create our own secret society. Latte Rebellion also addresses the complexities of challenging parent and friendship relationships that come in the later years of high school. http://latte-rebellion.com/
Are you a Lavender Llama?
Lavender Llama by Tandy Braid
When I found Lavender Llama I couldn’t believe what I found. It is a simple little story that addresses overcoming bullying by sharing love and respect, through the eyes of a little llama that has a red parent and a blue parent. This is a great children’s book for all children helping them understand that being unique is okay. Lesson plans have been created to accompany the use with a group of children or in a classroom http://lessonplanspage.com/SSLavenderLlamaDiscriminationIdeaK3.htm/. [link to amazon]
Christmas in Hanoi
publicity still from EastWestPlayers.org
Christmas in Hanoi is a full-length play that follows a Mixed family’s return to Vietnam after the death of their matriarch. Winnie and Lou (played in the debut performance by Elizabeth Liang and Joseph Daugherty), are the children of an Irish Catholic father (Michael Krawic) and a strong-willed Vietnamese mother (Elyse Dinh). Winnie must overcome her deepest fears in order to finally bury her mother and move forward with her life.
Playwright Eddie Borey won the East West Players Face of the Future Playwriting Competition with his script for Christmas in Hanoi. The debut performance was directed by Jeff Liu, and the premiere was presented in association with Multiracial Americans of Southern California and Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association
Here’s a link with more info: Christmas in Hanoi at East West Players
War Baby/Love Child
Book:
War Baby/Love Child: Mixed Race Asian American Art
Edited by Laura Kina and Wei Ming Dariotis
Published by University of Washington Press, January 2013
$45
Exhibitions:
DePaul University Art Museum
April 25, 2013 – June 30, 2013
Opening reception: Thursday, April 25, 2013 5:00-7:30pm
935 W. Fullerton Chicago, IL 60614
773-325-7506
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience
August 9, 2013 – January 19, 2014
719 S. King Street Seattle, WA 98104
206-623-5124
War Baby/Love Child is a book, a traveling art exhibition, website and blog that meld critical mixed race studies with contemporary art to examine representations (or lack thereof) of Mixed Asian Americans.