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mixed roots

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!

Diversity in Theater Forum – RSVP today!

If you are a theater actor, playwright, or crew member in Los Angeles, this event is integral to your career:

“Theater leaders in Southern California will convene for a second panel on racial diversity that will serve as a sequel of sorts to last year’s discussion hosted by East West Players in downtown Los Angeles.

The upcoming panel will be held Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pasadena Playhouse. While last year’s event was by invitation only, the upcoming discussion is free and open to the public.

Panelists expected to attend include Michael Ritchie, artistic director of Center Theatre Group; Marc Masterson, artistic director of South Coast Repertory; Sheldon Epps, artistic director of the Pasadena Playhouse; Tim Dang, artistic director of East West Players; and Jessica Kubzansky, co-artistic director of the Theatre @ Boston Court.”

Click below for the full article:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-diversity-panel-theater-20131122,0,6658032.story#ixzz2m4ZMjZrw

TV Show’s Portrait of the Mixed Experience

from abc.com

from abc.com

If you are at all interested in media representations of the Mixed experience, The Neighbors is an important situation comedy to watch. It airs on ABC at 8:30 (7:30 Central) and is in its second season. The show centers around two families: The Weavers – Debbie, Marty and their three children – are a ‘white’ urban family that has moved to a gated community in search of a quieter life. Their neighbors are aliens from the fictional planet Zabvron – and they are a Mixed family. The father is European, and his name is Larry Bird (they adopted human names to try and fit in). The mother is also European, and she’s played by the wonderful actress Toks Olagundoye (whose father is Nigerian and mother is Norwegian). Her character’s name is Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Their children are Dick Butkus (‘white’ red-haired Ian Patrick) and Reggie Jackson (Tim Jo, who is Korean American). The ‘interracial’ pairings in the show include: Larry Bird and Jackie Joyner-Kersee (in a not-as-common ‘white’ man/’black’ woman match), and Reggie Jackson falls in love with the Weaver’s teenage daughter, Amber. In the second season Amber and Reggie continue to solidify their relationship, especially when it becomes threatened by a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Zabvronian who insists she is Reggie’s soul mate. Although the writing sometimes falls back on cliches and stereotypes, the actors are really strong and when the writing is good there is a lot to ponder here about ‘race’ and racism.

from abc.com

from abc.com

The first season is out on DVD and if you have time over the holidays, I’d recommend watching it from the beginning. If you want to check out one episode to see if you like it, Season 2, Episode 4 is a particularly poignant show on the Mixed experience. Jackie and Debbie have become best friends (another wonderfully portrayed ‘interracial’ relationship), but Jackie has been feeling neglected – so Debbie offers to do anything that Jackie wants to do. Jackie has an appointment to get her hair done at a ‘black’ hair care salon in LA., not everything you presume will happen happens as a result. The show doesn’t shy away from some relevant contemporary topics – and for a sitcom I was impressed at its approach.

BUT, the fact remains that the interracial couple is made of aliens – a harsh reminder that Hollywood still isn’t completely ready to embrace Mixed relationships in ways the rest of us have been doing for centuries.

‘Becoming Mexipino’ – A Story Worth Telling

Becoming Mexipino

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

“Cultural Collisions” – MASC Benefit

Cultural Collisions

 

“Cultural Collisions” – a benefit performance for Multiracial Americans of Southern California (MASC)

Joe Hernandez-Kolski, two time HBO Def Poet, is performing his one-man show at the Bootleg Theater (2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057) as a benefit for MASC. The show is about the realities of being mixed race, and how American society is rapidly changing, and he does so with laughs on the way to truth.

If you live in Southern California, make sure to represent and show your support on December 7, 2013 – 7:30pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/1430119257201103/?source=1

‘Biracial’ Teacher Reprimanded for Making ‘White’ Students Uncomfortable

This brief article doesn’t go into detail about what this teacher might have done to make students feel uncomfortable – but we found the racial labeling of those involved interesting (did they self-identify as  ‘white’ and ‘biracial,’ or did the journalist make assumptions?). Our goal is to change the narratives we all have around ‘race’ – even when it causes discomfort; perhaps ultimately the students at MCTC will have a new perspective for new and different conversations at the very least. Here’s a link to the article (which includes a video quote from the teacher): http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/11/20/controversy-at-mctc-following-lesson-on-structural-racism/

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.

A Mixed Girls Favorite Recipies

“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