mixed | Mixed Roots Stories

Blog to Follow: The Fluidity

We love discovering blogs that address the Mixed experience! So many perspectives to ponder and such a wealth of stories told. Here’s a litte more about the author: …I am the daughter of a Black African father and White American mother. But I have found that my experience is similar to many different blends of Mixed-Race individuals, Transracial adoptees, second-generation Americans, and people involved in interracial families and relationships. The common experience is being neither and both, which may leave us wounded.

Here’s a link to the blog: http://neitherboth.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/the-fluidity/

Tumblr Roll Call: WeAreAllMixedUp

weareallmixedup.tumblr.com

Moderated by four women, the most recent posts feature photos of family members. From their ‘about’ blurb: This is a blog for those of us who are forgotten in the mainstream anti-racism movement. Those of us who are biracial, multiracial, and multiethnic and have struggled year after year with establishing our identities. This is a safe space for all mixed people of color.

Here’s the link: http://weareallmixedup.tumblr.com/

Scriptwriting: A Breakdown of What Works & Doesn’t in Hollywood

ffrom fastocreate.com

We’re guessing that issues of social justice are more important to you in your storytelling than what might sell in Hollywood, but we think it can’t hurt to know what topics are in the zeitgeist – as well as some things to avoid. This interactive graphic gives an overall view of many ‘problems’ a professional script reader found in recent script submissions. Take them with a grain of salt – and then get back to telling your story! Click HERE for the graphic and blog post.

Congratulations to Tessanne Chin!

Tessanne Chin

Congratulations to Tessanne Chin! Winner of Season 5 on the Voice. Her success on the show gave America an opportunity to regularly view her supportive Mixed family on the small screen without fanfare. It was beautiful to see how her family shared the bond of storytelling through music.

Her father, Richard Chin, is of Chinese descent with Cherokee ancestry and her mother, Christine Chin is of half Black and half English/African ancestry. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessanne_Chin

Storytelling Might Save Lives

This is a wonderful piece on a program that encourages inmates to put their stories to paper (through poetry, fiction, songs and more). The article mostly focuses on the documentary film At Night I Fly – which visits California’s New Folsom maximum security prison. We hope it inspires you to take advantage of every opportunity you have to write you story – there are many who are deprived of this privilege. Here’s the article: http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/11/can-storytelling-ease-the-pain-of-incarceration/281785/

“Sleepy Hollow” and “Almost Human” – Confronting ‘Race’ on TV

from Fox.com

Both Sleepy Hollow and Almost Human have ‘interracial’ pairings. Nichole Beharie (Sleepy Hollow) and Michael Ealy (Almost Human) are really strong actors and I’m thrilled they have the opportunity to lead (at least co-lead) TV shows. Both hour-long dramas also include dialogue and story lines that look squarely at the issues of ‘race’ and racism. Here’s a terrific post by Slate TV critic Willa Paskin (@willapaskin) – with specific examples from both shows: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/television/2013/11/almost_human_and_sleepy_hollow_reviewed.html

Unfortunately – as I stated on the post about The Neighbors – the networks are still limiting these relationships to science fiction themes, but it’s a start.

MXRS Podcast Episode 1: Lawrence-Minh Búi Davis and the Mixed Race Initiative

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

We are thrilled to launch Episode 1 of the MXRS Podcast – bringing you the story behind the stories. Our first several episodes are in partnership with the Asian American Literary Review and its Mixed Race Initiative. Editor-in-Chief Lawrence-Minh Búi Davis is our first guest. Join us as our conversation winds its way through language, how we identify ourselves, the origins of the Mixed Race Initiative and its components, making our work more accessible, and much more. TRANSCRIPT: MXRS Episode 1 Lawrence-Minh Búi Davis To SUBSCRIBE ON iTUNES – click here: MXRS: The Stories Behind the Story

AALR interns with Lawrence-Minh Búi Davis

Lawrence with Interns: Carrie Wolford, Andrew Mayton, Maggie Yiin, Esther Kwon and Thornton McKinney

Mixed ‘Race’ Irish Seek Recognition and Support

from IrishTimes.com

A new campaign has been created to support Mixed children who suffered injustices during their ‘time in the care of the Irish State.’ The Irish Times published this article on November 18, 2013: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/campaign-highlights-abuse-of-mixed-race-irish-in-institutional-care-1.1598162

For more information and to share your story in seeking support, please visit the organization’s home page: http://www.irishsurvivorsinbritain.org/

BlakTina Festival: Celebrating Black and Latin@ Choreographers

Check out this terrific festival happening in Los Angeles this week: http://latinadanceproject.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/blaktina-festival/

They are also nearing the end of an Indiegogo campaign – help out if you can! http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/blaktina-festival

New Film with Lenny Kravitz

We’re so excited about this! Lenny Kravitz will play Christopher Walken’s son in Little Rootie Tootie – a film about a family of jazz musicians. They begin principal photography in January, which means the film’s release is at least a year away – but we’ll keep you posted on any updates.