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2042135 Responseshttp://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-about-multiracial-people/What+About+Multiracial+People%3F2010-03-31+15%3A13%3A23Sam+Richards to What About Multiracial People?
I can almost guarantee you that if I were in this student's shoes I would be confused as well. That is the hard part about it though; even if he feels deep down that he belongs with one ethnic group, or there is one particular group of people that he feels he associates best with, there are people in today's society that constantly make him question how he feels. To be honest, it's really sad. I am sure he can find a part of himself that can identify with each different culture that he is a part of, but the confusion is absolutely understandable. This is when society becomes so frustrating; everybody is so critical and always trying to categorize people into one group or another, and it is really truly unfair. People need to make decisions like these for themselves, without the judgment or commentary from anybody else. Society needs to be more understanding, and maybe then people wouldn't be so confused about where they feel that they belong.
After listening to this student talk about is multiracial family which I think is an amazing thing because you get to experience two different cultures, it also is sad how he cant identify him self to one or the other culture I can see why he would be confuse because we have this same issue in my family and even do they have never stepped back and actually analyze it, I have and its just a point that directly related to this students comment. My whole family would identify their self’s as brown here in the united states even do my mother has white skin and so does my little brother, we all moved to the states about seven years ago and since then I notice how they identify their self’s as being brown, I don’t know if this is what they should consider their self’s to be because clearly they are not brown, I think they like the student from the comment relate more to as their self from the people around them and not from the color of their skin which I think is how it should be. So I mean to the brother I would say to go with who ever you would be more comfortable with which I think is jumping on the brown team, fuck the color of the skin that doesn’t mean shit. I don’t know why Sam always makes us choose according to our skin sometimes I feel like he wants us to have conflict between us but that’s just my take on class this far. There are people in the states that completely forget their routes and pretend to be someone they are not. It is extremely important to remember your routes and to not forget about your heritage and your culture. I have seen many Mexicans “transform” themselves into Americans. They refuse to speak their native language and defame their own race and culture. I believe this is bullshit, why would you critic and dislike your own race. They simply hate themselves and want to become some one new. Fuck all this though the time of segregation is over, we are all humans and we should all be categorized as that. There is no need for specification amongst humans like questions regarding your ethnicity whether you’re a Mexican, American, Arab, etc… We need to stop creating stereotypes and accept one on another. No white team or brown team you are a human and the color of your skin should have absolutely no influence on the way others perceive you. If you are in a situation where you need to decide which to team to be in: you should decide by your culture and heritage not by skin color. You would be in the brown team because you are a Hispanic, and blood should make your decision not your skin color.
Why is it so important to people to find what race do they belong to? I mean they always want to know what race they are, like who cares. Like I am an an multi-cural person. My mother was born in Haiti, my dad was born in Jamaica, and however my passport says that I am American; for some people this would be such a big deal but the truth is it should not. I identified myself with both sides; I am not debating which I am and which one I am not, like for example, I live or dress like an American, but I eat and and practice my beliefs like a Caribbean born person. Multiculturalism is the acceptance or promotion of multiple ethnic cultures, for practical reasons and/or for the sake of diversity and applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighborhoods, cities or nations. In this context, multiculturalists advocate extending equitable status to distinct ethnic and religious groups without promoting any specific ethnic, religious, and/or cultural community values as central. Why don’t people just accept this fact and move on their lives, stop asking people what they think about you. They should just live just I am doing right now, do not worry about this this race thing just keep going with their daily routine. Some people may refer to what I am doing as living in denial, and yeah I have been told that, but really at the end of the day, you are just another kid with different culture, no one cares. I never think about race unless I am filling out an application, and even before penn state, race did not matter to to me. Well, I realize at penn state it is a bog deal, people just want to be different, I think that why people are looking for race issue. I mean the only reason someone would want to know what culture other people think they are, it is because they want to associate themselves with a group. Like if other people think they are white, well they are definitely going to hang out more with white people. Come one people, give it a rest. At at the same time, that why I love the fact that black people really do not care about culture, like they do not mind being identified as a black person or an African-american, it makes no difference to most. They are not really trying to trace they ancestors from slavery, they are just like it is whatever. Most of the times, people of of other races are always trying to find out what they are. They want to know what percentage of their completion is which. That is why you can hear other people saying, I am five percent german, fifty percent Italian, twenty percent irish.
I completely agree with you bud. I'm kinda in the same boat you are. But not in the way you think. I am 100% Guatemalan born there, and raised for 6 months. Then I was adopted to a white family in Connecticut. I was born without learning spanish, and without any of my own culture. The town I grew up in was a very rich, white, snobby town. Status was everything and money was a plenty. I was brought up like the rest of my peers and I guess in a way, I am a white girl. But as I got older, I didn't want to be like a white kid anymore. I started noticing race more and more, well not exactly noticing it, since it really didn't exist, but I started becoming aware of that fact that there were different people out there. I wanted to see more and more diversity and I wanted to be seen as different as well. So it was no surprise that I wanted to go to a big school, where I could see more different people. However I guess I was a little mislead with just how much diversity Penn State had. I came to a program at Penn State while I was a senior in high school. It was called Achiever's Weekend. It was put on by a minority organization, SMART. The student minority advisory and recruitment team. There were a bunch of minorities from all over at this program. We got to come and experience Penn State for the first time. It was a lot of fun and I was really excited about Penn State. But coming in as a freshmen, I started to notice that there wasn't as much diversity as I thought. I made my own diversity though. What I mean is that I started hanging out with more hispanic and black people. I went to "black parties" and joined the minority organizations. My mother actually started calling me a racist because she thought I was ignoring all the white people in my life. I wasn't ignoring them or thought different of them, but I wanted to emerge myself in culture. I wanted to learn about other people and what they were life. That was when I meant true Hispanic people, and started my crush on the black man. I found that they treated me differently than a white man. I know some will say all they wanted was to get laid, but it wasn't all about that. I got along with all these people so well. They joke around in a way that I do. So while I was raised by a white family, I was struggling to find my identity and a Hispanic woman. I wish someone had taught me spanish and I wish I knew more about my culture. But hanging out with my Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Columbian friends, I learned some traits about being Hispanic. I especially learned about the food. So while I am seen on the outside as a Hispanic woman, part of my on the inside will always be the white child raised by the white family. But slowly as I am growing up I am learning the ways of being a Hispanic woman. So I understand where this student is coming from. And what I want to say to him is that take pride in your Puerto Rican side. You don't look white to me, you look Puerto Rican. It isn't the color of your skin that defines you, it's what is inside.
I think that multi-racial people are who they want to be, they cannot be forced to follow or be a certain race. I saw a video a couple of days ago of a comedian named ' Russell Peters' he said that he was born in Canada but he is of Indian origin, both his parents are from India. He says that since he was born in a predominantly black community, his daily actions are more like like white or black people than Indian. He says he is racially Indian but culturally he is Canadian. I think the culture that one was brought up in plays a big role in who people want to be when they grow up.
As other people here, I feel sorry for you too. Well, I see so many things about trying to identify yourself and selecting which team you want to play on. Needless to say, it is easy to say but hard to do it. For example, it is easy to say ‘let’s not lie because it is against Ten Commandments’ but people sometimes confront the situations where so-called ‘white lies’ are needed. The only thing that I can say to you (the person in the clip) is that you have a couple of hundred people, at least, who can understand this kind of issue.
THANK YOU! I just want to say that I am completely in the same boat as you in this class. My dad is half Peruvian (born and raised there) and half Italian. And my mom is half Mexican and half European (Welsh/English/French). So that means I'm.. basically a mutt. In this class I don't feel like I am really on either "team" that Sam addresses. I have been raised to appreciate my dad's Peruvian culture, but like you, my race is probably considered "white" because of the actual color of my skin. What I really don't get though is how Sam took so much time in the beginning classes to explain to us that race doesn't really exist, and we can't label people by race. For example, the whole demonstration where he had the guy try and group everyone by race/skin color and it was completely off. But he still talks about the "white team" and the "black and brown team," and points out people, calling them white or black or brown. I understand that if he went off the idea that race doesn't really exist, then what would we talk about in class? But I just want to point out that our country's population is increasingly multicultural, and it's hard to just split people between white and black and brown. And people may not identify with what they're "technical" race is, but more so with the culture they are a part of. So when Sam talks about the different race teams, I mostly just take in both sides and make sure to understand both, but still don't feel as if I'm a part of either "team."
I am not sure I completely understand your question. You kind of answer it yourself. Sam has come up to me asking questions about where I am from and what I am, and I always answer that I am part Greek but grew up in CT and just think of myself as being white. So I know I am part Greek, but I don’t think of myself as Greek specifically, just white American. I think that in your case you can answer whatever you would like to. If you feel that you fall into the white category and you can relate to white people, and you are comfortable with being a white dude, then go ahead and answer that you are white. However, if you think that you grew up with Hispanic or Puerto Rican (or whatever the case may be)culture and influence, and your clothing style, speaking style, living habits, etc, all reflect that, and you feel comfortable being part of the black and brown team, then it is fair to answer that you are black or brown.
I guess what I am getting at is if you feel like you belong on one team, and you instinctively answer for the white team every time, then that is the team you are on. Me personally, I am on the white team. There is no question about it. So for me to pretend to be on the black and brown team would look ridiculous from everybody else’s point of view, and would probably feel stupid from my point of view. So there is no doubt in my mind that I am on the white team. If you have any doubt, or you think you may qualify for both, then it is up to you to choose one side I supposed, but I don’t think there is a wrong answer.
On the other hand, I supposed it is possible for one person to have two completely different parents and to be raised in such a way that they have almost created their own team. Their habits, mannerisms, cultural influences, etc, can be so woven together that as a person they are not sure which side to pick as “home base.” I see this potentially happening if the two parents involved get separated and the child lives with both of them even time. Maybe this would just result in a child who is raised in the immersion stage from the start. I don’t really know what that might be like, so maybe your having the same type of trouble.
I can really relate to this guy. I know what if feels like to be confused about which team to be on. My mom is Mexican and my dad is white. One of the best pieces of advice that I can say would be to not forget where you come from and what makes you, you. I don't have the tannest skin but I am part Mexican. People can classify you as a white person just because of your skin but it is up to you to know that you are not just white.
I know how you feel about being classified as only white though. Sam grouped me with a few completely white kids and brought us up to the front during class once. When I got down to the front of the classroom, Sam said that I wasn't really "white" but I can just pretend to be for that day. I think that sometimes this type of grouping is done every day. People in society are too quick to judge a person's race or heritage. They do not think that the person can have more than one race. I think that people should be more aware of the fact that just because you may look like a white person doesn't mean that you are all white.
For me I would say that if you were raised as a Latino then you should identify as a Black/Brown person if you feel the pull towards that group, only because you are a part of that group and most easily identify with them. However if you are a person of multicultural decent then you have every right to identify with whoever you want it's your right to be who you want. the idea that people see you as white and not Latino then you should correct them if you want, but the idea that it matters is disturbing because we want to be one big happy country yet we still feel that our race dictates who we are. I mean we should be proud of our heritage but I think we should accept that there is no need to divide ourselves up in to teams. the idea that one should pick a side White, Black, Asian, whatever is outdated and ludicrous.
I can not imagine how this feels as I am not multi cultured. The only advice I would give to you is identify with the side that you were raised with. I felt really stupid at the end of this video because people always assume that I am Italian because of my skin completion and dark thick hair, and I might be 10% at most. I have only gotten mad once when a girl called me a guido, but I just laughed it off because in a way it was funny to me that she thought I was a guido.
That is a tough and conflicting issue, but I think you just kind of have to see yourself as a part of it all the way I do. I am Hispanic as well, though neither of my parents are white, I still am considered in the “white” crowd. There are so many times that I’m with my friends and whenever they refer to our crowd, they say “white guys” all the time. I once said “and a Spanish kid” and all they said back was that I was practically white. Growing up in high school I was friends with primarily black and brown people, but through college I have been friends with more white people. In each crowd I was considered a part of them, and that is something that I look at as being kind of cool that I can be considered both white and black/brown.
I say you should identify with whatever racial group that you feel the most comfortable with. If a person is half Hispanic and half white, but they see themselves as Hispanic, then that’s what they are I suppose. People do it all the time, really. Even if the person does look mostly white, it doesn’t matter. It’s all about what they prefer to be and the culture they identify the most with. Still, there is more to this issue that I find really interesting. It seems as if multiracial people have this issue pretty regularly. Many of my friends are multiracial and they talked about it all the time as we were growing up in high school. But I just have to ask, why is it that the multiracial children have to choose a group at all? It seems to me that that decision is a little unfair to them and put them in a very troubling identity crisis. Though I know life IS unfair in general, for the sake of this class, let’s look at this issue this way. Black people have a group, Brown people have a group, and White people have a group. So many different cultures and beliefs are lumped in together into three groups according to skin color. That in itself seems inherently wrong to me; it just doesn’t seem sound. That said, when it comes to the people of several different racial groups, shouldn’t they be given a group of their own? Lumping them into whatever group they APPEAR to be due to their skin color is almost like adhering to a really weird, almost inversed version of the “One Drop rule, If you look mostly like race X, then that is what you are. Deal with it.” Sure, I know everyone makes snap judgments on how people look and this lumping into the three main groups is practically inevitable in this world but I just don’t think a child from a multiracial background should be forced to choose. I guess my point is that there should be a racial group for multiracial people. Making them choose on a regular basis seems to me like they’re being forced to deny an equally acceptable part of themselves. If they had their own group maybe they wouldn’t have to worry about what they are considered. I’m not saying that this would be an easy thing for our social world as human beings to do. All I’m saying is that if a person of mixed blood took it upon themselves to create their own group, maybe they wouldn’t feel so torn between choosing which group their supposed to belong to. Perhaps they would be able to feel more comfortable with their plethora of traits.
After listening to this student speak about his race, and ethnicity, it definitely makes me think about how I would feel if I were in this situation, however, I do not feel bad for him like a few others have said. He is lucky to have more than one culture and should embrace the both of them. If he hadn’t said that he was partially Latino I would have never known, however, I can see how this would be a little confusing. If it were me personally, I would probably identify with what I grew up around. Since your mother is Puerto Rican and that is the culture you were exposed to, it’s probably easier for you to relate to someone who is Latino, but I don’t think that you should exclude that other part of you.
Today its seems that everyone and everything tries to categorize us into perfectly square boxes, when in fact, we do not fit those categories. Applications for jobs, schools, surveys tell you to check a box that might not fit the description of who you are. Other than the census, for statistical information, Why should the color of one’s skin, or the race that they are matter? Does being a certain race limit one’s ability to achieve a task, or the quality of their performance?
A majority of people are grouped by their skin color, or classified by characteristics that are unique to every individual. For example, someone can be “white” or “black” but still multiracial. Someone who identifies as white can be of Italian and Irish descent, but those are two completely different elasticities. The traditions, customs, and heritage are different. The same goes for someone who is “black,” African American, and of Caribbean descent.
This student is the only one who can identify who he is. Some may see him physically as a part of the “white” race, but his ethnicity is Latino. If one culture plays a bigger role in your life than another, then other distinctions should not matter. If you are categorized into a group with “white” people and it looks like you belong in it, but you do not feel that you belong in the white group, and you can relate to “brown” people more, than go with what you feel.
Once people begin to realize what the bigger picture is, and that all people are similar and different in many ways, then race will no longer be an issue. Life is not just white or black, there are many different colors, and shades of that color. Even if two people identify as white or black, they are completely different individuals and the only ones who can define them are themselves.
After listening to this student speak about his race, and ethnicity, it definitely makes me think about how I would feel if I were in this situation, however, I do not feel bad for him like a few others have said. He is lucky to have more than one culture and should embrace the both of them. If he hadn’t said that he was partially Latino I would have never known, however, I can see how this would be a little confusing. If it were me personally, I would probably identify with what I grew up around. Since your mother is Puerto Rican and that is the culture you were exposed to, it’s probably easier for you to relate to someone who is Latino, but I don’t think that you should exclude that other part of you.
Today its seems that everyone and everything tries to categorize us into perfectly square boxes, when in fact, we do not fit those categories. Applications for jobs, schools, surveys tell you to check a box that might not fit the description of who you are. Other than the census, for statistical information, Why should the color of one’s skin, or the race that they are matter? Does being a certain race limit one’s ability to achieve a task, or the quality of their performance?
A majority of people are grouped by their skin color, or classified by characteristics that should be unique to every individual. For example, someone can be “white” or “black” but still multiracial. Someone who identifies as white can be of Italian and Irish descent, but those are two completely different ethnicity. The traditions, customs, and heritage are different. The same goes for someone who is “black,” African American, and of Caribbean descent.
This student is the only one who can identify who he is. Some may see him physically as a part of the “white” race, but his ethnicity is Latino. If one culture plays a bigger role in your life than another, then other distinctions should not matter. If you are categorized into a group with “white” people and it looks like you belong in it, but you do not feel that you belong in the white group, and you can relate to “brown” people more, than go with what you feel.
Once people begin to realize what the bigger picture is, and that all people are similar and different in many ways, then race will no longer be an issue. Life is not just white or black, there are many different colors, and shades of that color. Even if two people identify as white or black, they are completely different individuals and the only ones who can define them are themselves.
I think this "teams" issue is a really big deal, especially in this class. Even before this was brought up, I had thought about a friend that sits with e in class. He is Cuban but acts very "white". He claims himself to be white, even though his name CLEARLY says that he is not of European heritage, but rather he is Hispanic. Obviously, I have never asked him about which he identifies with because I have always seen him as white. He has lighter skin, dresses preppy, has no ounce of an accent, and acts white. This is a direct relation to the race team issue that has been addressed.
I am a clear member of the white team. I am Irish, German, and Polish. I am Roman Catholic, dress trendy, preppy, and sporty. I am in a sorority and am the upper middle class. I am probably one of the whitest people out there. I have no contest to whether or not I belong to the white team. Similarly, there are people in this class that clearly identify with the black team and brown team. This is because they express and exercise their heritage, their skin is easily identifiable with their race, their ethnicities are purebred, their parents are both the same ethnicities.
Overall, I think that in order to identify with a racial group to general as white black brown without any hesitation, one must relate back the the old saying, "if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck." I have found that usually if everyone else perceives someone as white, black, or brown, they also perceive themselves as that same racial identity. It is the mixed colored/religion individuals that really have a tough time identifying with a particular team.
In my opinion, the team to which these type of people belong depends first and foremost on what heritage they celebrate and embrace most. If a Puerto Rican-Italian has never visited Italy, never talked about it at all, or met any relatives native to that area, but contrarily has been to Puerto Rico to visit family and actively participates the PR Pride Club in their town, then my good guess is is that that person has stronger emotional ties to their Puerto Rican side of their heritage, and may consider themselves brown. I think that a person's team is determined by what they truly identify themselves with. And what they identify themselves with depends on how strongly connected they are with that aspect of their heritage. It may even relate back to Sam's levels of immersion into race relations issues. If people have issues in class picking a team, what they really need to look at is why they haven't expressed any true pride in some part of their background, because that's where it all starts from.
I think the class tends to make these issues black and white when they aren’t. Sam’s recent comments about how you should identify with the ethnicity you feel closest too seems to be an appropriate thing to say, but why not be both? Why not consider yourself white AND Puerto Rican. I realize it’s almost like an identity crisis, not being able to feel strongly towards one side of the ethnicity/race chain. So why put yourself in that position which makes you feel like you need to “choose” which side to be on. Obviously, if you feel like you can connect more with Hispanics because of the culture you were raised in, then consider yourself a Hispanic. But if you feel torn and believe that aspects of both cultures resonate with you, let them resonate. Be part of both cultures, don’t fight it. It’s not a bad thing to connect more with Hispanics in some cultural areas and white in others. It seems as though the reason for the confusion is because of soc 119 and how Sam makes the distinction between white and black and brown people so clear when it isn’t. He did admit that the distinction isn’t as obvious as he’s making it but for the sake of his lecture and topics discussed it class it makes it easier.
Seems like the best way to tackle this issue is to think more on this topic and ask yourself if you’ve discovered this (this sort of racial identity crisis) throughout your life or just in this class? If it is the former, then try and think back to the experiences that invoked these emotions within you and try and pinpoint why you felt that way.
Multiracial people must feel ostracized by society. There are many situations that encourage multiracial people to feel excluded from the masses; for instance, in all the forms that are filled out in which you bubble in your race. There is usually an option for “other,” but still it is another way to say “you don’t belong.” I recently met an Australian studying abroad at Penn State for the semester who was born in South Africa, lived there till he was ten and then moved to Australia. He has literally split his life in half in two different countries. He confessed to me that while he is in the United States he feels Australian, but once he’s back in Australia he feels South African. Not only would this be hard to handle because of feeling confused about his racial identity but also the feeling of not belonging anywhere. That feeling of not belonging is the issue many multiracial people face, or so it seems.
I feel that you should correct Sam and the other that come up to you call you by a race that you do not identify with. Like Sam has mentioned before, most of your identity comes from what experiences you grew up and what you see yourself as. Since you have always identified as Hispanic, I would continue identifying with that race and make sure you are proud of that fact. There are too many people who have lost touch with their racial identities and I think it is very important that you stay with your beliefs about who you are.
This is kind of upsetting to hear this guy’s question. I feel like a lot of people focus too much on other people’s differences that they have to think about categorizing others and themselves. If the point of bringing people together regardless of their differences is supposed to come out of all these discussions, I really do not think it will work if all we focus on is the differences to begin with. For example, we always discuss how there are ways a white person feels and there are ways that people of color feel. What if we all feel the same, you know? I know that we are trying to be realistic here and that there definitely are ways that certain people feel, and I am not saying that we should not feel different or anything like that; I just feel as though if we are always feeling different and we are always thinking we face different issues than everybody that is not part of our race, it is only going to push the goal of eliminating the conflict between white and colored people away.
I personally cannot relate to this guy because I am not multiracial, but I can kind of sympathize because a lot of my family and friends are multiracial. I feel like I would be so confused because at a lot of these family events that my family has, I can see that it is hard for a lot of my cousins to relate to those of us that are fully one race. A lot of the times, those of us that are one race have to explain a lot of different things and situations. When asked what they consider themselves in terms of race, it is hard for them to come up with a concrete answer. I feel bad and I feel like it should not even come to this. I would like to believe that there is a mutual agreement with people and just be the way they are without having to categorize themselves as a certain race. By labeling yourself as a certain race, you are more likely to think you should be a certain way because you are that race. I am not saying there should not be such thing as race, but I just do not think people should be confused about themselves and where to categorize themselves just because they feel like it is necessary to do so or else they will be viewed a certain way. I know that without all these issues, there would not be any of this going on, but I feel as though the world is going to have to accept others regardless of race and should put all of these stereotypes behind; eventually, everyone in the world will be multiracial it seems. People are becoming more accepting, which is a very good start and will lead to people being multiracial and therefore accepting of others regardless of race or ethnicity.
I don't think that people should have to choose "teams." I think you should just be proud of what you are and accept it. You don't have to pick sides. You said that you always identified yourself as Hispanic/Latino, and that's the culture you were raised in, so I think you should go with how you feel at heart. But I don't think there is necessarily a need for anyone to pick a team. If anything, this class has tried to teach us to look past all of that stuff, and for all of us to be on the same team.
Race itself is a complicated issues, what makes it more complicated is multicultural people,I personally think that we are all multicultured, no one is a 100 percent of one race, and iam not going to even try to define what a race is because that itself is much more complicated, if people did not think of other races with stereotypes, if they didn’t look down at other races then race wouldn’t be a problem anymore , people want to be better than others that’s why they define races and have stereotypes for other races. We need to realize that we are all the same and there is no such a thing as racee
I am really happy that this boy asked this question. It has made me think about how people who are multiracial have to deal with this issue. This reminds me of when Sam mentioned that white people never really had to think about race when they were younger, unlike people of color who are usually aware of race at a much earlier age. This boys situation is similar to me because I have never really thought of this issue, whereas people who are dealing with it have definitely been aware of it for a long time. Both of my parents are white and of the same religion and I have never faced an issue like this where I am torn and feel the need to decide who I am.
I also have many friends who have been raised by parents of different religions who do not seem to face this issue either. Most of them have been raised to be one religion and have parents that are both white, therefore they see themselves as white and as the religion they have been raised as
I feel really bad that this boy seems to be facing such turmoil about this issue and upset that this class has brought upon this thinking in him. I feel that this class is supposed to make one think and is meant and supposed to bring answers and enlightenment to different issues, not make someone feel like he has to question who he is. To me, ethnicity, how you were raised and the way you think about life and the way you value and view different things is more important than how you classify your race and the color of your skin. If this boy sees himself as being Hispanic then that is all that should matter. But if he does feels that he needs to categorize himself, which I wish he didn’t feel like, and he sees himself as Hispanic and if Hispanic is seen as being a part of the black and brown team then that is how he should see and categorize himself. He should stick with how he originally felt about race.
I think that the fact that this boy, as well as many other people along with him, feel that they need to put themselves on a team just means that our society still has a ways to go when dealing with race relations. It would be nice, but I guess this sounds a bit idealistic and a little too optimistic for right now, if no one ever felt that they needed to be part of either the white team or the brown and black team. It would be nice if we could all just see ourselves as one.
I would respond to this student by telling him to categorize himself with whatever he “feels”. In class, Sam usually talks about the “white team” and the “brown and black team”, but we never speak about the “in between team”. I truly feel bad for this student, because he seems confused and does not know what to categorize himself as. He was born from a Hispanic mother and a white father, but he was raised on his mothers side of the family, so he was born Hispanic. He states that he has always found himself jumping on the “black and brown side” because of how he was raised. However, he also states that Puerto Rican is his ethnicity, but his race is white. He claims that Sam has come up to him and asked where he stands in this conflict. However, I believe that if he was raised on his mother’s side of the family, and has identified himself as Hispanic, then he is Hispanic.
In my opinion, what one categorizes him or her should be based upon how they were raised, the traditions they practice, and their culture. Although this student claims that many people would consider him white because of his skin color, he has never considered himself as white. I think that someone should be whoever he or she wants to be. We should feel proud of who we are and we should not have to choose sides. Who is to say that there are only two sides—the black/brown team and the white team? There is so much more to who we are than what our skin color appears to be.
In this video, the student explains that he feels conflict with himself. He also explains that he would identify on the black/brown team through the experiences that he has been through. I am just wondering what specific experiences he has gone through that he would identify himself with this specific team? Overall, I do not think that this student should have to feel conflict with who he is. Why does he have to pick a side? Why cant he embrace his multiracial culture and identify himself with both? I guess I do not understand the big deal of classifying oneself with a specific team. I find it even more upsetting that the two sides are labeled “teams”. The United States is supposed to be a melting pot of cultures and races. I hope that someday, we can all come together and identify ourselves as “one team”.
I guess I’m somewhat in the same position as this guy; I’m an Asian-American and I’m not sure myself whether I’m on the White or Black/Brown team. In the classroom setting, I assume I’m on the Black/Brown team when we do those texting polls or speak about certain issues or volunteer to go up and be a part of Sam’s examples; it’s like White people versus everybody else. Honestly, it’s up to you. This whole concept of two teams is just a concept; it isn’t something that’s written in a tabernacle or a law. This whole class is designed so that Sam makes us think about these issues so you make it to however you want it to be. This issue that the student brings up is pretty sticky; he’s half-Hispanic and half-White and claims his ethnicity is Puerto Rican but his race to be White. If I were in his position, I would choose whichever group I’d feel most associated with. It’s just like the half-Black half-Chinese guy from the class; he looks completely Black but half of him is made up of Chinese blood. As aforementioned, these teams are conceptual; choose whatever you feel is most comfortable because these “teams” don’t define who you really are. As I continue to sit in this class, race relations is quite complex and there’s somehow gray area wherever you go. I hope we can all better understand the complexities of ourselves in relation to race and ethnicity as the semester winds down.
We talked about this issue in discussion today and I feel how one identifies is really important. I find it sad that people don't know what to relate to and feel that everyone should have something in them that they feel strongly about and can identify with in order to connect with other people. I know I don't go around being like "Oh, I'm white" however, when I have to bubble in my race on scantrons and what not I identify as white. When I do classify myself though I represent myself as Jewish and find it a strong molding aspect.
In my life I hang out with my friend and he just happens to be Jewish and gets along with all my friends. His sister however, only likes me out of my group of friends. My friends joke and say it's because I'm Jewish and on some level I agree. It's a good bonding element and really brings people together. Jewish people, or any religion or race do tend to stick together. My friend, his sister, who I'm now friends with and other random friends of friends and me, all had a sedar for passover this week. I got to know them through a traditional dinner, that we wouldn't of had unless the holiday called for it, but I got to know them. Then this weekend, most people went home for easter and the majority of people who stuck around happened to be Jewish, so once again I hung out with them. It was a good time and I had a lot of fun with them. The initial reason for me talking to them, may of been because we were all Jewish and had similar things to talk about, but that was a starting point. We played volleyball and football together and just hung out this weekend, and we rarely discussed or culture.
It's something we share and something I believe is important in ones life. I feel that each person should be able to identify with something just as a connection to themselves. I pride myself on my religion and follow the guidelines of what I'm suppossed to do. I've gone out of my way this week to keep passover and eat unleavened bread and it's something that's important to me. I feel like if I didn't have something to connect to, I would be fine. However, I would know that there was something missing, but just wouldn't be able to put my finger on it. I feel that if you're multiracial that's cool because it gives you a chance to identify with more then one subculture. It may be hard to identify or classify yourself, but the way I look at it is that you're not only one specific thing and can only be that one, but you are multi. You're given the chance to identify and relate with multiple races. This I feel allows you to broaden yourself and live a more enriched life since you're so immersed not into one culture, but two.
i understand what you mean. i am hispanic as well but i have always been kind of confused how to identify myself because i am only half. whenever i say my last name people look a little confused because it is so hispanic and i do not look like it at all. my father is 100% mexican but have extremely fair skin, red-ish blonde hair and hazel eyes. i am the same way but with light brown hair. even though we are technically Mexican, even when we go to our house im Mexico people seem to be confused when we speak Spanish. it's always been hard to identify myself as one way or another, i've never really been able to do it so i usually try to just avoid it but i am not sure if that i necesarily the right thing to do. ignoring it does not get me anywhere.
I also come from a Hispanic mother and a white father, but I personally identify with the "white team" more than I do on the Hispanic team. The reason for this is because in class we were asked what kind of a background we had growing up and the types of people we interacted with growing up, our friends, our school, which family we saw more often, etc. I come from a mildly racist white town and I have never really considered myself anything other than white. I say that I'm Hispanic when asked on scholarships or applications, but when I am just hanging out with my friends (who are mostly white) I never really feel different. Growing up, I felt like I was different because I knew certain Spanish phrases my mom said which I had assumed everybody knew, not knowing they were Spanish. I felt so different and it was hard to relate to the white culture that surrounded me. Now I don't ever feel this difference from my childhood because I have been completely absorbed into the white culture. I don't really relate to either "team" though when we're asked in class to participate on a team. I feel like I am more CULTURALLY white, but biologically I am still 50/50 Hispanic and white, so I find it hard to chose a side.
It is common ignorance for people to identify someone as one race when they really are another race. I personally think that you should just brush it off. If Sam does it I am sure others identify you as white too. I know you may think it is offensive, but I think it is a more common misconception then people realize. I also do not think that simple education of people regarding race will work though because I feel that others may still get confused. The only thing that people can do is maybe watch how they classify people and ask others what they identify as.
It is so sad that none of us Humans can live on this earth without being categorized as black, brown, white or yellow. I mean what is the big deal? What changes is it going to make if they know it or not? We are all human beings; we should all be treated equally regardless of where we come from or what our skin color is. This is so the 21st century and we should not have to worry about that, especially now that people from different backgrounds and countries get married to each other. It’s just hard to categorize people now, it shouldn’t even matter. I know exactly how you feel because I am a multiracial woman, as well as most of my friends and cousins and unfortunately we have all been going through the same thing as you for years now, and it gets very annoying and frustrating. But you know what?!?! That is when the whole thing with knowing yourself, who you are, where you come from what makes you happy comes in hand. At the end one should definitely not care about what other people are saying or thinking. Life is too short to be worrying about all that you know. If you have been raised and grew up around one side more than the other then obviously you will adapt to that environment and that is not your fault, it is just how it’s supposed to be. In my case I have been around my mother’s side of the family more than my father’s side, so I definitely got attached to my mother’s side and I learned their ways, cultures, traditions, languages I mean you name it. Don’t get me wrong, I eventually tried to learn a little about my father’s side but I was still more influenced by my mother’s side and there is nothing wrong with that because that is the side I was exposed to. Don’t ever feel the need to explain yourself man. Again if you know who you are then that is all that matters seriously. Even though the class I based on Race relations, I am so tired of always ending up talking about black/brown and white people like those are the only races in this world. But anyway, if you feel confident with your Hispanic side then so be it man. It’s just like if a black person was exposed to an Asian culture they would end up learning and having their values, it’s not like they are forced to do so, but those are your surroundings then you have no choice but to be apart of the team. Plus just a little point of thought, I believe that multiracial people are very interesting and lucky at the same time, because wherever you travel to in this world, you can kind of adapt to any environments to end up in without being afraid to do so. So take it as a privilege .
I can definitely relate to this. My mother is black and my father is half white and half Indian. I grew up with both parents and both sets of families, but I feel that I am closer to my cousins on my dad’s side of the family. I consider each part of my family as equal in shaping my racial identity, so I say that I’m multiracial. In class when Sam asks race specific questions for the black and brown team verses the white team I just don’t answer. My outward appearance is black, so I can obviously relate more to the black and brown team, not to mention a lot of people just assume that I’m black anyway. When people ask me what I am, like what my race is I have a little complex too. For multiracial people I feel that they are often forced to choose between the races that make up who they are—and I don’t really think that it’s so much a personal choice to go one way or another, its more society and the mindset of people around them. For example, growing up I knew a couple of mulattos that either hung out with all black people or all white people just because they felt that they had to make the choice. I do remember when I was really young I knew a biracial girl who had a black mother and a white father that hung out with all black people and then one day decided to hang out a couple white girls at lunch. I remember her black friends were mad and they said something like, “oh so you’re going to go hang out with the white people now.” I know she ended up choosing her white friends in the end. I can only imagine how she felt, but I think this serves as a good example as to why people of the mixed race people identify one way or another and many times don’t identify with both parts of their racial makeup. Something that is interesting to me is a lot of the multiracial and biracial people that I have come across in my life usually feel that they can relate more to part of them that’s black or brown and I don’t really know why that is.
but getting back to the original question, I feel that you have already made the choice for yourself because when Sam asked you a question about being white you said, no I’m Hispanic. I wish one day there could be a class or even a question directed at all of the multiracial and biracial people in the class since apparently a lot of us don’t want to be forced to choose.
I am glad that this student put his question on the flip camera because I wondered about others that are in his place. He is obviously caught between two identities and he feels obligated to choose between the two because of the pressures in society. I do not believe that it is fair, yet it happens every day to countless people. Why should people have to choose? Why should they have to be internally divided? We discussed earlier in the semester that most mixed or multicultural people identify with one side over the other. This happens because of where they grew up or who they grew up with. What is interesting is that this student says that he grew up with his mother’s side of the family but he thinks that others see him as white because he has “white skin.” When I look at him, I do not think of him as white. I definitely see some other ethnicity at first glance. In addition, it seems like most people that are mixed with white and some other culture choose whichever side is “non-white.” Why is that? Is being white, and all the ethnicities that make up that extremely vague genre, just not satisfying enough? I have always wondered why that is.
But back to the original question: what team should he be on? Only he can decide that, and that is if he wants to be on either of the teams presented in class. If you do not allow yourself to be categorized by everyone else, then I feel as though you won’t be for the most part. There of course will be those people who place others in an initial category when they do not know them. But we all do that. It is natural to us as humans. There really is nothing you can do about judging at first glance. We have to learn to look past that. What we have to focus on are the more important things like how well the people we care about understand us. Everyone’s definition of how they are identified is different because everyone has their own feelings about the situation, or they may even be indifferent about all of this.
I can almost guarantee you that if I were in this student's shoes I would be confused as well. That is the hard part about it though; even if he feels deep down that he belongs with one ethnic group, or there is one particular group of people that he feels he associates best with, there are people in today's society that constantly make him question how he feels. To be honest, it's really sad. I am sure he can find a part of himself that can identify with each different culture that he is a part of, but the confusion is absolutely understandable. This is when society becomes so frustrating; everybody is so critical and always trying to categorize people into one group or another, and it is really truly unfair. People need to make decisions like these for themselves, without the judgment or commentary from anybody else. Society needs to be more understanding, and maybe then people wouldn't be so confused about where they feel that they belong.
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After listening to this student talk about is multiracial family which I think is an amazing thing because you get to experience two different cultures, it also is sad how he cant identify him self to one or the other culture I can see why he would be confuse because we have this same issue in my family and even do they have never stepped back and actually analyze it, I have and its just a point that directly related to this students comment. My whole family would identify their self’s as brown here in the united states even do my mother has white skin and so does my little brother, we all moved to the states about seven years ago and since then I notice how they identify their self’s as being brown, I don’t know if this is what they should consider their self’s to be because clearly they are not brown, I think they like the student from the comment relate more to as their self from the people around them and not from the color of their skin which I think is how it should be. So I mean to the brother I would say to go with who ever you would be more comfortable with which I think is jumping on the brown team, fuck the color of the skin that doesn’t mean shit. I don’t know why Sam always makes us choose according to our skin sometimes I feel like he wants us to have conflict between us but that’s just my take on class this far. There are people in the states that completely forget their routes and pretend to be someone they are not. It is extremely important to remember your routes and to not forget about your heritage and your culture. I have seen many Mexicans “transform” themselves into Americans. They refuse to speak their native language and defame their own race and culture. I believe this is bullshit, why would you critic and dislike your own race. They simply hate themselves and want to become some one new. Fuck all this though the time of segregation is over, we are all humans and we should all be categorized as that. There is no need for specification amongst humans like questions regarding your ethnicity whether you’re a Mexican, American, Arab, etc… We need to stop creating stereotypes and accept one on another. No white team or brown team you are a human and the color of your skin should have absolutely no influence on the way others perceive you. If you are in a situation where you need to decide which to team to be in: you should decide by your culture and heritage not by skin color. You would be in the brown team because you are a Hispanic, and blood should make your decision not your skin color.
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Why is it so important to people to find what race do they belong to? I mean they always want to know what race they are, like who cares. Like I am an an multi-cural person. My mother was born in Haiti, my dad was born in Jamaica, and however my passport says that I am American; for some people this would be such a big deal but the truth is it should not. I identified myself with both sides; I am not debating which I am and which one I am not, like for example, I live or dress like an American, but I eat and and practice my beliefs like a Caribbean born person. Multiculturalism is the acceptance or promotion of multiple ethnic cultures, for practical reasons and/or for the sake of diversity and applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g. schools, businesses, neighborhoods, cities or nations. In this context, multiculturalists advocate extending equitable status to distinct ethnic and religious groups without promoting any specific ethnic, religious, and/or cultural community values as central. Why don’t people just accept this fact and move on their lives, stop asking people what they think about you. They should just live just I am doing right now, do not worry about this this race thing just keep going with their daily routine. Some people may refer to what I am doing as living in denial, and yeah I have been told that, but really at the end of the day, you are just another kid with different culture, no one cares. I never think about race unless I am filling out an application, and even before penn state, race did not matter to to me. Well, I realize at penn state it is a bog deal, people just want to be different, I think that why people are looking for race issue. I mean the only reason someone would want to know what culture other people think they are, it is because they want to associate themselves with a group. Like if other people think they are white, well they are definitely going to hang out more with white people. Come one people, give it a rest. At at the same time, that why I love the fact that black people really do not care about culture, like they do not mind being identified as a black person or an African-american, it makes no difference to most. They are not really trying to trace they ancestors from slavery, they are just like it is whatever. Most of the times, people of of other races are always trying to find out what they are. They want to know what percentage of their completion is which. That is why you can hear other people saying, I am five percent german, fifty percent Italian, twenty percent irish.
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I completely agree with you bud. I'm kinda in the same boat you are. But not in the way you think. I am 100% Guatemalan born there, and raised for 6 months. Then I was adopted to a white family in Connecticut. I was born without learning spanish, and without any of my own culture. The town I grew up in was a very rich, white, snobby town. Status was everything and money was a plenty. I was brought up like the rest of my peers and I guess in a way, I am a white girl. But as I got older, I didn't want to be like a white kid anymore. I started noticing race more and more, well not exactly noticing it, since it really didn't exist, but I started becoming aware of that fact that there were different people out there. I wanted to see more and more diversity and I wanted to be seen as different as well. So it was no surprise that I wanted to go to a big school, where I could see more different people. However I guess I was a little mislead with just how much diversity Penn State had. I came to a program at Penn State while I was a senior in high school. It was called Achiever's Weekend. It was put on by a minority organization, SMART. The student minority advisory and recruitment team. There were a bunch of minorities from all over at this program. We got to come and experience Penn State for the first time. It was a lot of fun and I was really excited about Penn State. But coming in as a freshmen, I started to notice that there wasn't as much diversity as I thought. I made my own diversity though. What I mean is that I started hanging out with more hispanic and black people. I went to "black parties" and joined the minority organizations. My mother actually started calling me a racist because she thought I was ignoring all the white people in my life. I wasn't ignoring them or thought different of them, but I wanted to emerge myself in culture. I wanted to learn about other people and what they were life. That was when I meant true Hispanic people, and started my crush on the black man. I found that they treated me differently than a white man. I know some will say all they wanted was to get laid, but it wasn't all about that. I got along with all these people so well. They joke around in a way that I do. So while I was raised by a white family, I was struggling to find my identity and a Hispanic woman. I wish someone had taught me spanish and I wish I knew more about my culture. But hanging out with my Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Columbian friends, I learned some traits about being Hispanic. I especially learned about the food. So while I am seen on the outside as a Hispanic woman, part of my on the inside will always be the white child raised by the white family. But slowly as I am growing up I am learning the ways of being a Hispanic woman. So I understand where this student is coming from. And what I want to say to him is that take pride in your Puerto Rican side. You don't look white to me, you look Puerto Rican. It isn't the color of your skin that defines you, it's what is inside.
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I think that multi-racial people are who they want to be, they cannot be forced to follow or be a certain race. I saw a video a couple of days ago of a comedian named ' Russell Peters' he said that he was born in Canada but he is of Indian origin, both his parents are from India. He says that since he was born in a predominantly black community, his daily actions are more like like white or black people than Indian. He says he is racially Indian but culturally he is Canadian. I think the culture that one was brought up in plays a big role in who people want to be when they grow up.
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As other people here, I feel sorry for you too. Well, I see so many things about trying to identify yourself and selecting which team you want to play on. Needless to say, it is easy to say but hard to do it. For example, it is easy to say ‘let’s not lie because it is against Ten Commandments’ but people sometimes confront the situations where so-called ‘white lies’ are needed. The only thing that I can say to you (the person in the clip) is that you have a couple of hundred people, at least, who can understand this kind of issue.
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THANK YOU! I just want to say that I am completely in the same boat as you in this class. My dad is half Peruvian (born and raised there) and half Italian. And my mom is half Mexican and half European (Welsh/English/French). So that means I'm.. basically a mutt. In this class I don't feel like I am really on either "team" that Sam addresses. I have been raised to appreciate my dad's Peruvian culture, but like you, my race is probably considered "white" because of the actual color of my skin. What I really don't get though is how Sam took so much time in the beginning classes to explain to us that race doesn't really exist, and we can't label people by race. For example, the whole demonstration where he had the guy try and group everyone by race/skin color and it was completely off. But he still talks about the "white team" and the "black and brown team," and points out people, calling them white or black or brown. I understand that if he went off the idea that race doesn't really exist, then what would we talk about in class? But I just want to point out that our country's population is increasingly multicultural, and it's hard to just split people between white and black and brown. And people may not identify with what they're "technical" race is, but more so with the culture they are a part of. So when Sam talks about the different race teams, I mostly just take in both sides and make sure to understand both, but still don't feel as if I'm a part of either "team."
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I am not sure I completely understand your question. You kind of answer it yourself. Sam has come up to me asking questions about where I am from and what I am, and I always answer that I am part Greek but grew up in CT and just think of myself as being white. So I know I am part Greek, but I don’t think of myself as Greek specifically, just white American. I think that in your case you can answer whatever you would like to. If you feel that you fall into the white category and you can relate to white people, and you are comfortable with being a white dude, then go ahead and answer that you are white. However, if you think that you grew up with Hispanic or Puerto Rican (or whatever the case may be)culture and influence, and your clothing style, speaking style, living habits, etc, all reflect that, and you feel comfortable being part of the black and brown team, then it is fair to answer that you are black or brown.
I guess what I am getting at is if you feel like you belong on one team, and you instinctively answer for the white team every time, then that is the team you are on. Me personally, I am on the white team. There is no question about it. So for me to pretend to be on the black and brown team would look ridiculous from everybody else’s point of view, and would probably feel stupid from my point of view. So there is no doubt in my mind that I am on the white team. If you have any doubt, or you think you may qualify for both, then it is up to you to choose one side I supposed, but I don’t think there is a wrong answer.
On the other hand, I supposed it is possible for one person to have two completely different parents and to be raised in such a way that they have almost created their own team. Their habits, mannerisms, cultural influences, etc, can be so woven together that as a person they are not sure which side to pick as “home base.” I see this potentially happening if the two parents involved get separated and the child lives with both of them even time. Maybe this would just result in a child who is raised in the immersion stage from the start. I don’t really know what that might be like, so maybe your having the same type of trouble.
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I can really relate to this guy. I know what if feels like to be confused about which team to be on. My mom is Mexican and my dad is white. One of the best pieces of advice that I can say would be to not forget where you come from and what makes you, you. I don't have the tannest skin but I am part Mexican. People can classify you as a white person just because of your skin but it is up to you to know that you are not just white.
I know how you feel about being classified as only white though. Sam grouped me with a few completely white kids and brought us up to the front during class once. When I got down to the front of the classroom, Sam said that I wasn't really "white" but I can just pretend to be for that day. I think that sometimes this type of grouping is done every day. People in society are too quick to judge a person's race or heritage. They do not think that the person can have more than one race. I think that people should be more aware of the fact that just because you may look like a white person doesn't mean that you are all white.
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For me I would say that if you were raised as a Latino then you should identify as a Black/Brown person if you feel the pull towards that group, only because you are a part of that group and most easily identify with them. However if you are a person of multicultural decent then you have every right to identify with whoever you want it's your right to be who you want. the idea that people see you as white and not Latino then you should correct them if you want, but the idea that it matters is disturbing because we want to be one big happy country yet we still feel that our race dictates who we are. I mean we should be proud of our heritage but I think we should accept that there is no need to divide ourselves up in to teams. the idea that one should pick a side White, Black, Asian, whatever is outdated and ludicrous.
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I can not imagine how this feels as I am not multi cultured. The only advice I would give to you is identify with the side that you were raised with. I felt really stupid at the end of this video because people always assume that I am Italian because of my skin completion and dark thick hair, and I might be 10% at most. I have only gotten mad once when a girl called me a guido, but I just laughed it off because in a way it was funny to me that she thought I was a guido.
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That is a tough and conflicting issue, but I think you just kind of have to see yourself as a part of it all the way I do. I am Hispanic as well, though neither of my parents are white, I still am considered in the “white” crowd. There are so many times that I’m with my friends and whenever they refer to our crowd, they say “white guys” all the time. I once said “and a Spanish kid” and all they said back was that I was practically white. Growing up in high school I was friends with primarily black and brown people, but through college I have been friends with more white people. In each crowd I was considered a part of them, and that is something that I look at as being kind of cool that I can be considered both white and black/brown.
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I say you should identify with whatever racial group that you feel the most comfortable with. If a person is half Hispanic and half white, but they see themselves as Hispanic, then that’s what they are I suppose. People do it all the time, really. Even if the person does look mostly white, it doesn’t matter. It’s all about what they prefer to be and the culture they identify the most with. Still, there is more to this issue that I find really interesting. It seems as if multiracial people have this issue pretty regularly. Many of my friends are multiracial and they talked about it all the time as we were growing up in high school. But I just have to ask, why is it that the multiracial children have to choose a group at all? It seems to me that that decision is a little unfair to them and put them in a very troubling identity crisis. Though I know life IS unfair in general, for the sake of this class, let’s look at this issue this way. Black people have a group, Brown people have a group, and White people have a group. So many different cultures and beliefs are lumped in together into three groups according to skin color. That in itself seems inherently wrong to me; it just doesn’t seem sound. That said, when it comes to the people of several different racial groups, shouldn’t they be given a group of their own? Lumping them into whatever group they APPEAR to be due to their skin color is almost like adhering to a really weird, almost inversed version of the “One Drop rule, If you look mostly like race X, then that is what you are. Deal with it.” Sure, I know everyone makes snap judgments on how people look and this lumping into the three main groups is practically inevitable in this world but I just don’t think a child from a multiracial background should be forced to choose. I guess my point is that there should be a racial group for multiracial people. Making them choose on a regular basis seems to me like they’re being forced to deny an equally acceptable part of themselves. If they had their own group maybe they wouldn’t have to worry about what they are considered. I’m not saying that this would be an easy thing for our social world as human beings to do. All I’m saying is that if a person of mixed blood took it upon themselves to create their own group, maybe they wouldn’t feel so torn between choosing which group their supposed to belong to. Perhaps they would be able to feel more comfortable with their plethora of traits.
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After listening to this student speak about his race, and ethnicity, it definitely makes me think about how I would feel if I were in this situation, however, I do not feel bad for him like a few others have said. He is lucky to have more than one culture and should embrace the both of them. If he hadn’t said that he was partially Latino I would have never known, however, I can see how this would be a little confusing. If it were me personally, I would probably identify with what I grew up around. Since your mother is Puerto Rican and that is the culture you were exposed to, it’s probably easier for you to relate to someone who is Latino, but I don’t think that you should exclude that other part of you.
Today its seems that everyone and everything tries to categorize us into perfectly square boxes, when in fact, we do not fit those categories. Applications for jobs, schools, surveys tell you to check a box that might not fit the description of who you are. Other than the census, for statistical information, Why should the color of one’s skin, or the race that they are matter? Does being a certain race limit one’s ability to achieve a task, or the quality of their performance?
A majority of people are grouped by their skin color, or classified by characteristics that are unique to every individual. For example, someone can be “white” or “black” but still multiracial. Someone who identifies as white can be of Italian and Irish descent, but those are two completely different elasticities. The traditions, customs, and heritage are different. The same goes for someone who is “black,” African American, and of Caribbean descent.
This student is the only one who can identify who he is. Some may see him physically as a part of the “white” race, but his ethnicity is Latino. If one culture plays a bigger role in your life than another, then other distinctions should not matter. If you are categorized into a group with “white” people and it looks like you belong in it, but you do not feel that you belong in the white group, and you can relate to “brown” people more, than go with what you feel.
Once people begin to realize what the bigger picture is, and that all people are similar and different in many ways, then race will no longer be an issue. Life is not just white or black, there are many different colors, and shades of that color. Even if two people identify as white or black, they are completely different individuals and the only ones who can define them are themselves.
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After listening to this student speak about his race, and ethnicity, it definitely makes me think about how I would feel if I were in this situation, however, I do not feel bad for him like a few others have said. He is lucky to have more than one culture and should embrace the both of them. If he hadn’t said that he was partially Latino I would have never known, however, I can see how this would be a little confusing. If it were me personally, I would probably identify with what I grew up around. Since your mother is Puerto Rican and that is the culture you were exposed to, it’s probably easier for you to relate to someone who is Latino, but I don’t think that you should exclude that other part of you.
Today its seems that everyone and everything tries to categorize us into perfectly square boxes, when in fact, we do not fit those categories. Applications for jobs, schools, surveys tell you to check a box that might not fit the description of who you are. Other than the census, for statistical information, Why should the color of one’s skin, or the race that they are matter? Does being a certain race limit one’s ability to achieve a task, or the quality of their performance?
A majority of people are grouped by their skin color, or classified by characteristics that should be unique to every individual. For example, someone can be “white” or “black” but still multiracial. Someone who identifies as white can be of Italian and Irish descent, but those are two completely different ethnicity. The traditions, customs, and heritage are different. The same goes for someone who is “black,” African American, and of Caribbean descent.
This student is the only one who can identify who he is. Some may see him physically as a part of the “white” race, but his ethnicity is Latino. If one culture plays a bigger role in your life than another, then other distinctions should not matter. If you are categorized into a group with “white” people and it looks like you belong in it, but you do not feel that you belong in the white group, and you can relate to “brown” people more, than go with what you feel.
Once people begin to realize what the bigger picture is, and that all people are similar and different in many ways, then race will no longer be an issue. Life is not just white or black, there are many different colors, and shades of that color. Even if two people identify as white or black, they are completely different individuals and the only ones who can define them are themselves.
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I think this "teams" issue is a really big deal, especially in this class. Even before this was brought up, I had thought about a friend that sits with e in class. He is Cuban but acts very "white". He claims himself to be white, even though his name CLEARLY says that he is not of European heritage, but rather he is Hispanic. Obviously, I have never asked him about which he identifies with because I have always seen him as white. He has lighter skin, dresses preppy, has no ounce of an accent, and acts white. This is a direct relation to the race team issue that has been addressed.
I am a clear member of the white team. I am Irish, German, and Polish. I am Roman Catholic, dress trendy, preppy, and sporty. I am in a sorority and am the upper middle class. I am probably one of the whitest people out there. I have no contest to whether or not I belong to the white team. Similarly, there are people in this class that clearly identify with the black team and brown team. This is because they express and exercise their heritage, their skin is easily identifiable with their race, their ethnicities are purebred, their parents are both the same ethnicities.
Overall, I think that in order to identify with a racial group to general as white black brown without any hesitation, one must relate back the the old saying, "if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck." I have found that usually if everyone else perceives someone as white, black, or brown, they also perceive themselves as that same racial identity. It is the mixed colored/religion individuals that really have a tough time identifying with a particular team.
In my opinion, the team to which these type of people belong depends first and foremost on what heritage they celebrate and embrace most. If a Puerto Rican-Italian has never visited Italy, never talked about it at all, or met any relatives native to that area, but contrarily has been to Puerto Rico to visit family and actively participates the PR Pride Club in their town, then my good guess is is that that person has stronger emotional ties to their Puerto Rican side of their heritage, and may consider themselves brown. I think that a person's team is determined by what they truly identify themselves with. And what they identify themselves with depends on how strongly connected they are with that aspect of their heritage. It may even relate back to Sam's levels of immersion into race relations issues. If people have issues in class picking a team, what they really need to look at is why they haven't expressed any true pride in some part of their background, because that's where it all starts from.
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I think the class tends to make these issues black and white when they aren’t. Sam’s recent comments about how you should identify with the ethnicity you feel closest too seems to be an appropriate thing to say, but why not be both? Why not consider yourself white AND Puerto Rican. I realize it’s almost like an identity crisis, not being able to feel strongly towards one side of the ethnicity/race chain. So why put yourself in that position which makes you feel like you need to “choose” which side to be on. Obviously, if you feel like you can connect more with Hispanics because of the culture you were raised in, then consider yourself a Hispanic. But if you feel torn and believe that aspects of both cultures resonate with you, let them resonate. Be part of both cultures, don’t fight it. It’s not a bad thing to connect more with Hispanics in some cultural areas and white in others. It seems as though the reason for the confusion is because of soc 119 and how Sam makes the distinction between white and black and brown people so clear when it isn’t. He did admit that the distinction isn’t as obvious as he’s making it but for the sake of his lecture and topics discussed it class it makes it easier.
Seems like the best way to tackle this issue is to think more on this topic and ask yourself if you’ve discovered this (this sort of racial identity crisis) throughout your life or just in this class? If it is the former, then try and think back to the experiences that invoked these emotions within you and try and pinpoint why you felt that way.
Multiracial people must feel ostracized by society. There are many situations that encourage multiracial people to feel excluded from the masses; for instance, in all the forms that are filled out in which you bubble in your race. There is usually an option for “other,” but still it is another way to say “you don’t belong.” I recently met an Australian studying abroad at Penn State for the semester who was born in South Africa, lived there till he was ten and then moved to Australia. He has literally split his life in half in two different countries. He confessed to me that while he is in the United States he feels Australian, but once he’s back in Australia he feels South African. Not only would this be hard to handle because of feeling confused about his racial identity but also the feeling of not belonging anywhere. That feeling of not belonging is the issue many multiracial people face, or so it seems.
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I feel that you should correct Sam and the other that come up to you call you by a race that you do not identify with. Like Sam has mentioned before, most of your identity comes from what experiences you grew up and what you see yourself as. Since you have always identified as Hispanic, I would continue identifying with that race and make sure you are proud of that fact. There are too many people who have lost touch with their racial identities and I think it is very important that you stay with your beliefs about who you are.
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This is kind of upsetting to hear this guy’s question. I feel like a lot of people focus too much on other people’s differences that they have to think about categorizing others and themselves. If the point of bringing people together regardless of their differences is supposed to come out of all these discussions, I really do not think it will work if all we focus on is the differences to begin with. For example, we always discuss how there are ways a white person feels and there are ways that people of color feel. What if we all feel the same, you know? I know that we are trying to be realistic here and that there definitely are ways that certain people feel, and I am not saying that we should not feel different or anything like that; I just feel as though if we are always feeling different and we are always thinking we face different issues than everybody that is not part of our race, it is only going to push the goal of eliminating the conflict between white and colored people away.
I personally cannot relate to this guy because I am not multiracial, but I can kind of sympathize because a lot of my family and friends are multiracial. I feel like I would be so confused because at a lot of these family events that my family has, I can see that it is hard for a lot of my cousins to relate to those of us that are fully one race. A lot of the times, those of us that are one race have to explain a lot of different things and situations. When asked what they consider themselves in terms of race, it is hard for them to come up with a concrete answer. I feel bad and I feel like it should not even come to this. I would like to believe that there is a mutual agreement with people and just be the way they are without having to categorize themselves as a certain race. By labeling yourself as a certain race, you are more likely to think you should be a certain way because you are that race. I am not saying there should not be such thing as race, but I just do not think people should be confused about themselves and where to categorize themselves just because they feel like it is necessary to do so or else they will be viewed a certain way. I know that without all these issues, there would not be any of this going on, but I feel as though the world is going to have to accept others regardless of race and should put all of these stereotypes behind; eventually, everyone in the world will be multiracial it seems. People are becoming more accepting, which is a very good start and will lead to people being multiracial and therefore accepting of others regardless of race or ethnicity.
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I don't think that people should have to choose "teams." I think you should just be proud of what you are and accept it. You don't have to pick sides. You said that you always identified yourself as Hispanic/Latino, and that's the culture you were raised in, so I think you should go with how you feel at heart. But I don't think there is necessarily a need for anyone to pick a team. If anything, this class has tried to teach us to look past all of that stuff, and for all of us to be on the same team.
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Race itself is a complicated issues, what makes it more complicated is multicultural people,I personally think that we are all multicultured, no one is a 100 percent of one race, and iam not going to even try to define what a race is because that itself is much more complicated, if people did not think of other races with stereotypes, if they didn’t look down at other races then race wouldn’t be a problem anymore , people want to be better than others that’s why they define races and have stereotypes for other races. We need to realize that we are all the same and there is no such a thing as racee
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I am really happy that this boy asked this question. It has made me think about how people who are multiracial have to deal with this issue. This reminds me of when Sam mentioned that white people never really had to think about race when they were younger, unlike people of color who are usually aware of race at a much earlier age. This boys situation is similar to me because I have never really thought of this issue, whereas people who are dealing with it have definitely been aware of it for a long time. Both of my parents are white and of the same religion and I have never faced an issue like this where I am torn and feel the need to decide who I am.
I also have many friends who have been raised by parents of different religions who do not seem to face this issue either. Most of them have been raised to be one religion and have parents that are both white, therefore they see themselves as white and as the religion they have been raised as
I feel really bad that this boy seems to be facing such turmoil about this issue and upset that this class has brought upon this thinking in him. I feel that this class is supposed to make one think and is meant and supposed to bring answers and enlightenment to different issues, not make someone feel like he has to question who he is. To me, ethnicity, how you were raised and the way you think about life and the way you value and view different things is more important than how you classify your race and the color of your skin. If this boy sees himself as being Hispanic then that is all that should matter. But if he does feels that he needs to categorize himself, which I wish he didn’t feel like, and he sees himself as Hispanic and if Hispanic is seen as being a part of the black and brown team then that is how he should see and categorize himself. He should stick with how he originally felt about race.
I think that the fact that this boy, as well as many other people along with him, feel that they need to put themselves on a team just means that our society still has a ways to go when dealing with race relations. It would be nice, but I guess this sounds a bit idealistic and a little too optimistic for right now, if no one ever felt that they needed to be part of either the white team or the brown and black team. It would be nice if we could all just see ourselves as one.
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I would respond to this student by telling him to categorize himself with whatever he “feels”. In class, Sam usually talks about the “white team” and the “brown and black team”, but we never speak about the “in between team”. I truly feel bad for this student, because he seems confused and does not know what to categorize himself as. He was born from a Hispanic mother and a white father, but he was raised on his mothers side of the family, so he was born Hispanic. He states that he has always found himself jumping on the “black and brown side” because of how he was raised. However, he also states that Puerto Rican is his ethnicity, but his race is white. He claims that Sam has come up to him and asked where he stands in this conflict. However, I believe that if he was raised on his mother’s side of the family, and has identified himself as Hispanic, then he is Hispanic.
In my opinion, what one categorizes him or her should be based upon how they were raised, the traditions they practice, and their culture. Although this student claims that many people would consider him white because of his skin color, he has never considered himself as white. I think that someone should be whoever he or she wants to be. We should feel proud of who we are and we should not have to choose sides. Who is to say that there are only two sides—the black/brown team and the white team? There is so much more to who we are than what our skin color appears to be.
In this video, the student explains that he feels conflict with himself. He also explains that he would identify on the black/brown team through the experiences that he has been through. I am just wondering what specific experiences he has gone through that he would identify himself with this specific team? Overall, I do not think that this student should have to feel conflict with who he is. Why does he have to pick a side? Why cant he embrace his multiracial culture and identify himself with both? I guess I do not understand the big deal of classifying oneself with a specific team. I find it even more upsetting that the two sides are labeled “teams”. The United States is supposed to be a melting pot of cultures and races. I hope that someday, we can all come together and identify ourselves as “one team”.
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I guess I’m somewhat in the same position as this guy; I’m an Asian-American and I’m not sure myself whether I’m on the White or Black/Brown team. In the classroom setting, I assume I’m on the Black/Brown team when we do those texting polls or speak about certain issues or volunteer to go up and be a part of Sam’s examples; it’s like White people versus everybody else. Honestly, it’s up to you. This whole concept of two teams is just a concept; it isn’t something that’s written in a tabernacle or a law. This whole class is designed so that Sam makes us think about these issues so you make it to however you want it to be. This issue that the student brings up is pretty sticky; he’s half-Hispanic and half-White and claims his ethnicity is Puerto Rican but his race to be White. If I were in his position, I would choose whichever group I’d feel most associated with. It’s just like the half-Black half-Chinese guy from the class; he looks completely Black but half of him is made up of Chinese blood. As aforementioned, these teams are conceptual; choose whatever you feel is most comfortable because these “teams” don’t define who you really are. As I continue to sit in this class, race relations is quite complex and there’s somehow gray area wherever you go. I hope we can all better understand the complexities of ourselves in relation to race and ethnicity as the semester winds down.
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We talked about this issue in discussion today and I feel how one identifies is really important. I find it sad that people don't know what to relate to and feel that everyone should have something in them that they feel strongly about and can identify with in order to connect with other people. I know I don't go around being like "Oh, I'm white" however, when I have to bubble in my race on scantrons and what not I identify as white. When I do classify myself though I represent myself as Jewish and find it a strong molding aspect.
In my life I hang out with my friend and he just happens to be Jewish and gets along with all my friends. His sister however, only likes me out of my group of friends. My friends joke and say it's because I'm Jewish and on some level I agree. It's a good bonding element and really brings people together. Jewish people, or any religion or race do tend to stick together. My friend, his sister, who I'm now friends with and other random friends of friends and me, all had a sedar for passover this week. I got to know them through a traditional dinner, that we wouldn't of had unless the holiday called for it, but I got to know them. Then this weekend, most people went home for easter and the majority of people who stuck around happened to be Jewish, so once again I hung out with them. It was a good time and I had a lot of fun with them. The initial reason for me talking to them, may of been because we were all Jewish and had similar things to talk about, but that was a starting point. We played volleyball and football together and just hung out this weekend, and we rarely discussed or culture.
It's something we share and something I believe is important in ones life. I feel that each person should be able to identify with something just as a connection to themselves. I pride myself on my religion and follow the guidelines of what I'm suppossed to do. I've gone out of my way this week to keep passover and eat unleavened bread and it's something that's important to me. I feel like if I didn't have something to connect to, I would be fine. However, I would know that there was something missing, but just wouldn't be able to put my finger on it. I feel that if you're multiracial that's cool because it gives you a chance to identify with more then one subculture. It may be hard to identify or classify yourself, but the way I look at it is that you're not only one specific thing and can only be that one, but you are multi. You're given the chance to identify and relate with multiple races. This I feel allows you to broaden yourself and live a more enriched life since you're so immersed not into one culture, but two.
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i understand what you mean. i am hispanic as well but i have always been kind of confused how to identify myself because i am only half. whenever i say my last name people look a little confused because it is so hispanic and i do not look like it at all. my father is 100% mexican but have extremely fair skin, red-ish blonde hair and hazel eyes. i am the same way but with light brown hair. even though we are technically Mexican, even when we go to our house im Mexico people seem to be confused when we speak Spanish. it's always been hard to identify myself as one way or another, i've never really been able to do it so i usually try to just avoid it but i am not sure if that i necesarily the right thing to do. ignoring it does not get me anywhere.
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I also come from a Hispanic mother and a white father, but I personally identify with the "white team" more than I do on the Hispanic team. The reason for this is because in class we were asked what kind of a background we had growing up and the types of people we interacted with growing up, our friends, our school, which family we saw more often, etc. I come from a mildly racist white town and I have never really considered myself anything other than white. I say that I'm Hispanic when asked on scholarships or applications, but when I am just hanging out with my friends (who are mostly white) I never really feel different. Growing up, I felt like I was different because I knew certain Spanish phrases my mom said which I had assumed everybody knew, not knowing they were Spanish. I felt so different and it was hard to relate to the white culture that surrounded me. Now I don't ever feel this difference from my childhood because I have been completely absorbed into the white culture. I don't really relate to either "team" though when we're asked in class to participate on a team. I feel like I am more CULTURALLY white, but biologically I am still 50/50 Hispanic and white, so I find it hard to chose a side.
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It is common ignorance for people to identify someone as one race when they really are another race. I personally think that you should just brush it off. If Sam does it I am sure others identify you as white too. I know you may think it is offensive, but I think it is a more common misconception then people realize. I also do not think that simple education of people regarding race will work though because I feel that others may still get confused. The only thing that people can do is maybe watch how they classify people and ask others what they identify as.
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It is so sad that none of us Humans can live on this earth without being categorized as black, brown, white or yellow. I mean what is the big deal? What changes is it going to make if they know it or not? We are all human beings; we should all be treated equally regardless of where we come from or what our skin color is. This is so the 21st century and we should not have to worry about that, especially now that people from different backgrounds and countries get married to each other. It’s just hard to categorize people now, it shouldn’t even matter. I know exactly how you feel because I am a multiracial woman, as well as most of my friends and cousins and unfortunately we have all been going through the same thing as you for years now, and it gets very annoying and frustrating. But you know what?!?! That is when the whole thing with knowing yourself, who you are, where you come from what makes you happy comes in hand. At the end one should definitely not care about what other people are saying or thinking. Life is too short to be worrying about all that you know. If you have been raised and grew up around one side more than the other then obviously you will adapt to that environment and that is not your fault, it is just how it’s supposed to be. In my case I have been around my mother’s side of the family more than my father’s side, so I definitely got attached to my mother’s side and I learned their ways, cultures, traditions, languages I mean you name it. Don’t get me wrong, I eventually tried to learn a little about my father’s side but I was still more influenced by my mother’s side and there is nothing wrong with that because that is the side I was exposed to. Don’t ever feel the need to explain yourself man. Again if you know who you are then that is all that matters seriously. Even though the class I based on Race relations, I am so tired of always ending up talking about black/brown and white people like those are the only races in this world. But anyway, if you feel confident with your Hispanic side then so be it man. It’s just like if a black person was exposed to an Asian culture they would end up learning and having their values, it’s not like they are forced to do so, but those are your surroundings then you have no choice but to be apart of the team. Plus just a little point of thought, I believe that multiracial people are very interesting and lucky at the same time, because wherever you travel to in this world, you can kind of adapt to any environments to end up in without being afraid to do so. So take it as a privilege
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I can definitely relate to this. My mother is black and my father is half white and half Indian. I grew up with both parents and both sets of families, but I feel that I am closer to my cousins on my dad’s side of the family. I consider each part of my family as equal in shaping my racial identity, so I say that I’m multiracial. In class when Sam asks race specific questions for the black and brown team verses the white team I just don’t answer. My outward appearance is black, so I can obviously relate more to the black and brown team, not to mention a lot of people just assume that I’m black anyway. When people ask me what I am, like what my race is I have a little complex too. For multiracial people I feel that they are often forced to choose between the races that make up who they are—and I don’t really think that it’s so much a personal choice to go one way or another, its more society and the mindset of people around them. For example, growing up I knew a couple of mulattos that either hung out with all black people or all white people just because they felt that they had to make the choice. I do remember when I was really young I knew a biracial girl who had a black mother and a white father that hung out with all black people and then one day decided to hang out a couple white girls at lunch. I remember her black friends were mad and they said something like, “oh so you’re going to go hang out with the white people now.” I know she ended up choosing her white friends in the end. I can only imagine how she felt, but I think this serves as a good example as to why people of the mixed race people identify one way or another and many times don’t identify with both parts of their racial makeup. Something that is interesting to me is a lot of the multiracial and biracial people that I have come across in my life usually feel that they can relate more to part of them that’s black or brown and I don’t really know why that is.
but getting back to the original question, I feel that you have already made the choice for yourself because when Sam asked you a question about being white you said, no I’m Hispanic. I wish one day there could be a class or even a question directed at all of the multiracial and biracial people in the class since apparently a lot of us don’t want to be forced to choose.
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I am glad that this student put his question on the flip camera because I wondered about others that are in his place. He is obviously caught between two identities and he feels obligated to choose between the two because of the pressures in society. I do not believe that it is fair, yet it happens every day to countless people. Why should people have to choose? Why should they have to be internally divided? We discussed earlier in the semester that most mixed or multicultural people identify with one side over the other. This happens because of where they grew up or who they grew up with. What is interesting is that this student says that he grew up with his mother’s side of the family but he thinks that others see him as white because he has “white skin.” When I look at him, I do not think of him as white. I definitely see some other ethnicity at first glance. In addition, it seems like most people that are mixed with white and some other culture choose whichever side is “non-white.” Why is that? Is being white, and all the ethnicities that make up that extremely vague genre, just not satisfying enough? I have always wondered why that is.
But back to the original question: what team should he be on? Only he can decide that, and that is if he wants to be on either of the teams presented in class. If you do not allow yourself to be categorized by everyone else, then I feel as though you won’t be for the most part. There of course will be those people who place others in an initial category when they do not know them. But we all do that. It is natural to us as humans. There really is nothing you can do about judging at first glance. We have to learn to look past that. What we have to focus on are the more important things like how well the people we care about understand us. Everyone’s definition of how they are identified is different because everyone has their own feelings about the situation, or they may even be indifferent about all of this.
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