Guidelines - "So What Are You?" part 2

How Can Mixed Folks Respond to the Question: "So What Are You?"

Hi mixed race and mixed ethnicity friends!  Let's continue our discussion on how mixed folks can respond to the somtimes hurtful question "So what are you?"  Below are a few methods you could use when dealing with this issue.

"Help!  My Extended Family Just Doesn't Get My Mixed Heritage!"

"Why do you ________?  Is it because your mom's _________?"

"Your hair doesn't look like our side of the family's.  It's all ________."

"But you're also ________.  So why don't you ________ like us?"

Sometimes family members (including us!) don't get it right.  You don't want to alienate everyone who says something like the above, but you also want to change how some of their comments/questions come off as hurtful.  Life as a mixed person: it's tough!

Here are some tips for resolving your "extended family vs. mixed heritage" issues!

Resolving Extended Family and Heritage Issues Like the Awesome Mixed Person You Are!

Online Resources: Multicultural Familia

Internet Resource for Mixed (Multiracial, Multiethnic) Folks: "Multicultural Familia"

Welcome to another installment of the Online Resources series!  Last time we looked at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's page on multiracial families (found here) and The Multiracial Network blog (found here).

In this installment, we'll talk about the website Multicultural Familia (found here) and how it can be a great resource for multiracial, multiethnic, blended, mixed folks.

Multicultural Familia: A Great Resource for All Ages

Guidelines - Hurtful Comments from Friends

Guidelines for Confronting Friends on Mixed-Hurtful Comments

"I don't find  _________s attractice."

"You know who I don't find attractive? _________s."

"I don't think ___________s are hot.  They're too _________."

You've heard all of these before.  You're chatting with someone, (a friend, an acquaintance, a coworker), and they drop the not!attractive bomb.  You casually mention that you're actually part __________.

Here comes the kicker:

"No offense."

This conversation has been a major thorn in the side of people of color.  "No offense?"  Um, no, plenty of offense!

Online Resources: The Multiracial Network Blog

Internet Resource for Mixed (Multiracial, Multiethnic) Folks: "The Multiracial Network Blog"

Hey friends!  Today we're going to look at another great online resource for the mixed community.  To quickly recap, the last resource we looked at was the "Facts for Families - Multiracial Children" page from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in this post.

Today's onlines resource is "The Multicultural Network."  Ready for a blast of resourcy goodness?

The Multiracial Network Blog: Think Outside the Box

Online Resources: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Resources You Can Find Online for Multiracial, Multiethnic, "Mixed" Families: "Facts for Families - Multiracial Children"

Hey y'all!  Let's look at some of the prominent online resources for mixed folks.  It's important to know what's out there (besides my own lovely blog) for the multiracial/multiethnic community and its issues.

My elaborate research methods involved typing in terms like "multiracial families" in Google.  :P  The website we're examining in this post was at the top of the list.

There'll be more installments in the future with additional resources.  In the mean time, feel free to send any recommendations!

Alright, here we go!

Facts for Families -  Multiracial Children

Welcome!

Welcome to : Growing Up In A Mixed Family!  

As a multiracial and multiethnic, "mixed," college senior from the wonderfully diverse state of California, I've had my share of ups and downs growing up with multiple racial and ethnic identities.  As I got older, I really wanted a community outside my home with other folks who identified as multiracial, multiethnic, blended, etc. as a resource and support group.  

I didn't find what I was looking for until I went to college and started working at the multicultural center.  There, I learned about things ranging from self-identification and external vs. internal racism to ideas like reclaiming and passing.  My time at the multicultural center and my own experienes growing up mixed motivated me to make the community that I always wanted.

This blog is a resource for mixed kids, teens, college students and young adults on situation-specific issues facing multiracial and/or multiethnic youths.  Reviews on other online resources, advice on difficult social and academic situations and a variety of discussions on current events involving mixed themes can be found on the "Growing Up Mixed blog.  

If you have any suggestions, comments, questions, etc., definitely write them in the "comments" section below each post.  Let's get a community of mixed youths going!  Just please be polite is all I ask. :)

To all my lovely multiracial, multiethnic, blended, mixed, (or however you identify), young people out there, welcome!


<3 Elise "The Mixed Blogging Chick"