Online Resources: The MAVIN Foundation

A Look by "Growing Up Mixed" at:

The MAVIN Foundation

Hey friends!  Here's another installment of the "online resources" series.  Last time, we looked at "Multicultural Familia," a great website for multiracial, multiethnic, interracial, blended, mixed issues in current events and overlapping social justice spheres.  Check out the "Multicultural Familia" post here if you missed it!

Let's look at The MAVIN Foundation's website as a resource for you, the fierce, fabulous mixed teens, college students and otherwise young people of today!

MAVIN: "The Mixed Race Experience"

Their vision statement does a great job summarizing what MAVIN's about: "We strive to be the most comprehensive resource to expand awareness and bring mixed heritages issues to the forefront of the mainstream dialogue" (MAVIN).

According to the FAQs page, the word "mavin:" "has roots in Yiddish that means 'no one understands'" (MAVIN).  As a multiracial, multiethnic, very much multicultural college student, I personally can see how the idea that "no one understands" connects with feeling underrepresented, underprivileged and misunderstood.

The MAVIN website has information on mixed-related topics and projects run by the foundation.  Here are some of the highlights I picked out:

• The "MatchMaker" Program
• The number of mixed race donors of bone marrow is small.  Many multiracial folks suffering from leukemia will not get the bone marrow donations that will keep them alive.
• The MatchMaker program finds bone marrow donors for multiracial patients.
• If you're of mixed race descent, consider looking into becoming a donor!

• Impressive and Diverse Board of Directors
• Board members include professors, artists, activists, social workers and more!

• "The Mixed Heritage Center"
• MAVIN runs this website with the Association of Multiethnic Americans as a centralized location for multiracial, muliethnic online resources.
• To check out the awesome resources at the MHC, click here.
• Just a heads up, you have to register with the site!

The only tricky part I had with the MAVIN website was that there was two of them!  The new one has up-to-date information and news regarding mixed-related topics, but the old one was where I found information about the foundation itself (for example, what what the word "mavin" means."

Either way, The MAVIN Foundation is doing some great work and I encourage everyone to check them out.  Links to both their old and new sites are below.

Classic MAVIN: "click me!"

New MAVIN: "click me!"

What do you think about MAVIN?  Did you find anything that really stood out to you on their websites?  Or, are there any other websites that you use as an online resource as a multiracial, multiethnic, blended person?  Let us know!

Feel free to leave a comment or question in the response box under this post.  As always, this is a safe space.

Feel good!

<3 Elise "The Mixed Blogging Chick"