Elizabeth and Hazel: Hope Delayed

I have just finished reading a book entitled "Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock, the moving story behind the later-in-life meeting of the two primary subjects in an infamous post-segregation photo. In September 1957, Elizabeth Eckford was among nine black teenagers designated to desegregate Central Little Rock High School following the Brown vs. Board of Education decision to integrate. She was supposed to walk alongside her fellow prospective students for their first day of classes, guided by adults, but, on the morning of the arranged walk, one of these adults forgot about Elizabeth and she was forced to walk alone amidst a terrifying gauntlet of hostile whites, one of whom was a girl her age named Hazel Bryan, whose venomous facial expression was frozen on film for all time as she stood in the crowd behind Elizabeth, who was captured leaving the building after being turned away. This experience, along with the torment visited upon Elizabeth and the rest of the Little Rock Nine in the halls of Central, left behind deep emotional and psychological scars that so traumatized Ms. Eckford that even when she and Hazel Bryan Massery formed a friendship in their older years, she was mistrustful of Hazel’s motives for reconciliation , Hazel felt there was nothing more she could do to convince her of her sincerity, and their fragile short-lived accord fell apart. Upon reading of this unfortunate development that could’ve held promise, I was struck by the realization that I could see both sides of the issue, the black and white of it, so to speak. The brutal oppression of Southern slavery and the overt and institutional racism in both the North and South have left many in the black community feeling just as mistrustful of white peoples’ motives as Elizabeth , conversely, there are many in the white community who are working to undo the ugly legacy left by some of their ancestors. Understanding both sides of this painful and long-standing issue feels like the essence of what it means o be and identify as biracial. Knowing that this barrier must be breached is what it means to be a good citizen and a moral human being.

Passing for Biracial: Part 2

A recent New York Times article profiled some college-age youth whose views are converse of those who are steadfast in strictly defining racial categories based on our society's history. It highlights those who refuse to fit into one box or another. Kudos to them, and may more biracials, young and old, be encouraged to speak out their truth.

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/us/30mixed.html?_r=1&hp[/url]

Passing for Biracial

According to a recent study on ethnic identity, more black/white biracials are identifying as black, and as might be expected, there are those who say "duh, what else would you call yourself?" I of course, cannot speak for others' experience, however, for my part, there is a reason why I and some others like me, identify as biracial. Biracial, as with any other identity, speaks to a way of being that cannot defined within the sometimes strict categorizations of race used in our society. It is a certain way of viewing the world, of ideas, and sometimes even of speech that defy pigeonholing. It is vital for everyone to function within the space they feel most comfortable without trying to push others to fit into it. That is why I'm passing for biracial.

Oprah: The Truth of the Matter

Yesterday I was shooting the breeze with some of my co-workers over lunch when one of them proclaimed that an incredible story she was recounting to us must be true because it was on Oprah. She was kidding about this, but there are some people that take her advice as the Gospel truth and who take her to heart because she is deemed all-powerful and so what she says is golden, even in times when it's been exposed as faulty, such as in the case of author James Frey, who exaggerated his life experiences. I appreciate the good that she has done, but there are thousands of others in the trenches everday who don't get the attention she does, and I don't know about you, and I admit to being as interested in celebrities as the next guy, however I think there needs to be a balance between how much we look up to these figures versus how much appreciation we acknowledge those unsung who fight for the betterment of humanity everyday.

Racial Division and Vanity Fair

While I was waiting at a local shopping center to meet a friend for dinner, I perused the bookstore, and there on the magazine rack, was a stark reminder that, despite the election of a black President and the increase in interracial relationships and marriages, in some corners time stands still. On the cover of the latest Vanity Fair was a group of up-and-coming young starlets, all white. Right next to this issue was Ebony featuring the acting phemon Gabby Sidibe, star of the acclaimed film "Precious". Although there are debates about the neccesity of separate ethnic publications, my main complaint regards the exclusion of a celebrated actress who at her greatest moment has been deemed not on par with the mainstream idea of talent and beauty. What a shame, I suppose it's their loss that even in this day and age, their vision is still so narrow. Hope remains eternal.

Congratulations Shani Davis.

On February 17, 27 -year old Shani Davis , who in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy became the first black person in Olympic history to win a gold medal in an individual event, made history yet again. People from the south side of Chicago, his hometown, to Washington, DC, where he opened a skating-oriented youth development program, cheered him on as he became the first speed skater to win the 1,000-meters twice in an Olympic Winter Games. Although media-shy, Shani has inspired people of color to go outside their athletic comfort zones, and I look forward to seeing more diversity in the future. Thanks, Shani.

Introducing Tyree Brown

As I was sitting vegging out in front of my TV the other day, I saw a commercial for the forthcoming series "Parenthood", an adaptation of the 1989 comedy. To my delight, I saw that two of the characters, played by Dax Shepard and Joy Bryant have a biracial son, played by 6-year old newcomer Tyree Brown, who is himself biracial. I applaud this on-screen portrayal of the biracial experience and look forward to watching the series beginning in March.