Freedom Flight: The bold exit of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

 

It all began with a cutesy Instagram picture, which led to an introduction between the man who'd seen the photo and the woman in it. A first date followed, for which he was quite late, and although  perturbed by such tardiness, ended up going so very well that there was immediately a second.  From that electric second date onward, the enamored couple were so inseparable that they agreed to never spend more than two weeks apart from each other, with the man flying from his cushy environs in London, England and the woman taking time from her entrepreneurship, activism, and prime acting gig on the very popular legal soap Suits, filming in Toronto, Canada. 

After many months of this back and forth, the couple, who'd enjoyed a peaceful, private courtship, went public with their romance. Then the storm clouds gathered. The woman became beleaguered with vitriolic messages from her beloved's fellow countrymen, and the British press gleefully and eagerly led the charge, writing articles peppered with hateful messaging, with one publication stating that the woman, who is biracial and originates from Los Angeles, California, as "Straight out of Compton". The concerned and angered man released a bold and public message decrying the racist missives, and months later became engaged to his sweetheart. Months after that, the man and the woman became husband and wife in a wedding attended by the powerful and famous from both sides of the ocean and joyfully witnessed by millions more on TV.  

Following this dream event, the bride and groom settled into their life working in the groom's family business, with the bride later giving birth to their first child, a son. Not too long after this blessed event, the antagonism piled on, particularly from the corridors of power, causing such deep fear and distress in the couple, now parents to a young one, that they felt forced to flee for their safety. 

After this flight, the couple, Harry and Megan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, began their next chapter, welcoming a daughter. After continued onslaught, they intensified their defenses, including an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which they revealed the appalling detail that a member of the Royal family had speculated on the complexion of their yet-unborn son and generally caused a deeply uncomfortable environment for the Duchess.

The Duke and Duchess released a Netflix documentary to speak out in defense of themselves and to ward off against the deeply antagonistic perceptions held by some sectors of the public. Although it's been an on ongoing battle, Harry and Meghan have been pillars of strength and most importantly, opened up much-needed conversations about racism and the long shadow of colonialism and the Monarchy's central role in it. At this pivotal moment of the upcoming coronation of King Charles, which will usher in the next generation of the embattled  House of Windsor, it is certainly worth heeding the saga of the Sussexes and pondering the toll this archaic institution takes on those within it and those in the world at large. 

 

Cheers to 2023!

 

Hello, Happy New Year my lovely readers! It has been quite a while since I've posted here, but after the turmoil of the global pandemic that I imagine has left all of us somewhat rattled, I'm back with renewed vigor and a stronger sense of purpose and identity than ever before, ready to once again put forth my voice in honor of my beloved biracial community1 

Very Important Biracial: Kane Brown

Back in the more peaceful days of this year, I took a New Year's trip to Nashville with my friend to go see one of our favorite bands Old Crow Medicine Show. While there, I absorbed as much country music history as I could possibly handle, as it's amongst my favorite musical genres. Upon my visit to the Grand Ole Opry, the Mecca of country music, I looked at the wall of 200+ inductees and was stricken with a twinge of lament that currently legendary Charley Pride (inducted 1993) and former Hootie & the Blowfish lead Darius Rucker, inducted in 2012 after his transition into country, are the only two Black country musicians that are now instated into the ranks of this hallowed and historic institution, and overall, there are but a handful of people of color that have been widely successful in this particular musical category, including a young man raised in Georgia and Tennessee named Kane Brown. 

Kane Brown was born in 1993 to a white mother and a Black father. Raised by his mother Tabitha first in Northwest Georgia, then later in Chattanooga, TN, Kane Brown's path to becoming a country musician began when in 2013, after auditioning for the X Factor and not finding it the right fit, he began posting country covers on social media. His cover of George Strait's Check Yes or No went viral and led to a teaser for his original song Used to Love You Sober. In 2014 Brown released a six-song EP, then his single Used to Love You Sober, followed by several singles and a second EP.

In 2016, Brown opened for Florida-Georgia Line, after which he signed his first contract, debuted more singles from his new label and embarked on his first headlining tour. His self-titled album featuring songs from this tour debuted at #10 on Billboard 200 and a 2018 deluxe edition made Kane the first artist to have a single on all of the country charts.

Mr. Brown followed up this incredible achievement with his second album entitled Experiment and has subsequently recorded a number of collaborations with a variety of artists, such as John Legend and Camila Cabelo.

When not wowing crowds in concert and making chart history, Kane Brown lives in Nashville with his wife Katelyn and infant daughter Kingsley.

Yay Us!: 2019 in Review

Happy Holidays my lovely readers! It's been such a wonderful year for our community. In May, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, an utterly remarkable role model for independent, accomplished women, especially in the biracial community, celebrated one year of wedded bliss with her beloved husband Prince Harry. Around the same time as this anniversary, the adorable chubby-cheeked Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, the first mixed-race baby born to the British Royal family in modern history, came into the world.

In September, Mixed-ish, the newest addition to the Black-ish universe, premiered on our T.V screens and has, in its own uniquely delightful way, represented the lives of those of us living within  multiracial families in America.

This month, Comedian Alex Barnett's invaluable Multiracial Family Man podcast, which gave voice to so many in the multiracial community, signed off for the final time, leaving a beautiful legacy for those of us who continually strive to hear our stories heard.  

Next, in this season of joy, the bubbly tune All I Want for Christmas is You, by one of the country's most talented chanteuses Mariah Carey, has, 25 years after its debut, finally hit # 1.

Lastly, a modicum of recognition may have been presented, when during the 2019 December Presidential Debates, the multiracial community was distinctly mentioned as being amongst the diverse communities of color in America.

'Tis been a shining year for us and may there be many more great new horizons for us in the year going forward. Happy New Year to all, see you in 2020!

T.V. Review: Mixed-ish

I was quite giddy when it was announced Mixed-ish, the newest offering in the Black-ish universe, would focus on Rainbow Johnson's childhood growing up in an interracial family. Having now  viewed the series premiere, here are my lil' ol' thoughts. Starring Tika Sumpter and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, of Saved by the Bell fame as the family heads, the premiere begins as the Johnson family's peaceful existence is disrupted after the cult in which they were living was raided by the government and the family was then thrust into an unfamiliar world. Although some of the humor falls a bit short, there's much to appreciate here. There are a number of delightfully familiar '80s moments and the show does nicely at pinpointing the particular brand of identity tug-of-war quite recognizable to those of us in the mixed-race community. With the talents of Ms. Sumpter and Mr. Gosselaar, and the adorableness of the Johnson children, this show has much promise and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes on the journey of telling a biracial story. 

Very Important Biracial: Grace Wales-Bonner

Last month, when proud parents the Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked the halls of Windsor to introduce their son Archie to the world, the enchanted new mother was bedecked in a stylish belted dress by designer Grace Wales-Bonner. In choosing Ms. Wales-Bonner's design for such an illustrious occasion, Ms. Markle has yet again paid tribute to her heritage, as Grace Wales-Bonner is also of mixed-race background. Born in London to an English mother and a Jamaican father, The 28-year old Ms.Wales-Bonner stands in the forefront of avant-garde menswear design and has been widely acclaimed in British fashion circles for her unique interpretation on current chic styles. With this latest assist from the always smartly attired Ms. Markle, surely this young creative's future is bright as the afternoon sun. 

Introducing the Magnificent Archie!

Well, dear readers the moment has finally arrived, one long-awaited for since 2018's Royal wedding, one of the last monumental moments in mixed-race history. One Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor has come into the world! This little bundle of joy was born to his delighted parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Monday May 6 at 7 lbs 3 oz. and has already captivated much of the world's attention. The adorable Archie, wrapped in love and pride by his great-grandparents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and his maternal grandmother Doria Ragland, has made history as both the first mixed-race child and first American descendant born into the British Royal family in modern times. It is truly magnificent to have this dear little tot as a representative of our little mixed community and it will be exciting to take this journey with the Duke and Duchess as they witness his beautiful life path.