Blog 092614 - What are you? (Does race matter?)

I have been asked the question "What are you?" before, plenty of times. In fact a lot more times than I can understand why. Before I moved to Minnesota, I was asked "What are you?" almost often. And they were asking what ethnicity I am. I think it's because some people can't tell that I'm Asian...which confuses me. I have had people think I'm Latino (Mexican, every time), black, mixed, or white. But usually people know I'm Asian. When I am asked "What are you?" I always replied, "I'm Asian. I'm from Malaysia." I was born in Malaysia and my parents are from there. "I'm Asian. I'm from Malaysia" is what I would say if a stranger asked me that right now. I have been asked "What are you?" after I moved to Minnesota, and every time I have been asked that here, people were asking what grade I'm in. :) So far, all I've had to say is, "I'm a sophomore."
I DO NOT THINK RACE SHOULD MATTER. Not at all. I don't think race should matter when it comes to anything! Seriously! Why do people have to talk about it so much? It gets on my nerves. Everyone should be treated equally...so why do we have to talk about race so much? Why is almost every single book I've ever read for English class been a book about race, poor people, or people who were being oppressed? I feel like there are so many books that would be better to read for school that do not have anything to do with race, poverty, or being oppressed. I don't think discussions about race are necessary and I think people talk about it more than is needed. Race doesn't matter. It is only on the surface! I really don't like how some people are referred to as African-American or Asian-American...WE'RE ALL JUST AMERICANS, OKAY? Many black people here have never been to Africa or have any relations to Africa. I don't like how people are called that. Why can't we all just call ourselves Americans? I feel like having people a certain race makes the country more divided up.
While I was reading the article, something really bothered me...actually all of the article did, but this part in particular:
Along those lines, it is telling that the rates of intermarriage are lowest between blacks and whites, indicative of the enduring economic and social distance between them.
No no no no! People marry who they fall in love with! It doesn't have so much to do with race!
Ugh!
And I also thought the article was really stupid to suggest considering biracial people as a new race. How on earth would that make sense? That's so stupid. How could Black-Latino people be in the same racial group as White-Asian people or something? I also don't get why there's a Multiracial and Biracial Student Association. That's so messed up.

1. Do you think society makes mixed race people “pick a side”?
Yes, I think society does make mixed race people pick a side. Many people who are mixed white and black, like Obama, who are equal parts white and black or even MORE WHITE than black have been considered as only black and people tend to think of them as just black. I think society does not acknowledge enough that some people are two races, not just one race.
2. Connect to Girl Who Fell: Is Rachel forced to “pick a side” when it comes to her racial identity? Do people view her as biracial? Or do they view her as either white OR black? Explain and give examples. Yes, Rachel is very much forced to pick a side when it comes to her racial identity. After moving to the US, she had to cope with people viewing her as a black girl. I feel like she wanted to deny it at first. Everyone told her she's black though. She learned to think of herself as black. I don't think that many people viewed her as biracial. Many other people viewed her as light-skinned. Jesse viewed with her as biracial, and he liked her because she's biracial. And this book is based off of the author's experiences, and it really sucks because the author looks white to me. I would never have thought of Heidi W. Durrow as black. She really does look white, especially her facial features. I think if she dyed her hair lighter, people would think she is white.
3. What parts of the article and video reminded you most of Girl Who Fell? Why? How? (Text-to-text connection)

When Laura Wood said that she had always thought of herself as white and that she was shocked when people told her she's black, it reminded me a lot of Rachel's very similar experiences. I think that is exactly how it was like for Rachel too. In the video and the article when Laura Wood said that the Multiracial and Biracial Student Association is trying to change society to view biracial people as two races, perhaps both white and black instead of only black, and when Laura Wood said whenever someone commented she's black she would say "Yes — and white", reminded me of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky and its author Heidi W. Durrow. Rachel wishes that people would see her as black and white, and not tell her she's a black girl. Heidi W. Durrow said in the interview that whenever people comment that she's black, she points out that she is both black and Danish-American.

1. Based on the interview you just watched, what would Heidi Durrow think of the University of Maryland’s Multiracial and Biracial Student Association? Explain your answer and include either a direct quotation or paraphrase from the Durrow interview that supports your stance.
I think that Heidi W. Durrow would support the University of Maryland’s Multiracial and Biracial Student Association and their cause because she had to deal with being a biracial person in a society that forces people to pick a side. Heidi W. Durrow said that when people say she's black, she says "'I am Danish-American and black.' People thought by saying that I was tyring to up my whiteness, but that's not at all what I meant. I identify with both sides of me equally." This is just like what the Multiracial and Biracial Student Association is doing. They are showing people and the world that people can identify as two races equally.
2. What does Durrow say her favorite answer to the question “What are you?” is? Connect her answer to the following quotation from the NYT article: “I was always having to explain where my parents are from because just saying ‘I’m from Takoma Park, Maryland,’ was not enough,” she said. “Saying ‘I’m an American’ wasn’t enough."
Heidi Durrow always pointed out both pf her races, saying she is Danish-American and black. She also had to face a lot of questions about her eye color, like Rachel, because people would be jealous or not understand where her blue irises came from. Rachel would say her grandfather had the same color eyes.