Honoring Bi/Multiracial, Bi/Multicultural Experiences: Interrupting the Social Contract around Race & Identity Laurin Mayeno, MPH

Objectives Participants will: Acknowledge and check out their assumptions about bi/multiracial people. Notice and interrupt negative messages and stereotypes about bi/multi-racial people Explore ways of thinking about bi/multiracial experience that reinforce or challenge the status quo.

Sharing in Pairs How do you identify racially?culturally? What made you choose this workshop? What is a burning issue or question you would like to discuss?

Guidelines Both/And Thinking Sharing Experiences “I” Statements Respecting Different Viewpoints Listening Deeply Acknowledge “among us” and “about us” nature of conversation

Overview/Agenda Recognition of the Issue(s) Individual/Interpersonal/Family/Community Broader Context – Historical, Social and Political Reframing the Issue – Creating an Empowering Context

Individual Experiences In your experience, what are the challenges and strengths of being bi/multiracial? What are the messages you have received about bi/multiracial people? What is their impact?

Common Themes Personal level – identity and self esteem, cultural experience & exposure Interpersonal/family/community – stigma,stereotypes, marginalization, assumptions

Differences Racial and national origins Racialized characteristics Identity Cultural experience Acceptance, belonging within community of color Class, gender, sexuality, etc.

Strengths Ability to understand different perspectives Open to differences – starting with race and culture and going beyond Boundary crossers/bridge builders – identification with more than one group gives us a particular ability to cross bridges, relate to difference

Being an Ally What can allies do to honor people of mixed heritage?

What’s behind the social messages? Where do they come from? In 1997, Tiger Woods identified himself as a “Cablinasian”. Why is there so much controversy about how multiracial people name themselves?

Social and Historical Context

History of Domination and Racial Mixing in the U.S. Global expansion and colonization Slavery WWII & Military Occupation Anti-miscegenation laws struck down 1967 Increase in immigration

The Paradox of Race Doesn’t exist as a biological reality Is a social construct – “a contract” that we all participate in Myth of “pure” race So…being bi/multiracial is also a myth Exists as a social reality with real life consequences Cannot address racism without acknowledging its existence People who are bi/multiracial are marginalized in this context

Overt Racism Miscegenation Contamination One drop rule Taboos kept racial purity. One of the ways of keeping the hierarchy in tact Multiracial communities not recognized (African American, Latino) History of light-skinned privilege within communities of color

Covert (Modern) Racism Racial hierarchy still in tact Less need to maintain taboos in order to sustain the hierarchy Bi/multiracial people in style Are bi/multiracial people another “cover” for the existence of racism?

Political Implications If you had a 60 second spot on national TV to talk about bi/multiracial, bi/multicultural issues, what would you say?

Pitfalls to Avoid Obscuring racism Creating another caste in the system Denying any part of our heritage Denying oppression or privilege Separation from communities of color “Positive” stereotyping Overstating commonalities/understating difference Essentialism and dehumanization

Towards a Framework for Empowerment & Social Justice Own all of our heritages and identities Be visible Use our strengths to connect and build alliances Connect issues to the struggle against racism Take every opportunity to interrupt the social contract around race and identity Acknowledge and go beyond social categories

Closure Anything new you learned that you will use? Anything new questions raised for you? Feedback?