To Be Mixed In Black America

A piece by Akira Shelton

While conversing on this very topic via instagram, a friend of mine says this:

“How are we going to dismantle racism when we’re too busy telling biracial people

they’re not black enough?”

It’s February 9th. The 9th day of Black History Month. The world is tense right

now. A few days ago we remembered and celebrated the 24th birthday of Trayvon

Martin, the young black teen who was shot and killed by a “neighborhood watchmen”,

just for the color of his skin.

When your skin is darker than porcelain in America, that’s how you get shot. This

shouldn’t shock you, this is simply reality. No matter who you are. You could be a

straight A student, star quarterback of your school’s football team. Discrimination

doesn’t give a shit about who you are a person or what the fuck you’ve accomplished.

It’s Discrimination.

Granted this is discrimination and racism in the realm of White America and the

rest of America. What about discrimination in Black America?

We could have a little soiree about discrimination in Black America, and not just from

the White Man.

We got:

-Colorism

-Texture discrimination (with hair)

-Sexism

And probably way more that I can’t even think of in this moment.

But what is life like for the mixed black child in Black America?

This.

February 9th, 2019 I was told (via instagram) by @amerikkkas.nightmare2 that I am not

black.

I no longer qualify as a black person, even though my father is black, because I am

mixed race. Simply because of the half of my DNA is that of asian decent, the other half

that was black no longer has any account as apart of who am I or my identity. I am just

mixed.

This all took place on a post making a comparison to White people in black face to black

mixed race politicians. The likes of Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and the 1st black

president of the United Goddamn States of America, Barack Hussein Obama.

The caption: “white people in black face vs. white power in black face #progress”.

As I observe the post, I don’t have any words. A popular black activist posted this, I

wasn’t going to attack her for posting it. That’s a waste of time, I won’t change her mind.

I scroll and come upon a comment by our friend, the ever so lovely,

@amerikkkas.nightmare2. He writes:

“All of em mixed or multi-generationally mixed anyway

♂ ”

Okay, say what you want about their politics, but that bothered me.

So I respond with:

“ I’m sorry but I’m half black half Japanese, what is that supposed to mean?”

I was genuinely confused, what does it seem like this dude is saying that being mixed

or “multi-generationally mixed” (as he calls it) is a bad thing in this context.

7 minutes later...

@amerikkkas.nightmare2: “mixed indictable(?) do not represent black peoples. Mixed

individuals are not black. They are just that. Mixed”

I didn’t respond. Because I had no words. And I know arguing was going to be a waste

of time. Human beings are stubborn, we all are convinced that what we believe in is

correct and no one could change our minds.

That was the first time in my 16 years of life that someone had said that to me. That I’m

not black.

Throughout my entire life, everyone had told me that I “couldn’t be Japanese”, that it’s

“not possible” because I look so black.

I had never felt so rejecting or refused in my entire life. By my own people. That shit

hurts. It’s the most powerful rejection, ever really.

I know I’m black. Yes I’m japanese, but I’ve had the black experience. The good and the

bad. Family cookouts, kwanzaa, fuck-BLACK HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Worrying about my

brother being harassed by the police outside of our own home. Living with the possibility

that my dad could be falsely accused of rape, just because he fits the suspect’s

description.

My skin is melanated. My hair is jet black but with curls. How could I not be black?

I was so confused. This was all coming from black activists. I thought they believed that

we as a race must unite as one powerful force. How could that even be a possibility if

mixed race black people are being rejected from the community?

So this brings me back to this question:

“How are we going to dismantle racism when we’re too busy telling biracial people

they’re not black enough?”

And this isn’t just for the black community. It’s for the latinx community, the asian

community. This discrimination of mixed race peoples happen everywhere.

How will we as a race, as a culture, and as a whole society prosper if we are rejecting

our own people?

I am half black and half japanese. My mother is a japanese immigrant, my father born

and raised in South LA. I am 50/50 of both my mother and father. I am not just

japanese, I am not just black, and I am not just mixed alone.

I am japanese.

I am mixed.

But fyi:@amerikkkas.nightmare2, I’m black.

Learn to accept me as a member of the black community, because yes I am Japanese,

and yes I am black. I’m equally both, so deal with it.