so turns out Harvard hapa has a blog on tumblr that's a continual update on mixed stuff info :) anyways I am glad. I think something like this needs to be bigger though, like Angry Asian Man.com which is also an asian american blog (AA though, not mixed), like more public. I totally would subscribe to it lol. only prob though is I don't want to be a non-Harvard creeper... though I suppose I already am.... oh well :) I went to SWAYA and got on their mailing list and now that's how I get most of my hapa news updates! anyways this is their blog: http://harvardhapa.tumblr.com/

MuLtIrAcIaLs mixing it up :) - news article in SF Chronicle about redefining Asian American Identity

More nytimes atricles on mixed race: More young americans are mixed

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/us/10count.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

Mixed race mixing up the census :)

Apolo Ohno

Just a shout out for Apolo Ohno, I heard the name and thought Japanese at first but I wasn't sure (my friend's obsessed lol) but then I got an email from HAPA (I am on the list though probably the only non-harvard person on the list haha) that confirmed his hapa-ness. Yeah! Hapas owning in the olympics!!! ^_^ He was actually raised by his Japanese dad, so he probably speaks Japanese I'd think (and the article said his father didn't have a lot of family in the states, making it sound like he's 1st generation) but maybe not. But anyway here he is!

Another article

I saw this and thought it was interesting, it was more about white women-black men relationships but its still multiracial relationships. Now, I haven't read all of it but I think that what I did read was about how womens menstrual cycles reflect in partner choices. I have heard of that before in attractiveness services - like choosing a more masculine or feminine face depending on the cycle. I will read it more fully later but till then I will store it here :)

http://scienceblogs.com/gnxp/2010/02/do_women_fear_mixed-race_child.php

random tangent

So I was writing the post above and got into a tangent, it went on way too long but I figured I would put it as a separate post.

There is an interesting experience with a friend of mine. She is fully Brazilian, born there, speaks Portugese and everything, goes back on vacations, is still close to family there. But she looks more white, like, you can tell from her hair, but otherwise she doesn't look stereotypical Brazilian like what is expected around here. She also has always been a perfect white suburbia child (just to clarify, love her, and have nothing against the white suburbia product, I'm maybe 75% of that make as well) but when I asked her what she id's as on census reports, she says "sometimes just white, sometimes Hispanic, I don't really know" I feel like a lot of mixed people are like that, but what is striking is that she is so Brazilian in so many other ways I long to be Asian, but she still says that. And you know, I think its a great deal cause she looks far more white than others so she has always felt mostly included in the white community.

That was the random thought, wanted to put it up.

Mixed Race, Pretty Face?

So in this article in Psychology Today it was all about how mixed race people are more beautiful. Now I have heard this before and I have discussed it before in the "bi-racial doll project" blog post but I think I can revisit it a little. I was analyzing the concept of the "beautiful mixed race" stereotype as it is seen in parts of China (probably not everyone has the same views). I mean, this stereotype is brought up a lot, and I mean it really should be a compliment but it also puts pressure on the mixed person, as I have said before. I just thought it was also interesting to see it as I have experienced it in America, not as if I have pictured it to be in China. So in the good old US of A I'd have to say that I have heard this a lot from people who know anything about mixed race or bring it up, but otherwise I haven't really until I just got into "How I Met Your Mother", man... good series I am kind of obsessed, but then, in one of the first episodes Barney says "you know how I was into half-asian girls? Now its lebanese girls!" Or something to that effect. That was the first time I heard it in a TV show though I could just have not seen the right TV shows or movies. Now don't get me wrong, I still LOVE HIMYM but I was unsure how to take that. Like I said I think that this kind of thing can definitely (after hearing it over and over) get into the psyche and mess around with body image (for better or worse). Now I was very sheltered about it, there were few half-asian kids I knew growing up, and if there were maybe I didn't recognize them (now its automatic if I even get a faint feeling that they are halfies that I find out) although I suppose there were a few. Even then I remember being really excited about meeting them. But of the maybe one I knew it was the half-but-looks-far-more-asian type. The ones like me that blend in (my younger brother once called it "camouflage" which I thought was really clever) clearly did not flaunt that they had an asian parent. They were full-on white suburbia children lol.Who knows that maybe very important :) but anyway I also thought it was interesting because its in "psychology today" and they are now talking about how mixed race is so much healthier then other pure races. I feel like just a day ago we "had greater tendency to depression" and other health issues then pures. I don't know, its how fast things change I guess. Just a generation ago we were considered "weird-looking". There was a testimony of a half-japanese lady I got an email from (kinda, was a friend of a friend, my friend emailed her testimony to me) that she had major body issues because guys wouldn't go out with her cause she was exactly that "weird-looking" and now we are the next fashion trend? Body image is so messed up in general in the world that this probably doesn't help, these conflicting messages. Like I said, I was very sheltered from all this for most of my life and now its a continuous journey learning more and more about mixed race history. All very interesting.

Really interesting...

I thought this was really interesting because I will be in China next semester (Ireland/Irish heritage this semester, China/Chinese Heritage next! I even made it to CA last summer to reconnect with my only other Asian family in the US - rest in thailand - I'm doing pretty well ;) ) but anyway its on mixed race views in china. I haven't fully read it yet but I plan on it soon. For now I'll just post it here: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/chinas-changing-views-on-race/?8ty&emc=ty

Mixed Roots Festival taking submissions!

I wanted to try to become a volunteer, and maybe intern organizing it but it takes place June 12-like 14 or something. I might still be in China. I am sad T_T but I figure I'd post it here anyway :) http://www.mxroots.org/

celeb

So, I realized awhile back that Vanessa Hudgens was mixed. I really did think she was latina until I saw her last name. I actually got pretty excited about it (yes, I saw all 3 High School Musicals) also because Disney targets the next generations of kids, all at a time in their lives where they are the most influenced by things they watch, hear, and are exposed to. But I wonder, I heard that its easier for mixed race, or "ethnically ambiguous" people to get different "ethnic" roles in movies and its an advantage I think in that regard, but does Hudgens ever feel strange acting as the "ethnic person" with roles/castings that don't really care what you actually are or if you actually understand the culture of who you're representing? What are the rules about this? Its all a very grey area.

another blog!

Yea! I was happy to see that there is another blog: mixedchild.com - and it has news articles, celebs, events, and so forth all for mixed race stuff. I have been looking for blogs like this one, that are more professionally run and regularly updated. Another reason I started this blog was because I couldn't find any, so I had to put everything I found on my own blog, but I am terrible about updating ^_^ I hope it gets more popular, and people will get more interested in mixed race things.

interesting video

So this is an interesting little (and by little I mean looooong) video that a friend showed me. Its really interesting, I feel like its exaggerated though, this woman is interesting, her approach. And for trying to be "scientific" she doesn't hide that fact that this is also a very personal matter (I think it has a LOT to do with her daughter" but I haven't finished it yet, its still really interesting. This is the html: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/is-it-better-to-be-mixed-race/4od

So I finished it. I totally understand some parts of it - she REALLY liked the word homozygous, but really I have to say it had an underlying (and by underlying, again, I mean kind of obvious) message of how mixed race was seen as bad but now it will help your kids fight disease. I like the other scientists on the show, they were clear in talking about how its not genes as much as lifestyle, really, and downplayed the "mixed is better" phrase. The shooting of the movie is weird too, like, why are you talking to a Brazilian scientist on the steps? Why not in a lab or something? Like there are really staged interviews but overall it was interesting and I am glad I saw it. Not sure I would recommend it right away though.

Multiracial Week!!

I am so sad that I cannot make it to Brown this week :( because there is an entire week every October for Multiracial heritage!! With lots of events! Its so cool, its the only place I have ever really heard of it before I meant to go last year but I didn't learn about it till after it had passed.

News article

So I was sad on hearing this - problems for multiracial partners still exist :( This is about a rejection of an interracial couple for a marriage license in Louisiana:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/interracial-couple-denied_n_322784.html

Most ridiculous line EVER: "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way"

random new article in news

A new article - its been awhile, and I just thought this is the place to put any hapa news (obviously) and this is a pretty crazy article about a wife taking her kids back to Japan with no notice to her ex-husband (American guy).

Students talking about Interracial marriages

So its another video, but truthfully, I like videos the most! Unless its a really good article or something. This one is super interesting cause its an interview with students just like me in college talking about interracial marriages.

Its interesting because you'd think that feelings are changing about it, and its true, there is a radical change from only 10 years ago, but there are quite a few students who don't agree. They are actually kind of hypocritical saying that they accept interracial marriages but in fact would never consider it for themselves. Interesting... now I see where our "liberals" align! (just kidding, I know this is only a few students, but its still interesting)

What are Youtube?

This is a cool little idea, cause you know how much people like taking videos of them (lol, though actually only 5 people replied surprisingly) check it out:



This kid actually asked people what they were and to make a short video of it. I like how the videos are all different in how they reply and how it has some moms with their kids. One of the responses is super short, another is really long. All of them are interesting, maybe I should do one...??

What the mutt?

Haha, just loved this title that was one of the sections of this new website I found: Musings for Mutts. I am still uncertain what it is... I think it is kind of like this blog but more well-run and professional. It seems really fun, it really puts being multiracial in a humorous light (that is still respectful). I am still unsure, though, like I said of what it is, though I only have skimmed it thus far, I plan on looking more into it. It has a great layout, if anything.

Obama is now Irish, Kenyan/African American, AND Asian now...

So I find it fascinating on how, for multiracial people, so many people identify with them. I mean, look at this:



and this article: Obama the first Asian-American president?

And even from multiracial people I have heard, they say how people will think they are many different cultures. To Italians, they are Italian, to Greeks, they are Greek, to Spanish, they are Spanish, and so forth. That maybe an amazing or bad thing about multiraciality. It connects cultures in the very basic way: genes, and then others will be able to identify with them no matter where they are. The only problem with that is that other people are imposing identities on you, and its got to become frustrating. But all these articles about multiraciality and every culture claiming Obama (who wouldn't?) as their own really made me think.