Do All Multiracial People Think The Same? | Spectrum

What's up Goodhumans! I'm so excited because we just launched our human good collection called Surface Level. I'm wearing one of the t-shirts, it's literally the most comfortable thing in the world. You have to go to humangoodLA.com to see the rest of the t-shirts and everything we have there. But we're running out at lightning speed, so you have to go right now. Literally right now. I use the n-word, but I only say it when I'm around fellow black

people

, meaning my friends or family who are black. But at the

same

time I

think

, "I don't look black." So when it comes out of my mouth, they're like, "Wow." -Music- We invited six mixed-race

people

to see the range of their values ​​and beliefs.

You're mixed race, right? Yes sir. I am a mix of African and Asian. I'm more Asian than black. My dad was from El Salvador and my mom is half Japanese, half Jewish. My ethnicity is Filipino and black. I lean more towards my black side than my Filipino side. My mother is white and my father is Iranian. All through high school, I pretended she was white because she looked so white. I am half Chinese, half Russian-Jewish. I never really connected with either side, just somewhere in the middle. My mom is Jamaican and my dad is Australian. Being mixed race is a career, so I don't feel like I want to have to choose.

Three, two, one, let's go. -Giggles.- As a mixed-race person of color, a lot of people say: Oh my God, you're like light skin. You look so beautiful. You don't look like all the other girls in the Ghetto. And I'm like, what is that supposed to mean? Exactly. On first dates, most of the time people act like this. Oh, no wonder you're so attractive. Or, no wonder you are so beautiful. I'm just saying, -grimaces- I don't love that reaction. I've always found it awkward to bring it up in conversation. Because there were all the memes that were like, Oh, did you know I'm mixed race or whatever?

And it's like, bringing it up like it's the natural flow of the conversation is always a little weird. I need to see these memes. -Laughs- Have you not seen how logic memes? Where he says, "Oh, I'm biracial." And it's like you haven't seen them. No! He always mentions that he's half black and that's the meme. Three, two, one, let's go. I, personally, don't say the n-word. It just, it just doesn't, it doesn't flow well. But, for my Asian side. Obviously I can call my classmates "Chinese." and those things. But obviously if someone else said "You get the fist." I agree.

I use the n-word. But I only say it when I'm surrounded by black peers. So, my friends or my family who are black. But at the

same

time, I feel like I don't look black, so when it comes out of my mouth they're like, wow, I try my best to only use the n-word around my black friends just because it creates this weird air when I'm around white people. It's a slippery slope that I don't like to go down. It probably makes them really uncomfortable. In reality, more than they

think

, it's not even uncomfortable. A lot of them think it's really cool and then some people will feel entitled to do it.

And you just don't want to have that conversation. That was me with my Asian friends. It's like a lot of Asians like to get into black culture sometimes. Yes. I got into a little altercation in high school for calling white people "settlers." That was the question. People said, "That's a racial slur." I do not think it is. That's not a racial insult. Personally, I'm not comfortable using insults. If I haven't heard those insults towards me, then maybe I'm not in a position to claim them. Three, two, one, let's go. Today in the United States, when walking down the street, your appearance matters.

People will judge you based on the race they perceive you to be. When I walk down the street, people will not look at me the same way they look at someone who is perceived as black. And so I just want to really acknowledge the reality of that. I wouldn't disagree with you at all, but at the same time I think the most important thing is how you grew up. Someone who has a black father who doesn't look black. He was still raised by a black person. It still seems to them that everything their parents experienced is passed on to them, whether through stories or simply through actions.

In fact, I'm going to move on to this line. I guess it's more of a middle line just because... I can't do that? So I'm here, it doesn't matter. So I'm on "Somewhat Agree" because I'm an actor. And when I go to casting calls, only my appearance matters. And it only matters what race they think I am. Which is, many times, White. But sometimes they call me for things that are not related to my ethnicity. And that's because of my career. That's what's important. Three, two, one, I already did it. White completely. And there was a time when my dad picked me up from school.

It was quite a deal. People said, "Oh, your dad is a terrorist." and make bomb jokes. It hurt me to hear people say things like that about my dad. Something similar happened to me when I was in primary school, my dad came and dropped me off at school. And he is a dark-skinned black man. from the hood on top of that. So he has a certain aura and a lot of people look at me like, Is that your dad? And I'm like, yeah, that's my dad. And they say, he looks so scary. And I say, why do you find him scary?

Why should you find it scary? And the only thing that keeps me away from this "Strongly Disagree" is because when I was younger, he just didn't accept the black part of myself. And now I do it. I just want to say to both of you, "I'm so sorry." That you felt like you had been put in positions to feel That's a terrible thing to say to someone. No, you can't be every part of who you are. These past few years I've been trying to reconnect with that part because I rejected it for so long and it's been really heartbreaking.

The number of Wudus I missed and the Ramadans I didn't celebrate because I felt so uncomfortable. about it. However, it is important to follow the steps. Personally, I have never tried to hide any part of myself. That has always been the most important thing to me. Growing up, I was always proud to be white and I was always proud to be black. That's how I was raised. It's always the way it was. I just wanted to be me. So, that's what it is. The reason I'm on this line is because Western beauty standards suck. They really affected me.

I would be very picky about how I styled my hair. And how I would part my hair. And then when I posted YouTube videos or Instagram posts, I would color correct everything so it was really blue and didn't look "yellow." And it was like I didn't want to post a photo of myself outside because I thought my eyes looked too Asian. A lot of internalized things that made me feel... made me hate myself and my appearance. And now I feel much more accepting of being mixed and being everything that I am. But I'm here because I've felt like I wanted to hide a part of me.

Because it would have been easier for me. I agree. Like when I was younger. I used to want to be lighter. I used to get made fun of. They always asked me, "Are you adopted?" You're not Asian. And that made me feel very bad about myself. That I was so confused. It didn't fit in any pocket of anyone or any group of friends. I couldn't hang out with the Chinese kids because they said, "You don't look Chinese." I don't hang out with black kids because I don't sound black and they say I'm white. So my entire life I have literally struggled inside.

What the hell am I? Three, two, one, let's go. So I feel like I have to say that when I was writing college essays, every one of my essays was about being half Iranian and half white. Like when I was applying for scholarships. That's what I would talk about. Because it was something that I was really passionate about. But also something that I knew would catch people's interest. And I think... I don't feel guilty about using that because I think it's a double-edged sword. And there are many repercussions for being mixed race too. Well, I interpreted it differently.

I haven't really abused my power in that way. Sure, that's one way. But I haven't done anything else besides that on my college applications. So I don't know if I can do this, but maybe I'll put these two together. You can not do that. Well. Then I would like to pose delicately here. But my grandmother was Jewish and I went by birthright, which is a free ride for people of Jewish descent. And although I don't do it, I identify a lot with the Jewish religion. I got a free trip to Israel for being part-Jewish. So I guess that's something in my favor.

But I really loved my time there. -Laughs- Yes, free trip. But you know. I've gotten similar jobs because I'm half Asian. For example, I worked in predominantly Asian companies. And as soon as I said “I speak fluent Cantonese,” I got the job. That's like a skill. I know it is. You can be proud of it. It's a skill you have. I do not love him. No, believe me, but it offers me job opportunities. Better than other people who are, you know, white or black. Who get the same positions. But they would hire me because I'm half Asian.

And I speak the language and stuff. Okay, I moved because I was thinking more about the question. When I first heard the question, I thought: Do I have some kind of advantage? And then I thought about how being partially white gives me some privileges and some advantages. But I don't think he used that for scholarships or anything like that. And I try to stay really conscious when I'm in an Asian space so that I don't take up too much space because of my whiteness, you know. ? It's like a very fine line. It's still your space. You're still Asian.

Yeah. I guess I've always been a little cautious about it. Umm, but thinking more about the question, I thought: No, it should be on this side. Three, two, one, let's go. Is this from the audience? There are too many articles about an interracial couple where the white party is later found to be saying a racial slur about her child. Just to narrow it down to liking love? It can't, it really can't be done. First of all, that. Secondly, there are a lot of, sorry to name names, but like a lot of white women who want to date black men trying to get their light skinned baby that has the perfect amount of tan with the perfect amount of curls. .

Yes, raise your hand if you've heard someone say: Oh my gosh, I would have such beautiful mixed babies. I definitely heard that. And we are all beautiful. Do not misunderstand. But that is problematic to say the least. And second, I'm here because there is no one-size-fits-all solution to racism. I want to make it very clear that just because a white person has a child with a black person does not mean that person does not have racist tendencies or is not discriminatory at all. I love my dad to death, but sometimes he just says things that say you shouldn't say that.

Plus, even in the future, if America becomes super mixed. As if they were all mixed together. If it's not racism, it will still have colorism. And different nuances within racism. It's not going to disappear just because people are more mixed. You can say that mixed people are the future or whatever, but that's not going to solve racism. Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed that episode. Don't forget to take a look at our new humangood collection: Surface Level. This entire collection is about how we make judgments and how often we make them on a surface level. Go to humangoodLA.com to see the rest of the items in the collection.

But hurry because we are running out of stock very quickly. You can also follow us on Instagram at @humangoodla and we'll see you next time.