http://www.themixedrace-project.com The Mixed Race Project Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:42:44 +0000 http://www.themixedrace-project.com en http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Margaret-Loren-s-Family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Margaret-Loren-s-Family Thu, 08 Mar 2012 07:42:44 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 2958078 <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_family_25_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_family_25_o.jpg" data-mid="15073602" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_family2_47_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_family2_47_o.jpg" data-mid="15074044" caption="&quot;We identify our family as Hapa - half Asian and half Caucasian.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; All three of us are Asian-American of mixed descent. &lt;br /&gt; My dad is Korean-American and my mom is Caucasian. &lt;br /&gt; Loren's father is Caucasian and his mother is Japanese-American.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_eleanor5_52_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_eleanor5_52_o.jpg" data-mid="15074428" caption="&quot;Our daughter is 1/4 Korean, 1/4 Japanese, 1/2 Caucasian mutt.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_m_loren2_37_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_m_loren2_37_o.jpg" data-mid="15074110" caption="&quot;I grew up in Southern California and Loren in Seattle. We now live in Queens, NY.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_m_loren4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_m_loren4_o.jpg" data-mid="15080985" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_queens2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_queens2_o.jpg" data-mid="15058356" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_queens_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_queens_o.jpg" data-mid="15058351" caption="&quot;We both individually decided to come to New York for our artistic careers, but we stay in Queens partly because it’s so multi-ethnic. There is no place more diverse than Queens so we feel very comfortable here. It’s even super diverse in our apartment building.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_hallway_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_hallway_o.jpg" data-mid="15058300" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_windowsill_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_windowsill_o.jpg" data-mid="15058378" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_bedroom_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_bedroom_o.jpg" data-mid="15058228" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret1_42_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret1_42_o.jpg" data-mid="15075379" caption="&quot;In Southern California there were several mixed race families in my classes growing up. I didn’t think of it as totally out of the ordinary, just a little special. There were hapa sisters on my gymnastics team that I was good friends with and who I identified closely with because their mix was similar to mine.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_loren5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_loren5_o.jpg" data-mid="15073298" caption="&quot;Where Loren was growing up in Seattle, the question was more &quot;are you white or non-white?&quot;. He had many mixed race friends, but on official forms you still had to pick one race. There was no other box. So identity was always a queer thing.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_loren_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_loren_o.jpg" data-mid="15073289" caption="&quot;There was a comfort in being around hapa people; you didn’t have to explain yourself.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_loren7_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_loren7_o.jpg" data-mid="15058248" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_m_loren_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_m_loren_o.jpg" data-mid="15058344" caption="&quot;As we both have one Asian parent and one Caucasian, our parents were all very accepting.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el8_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el8_o.jpg" data-mid="15058279" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el9_19_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el9_19_o.jpg" data-mid="15073782" caption="&quot;Eleanor isn't yet aware that she is mixed race as she’s so young, but we expect to talk about it when she can talk!&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el11_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el11_o.jpg" data-mid="15080090" caption="&quot;My dad never taught us Korean and I never learned. Loren’s mom only speaks a little Japanese so unfortunately we did not grow up multilingual.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el7_16_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el7_16_o.jpg" data-mid="15074258" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen4_o.jpg" data-mid="15058327" caption="&quot;But our food does reflect our varied cultural backgrounds: miso soup, brown rice with stir-fries, sushi, Korean panchan, kim bap, as well as the traditional American fare of sandwiches, salads, pastas.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_kitchen4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_kitchen4_o.jpg" data-mid="15058234" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen5_o.jpg" data-mid="15058331" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen_food_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen_food_o.jpg" data-mid="15058306" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen6_o.jpg" data-mid="15058336" caption="&quot;I feel like my cooking reflects our individual backgrounds, like when I cook lentil burgers that I learned to make while working at the UC Santa Cruz daycare center, or ginger cookies from my Nebraskan grandma’s recipe...&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el9_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el9_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="15075747" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_kitchen5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_kitchen5_o.jpg" data-mid="15058237" caption="&quot;...or ramen noodle experiments that reflect my Korean dad’s unique adventurous cooking, or salmon like Loren’s mom makes.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_eleanor1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_eleanor1_o.jpg" data-mid="15058285" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el8_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el8_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="15058274" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_eleanor6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_eleanor6_o.jpg" data-mid="15075032" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_toys_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el_toys_o.jpg" data-mid="15058251" caption="&quot;We're not doing anything specifically to teach Eleanor about our cultures.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_sneakers_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_sneakers_o.jpg" data-mid="15058359" caption="&quot;Though when she gets older, we plan to have her visit Loren’s grandfather’s Northern California Buddhist temple on his Japanese side, and his extended family cabin which has been in the family since the early 1900s, on her Caucasian paternal grandfather’s side.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_el4_o.jpg" data-mid="15058255" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_apt2_56_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_apt2_56_o.jpg" data-mid="15081067" caption="&quot;We also feel like the family stories we share will give her a sense of her culture and all its diversity. We'll tell her how her maternal grandfather escaped from North Korea when he was 11, or how her paternal grandmother’s Japanese-American brother fought for the U.S. in the Korean War.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_kitchen3_o.jpg" data-mid="15058321" caption="&quot;We feel that knowing her grandparents as individuals will help shape her ethnic identity. We skype frequently and visit each other as much as we can, but they all live on the West coast.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_apt3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_apt3_o.jpg" data-mid="15077857" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_family4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret_family4_o.jpg" data-mid="15058299" caption="&quot;We don’t worry about multicultural identity in New York City. There is so much variety here that it seems obsolete, but if we move somewhere more homogeneous, we’d be more concerned about that.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload32.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2958078/margaret2_o.jpg" data-mid="15058392" caption="&quot;Growing up hapa myself, I thought of it as special. I had two different family backgrounds when many people only had one or didn’t identify with any specific culture at all. I felt lucky.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> Margaret & Loren's Family Queens, NY / January 2012 Margaret - Dancer/teacher Loren - Cellist/composer Eleanor - age 16 months http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Annie-Michael-s-Family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Annie-Michael-s-Family Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:59:34 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 2608312 <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u5_33_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u5_33_o.jpg" data-mid="13232899" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_family_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_family_o.jpg" data-mid="13191484" caption="&quot;We don’t really racially identify our family... but I guess it would be Hispanic-Caucasian. &lt;br /&gt; We are 100% Mutts.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_o.jpg" data-mid="13191544" caption="&quot;I am Colombian. I grew up in Bogota, Colombia.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_michael_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_michael_o.jpg" data-mid="13191518" caption="&quot;Michael’s biological parents were French-English and Scottish and he was adopted by 100% Sicilians.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt4_o.jpg" data-mid="13191471" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kidroom_uam_bw_41_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kidroom_uam_bw_41_o.jpg" data-mid="13248125" caption="&quot;Michael grew up in NYC - Manhattan and the Bronx. He knew an Italian &amp; Irish family on Elizabeth Street that was as multiracial as it got.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt3_o.jpg" data-mid="13191470" caption="&quot;We now live in Park Slope, Brooklyn.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_pets_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_pets_o.jpg" data-mid="13191523" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt_o.jpg" data-mid="13191466" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_amm_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_amm_o.jpg" data-mid="13216768" caption="Michael: &quot;Annie was immediately accepted by my family. Her last name, Gallo, threw them off at first, but they quickly got over it.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_michael_u_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_michael_u_o.jpg" data-mid="13191516" caption="Annie: &quot;It took us to have a child for my Mother to really “accept” Michael. &lt;br /&gt; Overall it was (and still is) hard for my parents to understand the choices I have made.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie3_o.jpg" data-mid="13191546" caption="&quot;Not being able to communicate in the same language has also created a whole other set of problems for them.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_michael_dog_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_michael_dog_o.jpg" data-mid="13191510" caption="&quot;The fact that Michael can have a very sarcastic humor also creates issues.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt5_o.jpg" data-mid="13191473" caption="&quot;Still, the grandparents are a big part of our lives. My parents spend almost 6 months with us out of the year and we visit Michael’s parents as much as we can. &lt;br /&gt; &quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u4_o.jpg" data-mid="13191535" caption="&quot;So both the kids are bilingual. They speak both English and Spanish.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u6_o.jpg" data-mid="13191539" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_m2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_m2_o.jpg" data-mid="13191507" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="13191500" caption="&quot;Food plays a HUGE role in our lives. &lt;br /&gt; Not so much in eating traditional meals, but in gathering with friends from both cultures and sharing stories.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kitchen3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kitchen3_o.jpg" data-mid="13191503" caption="&quot;My mom spends a big portion of the year with us. During her stay with us, we mostly eat Colombian food. The kids love when my parents arrive because their bags are filled with Colombian treats and they know they will have Arepas con queso for breakfast.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_pies_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_pies_o.jpg" data-mid="13191526" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kitchen5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kitchen5_o.jpg" data-mid="13220172" caption="&quot;When we visit Michael’s parents its always very Italian - pasta, ravioli, lasagna, pizza... and yes, there is lots of yelling as espresso is being passed around.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_cat2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_cat2_o.jpg" data-mid="13191479" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_apt2_o.jpg" data-mid="13191468" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_am2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_am2_o.jpg" data-mid="13191465" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie2_o.jpg" data-mid="13191545" caption="&quot;The kids are aware I am not from here. The color of my skins seems to always amaze them.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u_o.jpg" data-mid="13191529" caption="&quot;Uma used to ask me when was she going to turn brown, or if my freckles where from eating too many brownies.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u2_o.jpg" data-mid="13191531" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kidroom_um_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kidroom_um_o.jpg" data-mid="13191493" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_family2_bw_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_family2_bw_o.jpg" data-mid="13207270" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u7_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_u7_o.jpg" data-mid="13191541" caption="&quot;We want our kids to be around diversity, we want them to feel “normal” around other people no matter where they are or who they are with.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_neighborhood_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_neighborhood_o.jpg" data-mid="13191520" caption="&quot;It's the idea of the melting pot society, were people are special when they do special things, not because they come from a different background or upbringing.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kids_bench_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload15.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2608312/annie_kids_bench_o.jpg" data-mid="13191499" border="0" align="left"/> Annie & Michael's Family Brooklyn, NY / November 2011 Annie - Pastry Chef Michael - Sales Director Uma - age 7 Milo - age 3 http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Kayo-Jason-s-Family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Kayo-Jason-s-Family Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:51:03 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 2224359 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/jason_kayo_hammockbw_1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/jason_kayo_hammockbw_1_o.jpg" data-mid="11128381" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_family1_6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_family1_6_o.jpg" data-mid="11128382" caption="&quot;We define our family as half Japanese and half American.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_family3_6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_family3_6_o.jpg" data-mid="11128543" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_s_s1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_s_s1_o.jpg" data-mid="11126037" caption="&quot;I grew up in Kawasaki City, near Tokyo, Japan.&quot; " border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_suzuka2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_suzuka2_o.jpg" data-mid="11126049" caption="&quot;I didn't know any multiracial families when I was growing up.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_suzuka1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_suzuka1_o.jpg" data-mid="11126048" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_suzuka2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_suzuka2_o.jpg" data-mid="11128665" caption="&quot;Jason was born and raised in the Midwest in a very small town in Iowa. He's lived in Seattle since 1998 which is where we currently reside.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_suzuka_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_suzuka_o.jpg" data-mid="11126027" caption="&quot;My’s parents loved Jason right away. Because we were internet dating via webcam, my parents got an early glimpse into Jason’s way of life.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_bedroom4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_bedroom4_o.jpg" data-mid="11126394" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_bedroom_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_bedroom_o.jpg" data-mid="11125968" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_bedroom3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_bedroom3_o.jpg" data-mid="11125982" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house6_o.jpg" data-mid="11127374" caption="&quot;The grandparents are very much a part of our children’s lives. Since we have no family living near Seattle, we use voice and video chat over the Internet to keep in touch on a regular basis.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_suzuka3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_suzuka3_o.jpg" data-mid="11126051" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_suzuka7_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_suzuka7_o.jpg" data-mid="11126058" caption="&quot;This allows the kids to see and relate to their grandparents, and allows the grandparents to watch the children grow up.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna4_o.jpg" data-mid="11126024" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_doorway_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_doorway_o.jpg" data-mid="11125992" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house2_750.jpg" width="750" height="499" width_o="900" height_o="599" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house2_o.jpg" data-mid="11126008" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_lunch_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_lunch_o.jpg" data-mid="11126034" caption="&quot;Food plays a large role in our lives. Everyone loves Japanese foods, including sushi, rice balls and miso soup.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house4_o.jpg" data-mid="11126011" caption="&quot;Grandma’s home-made pickled plums are a favorite.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house5_o.jpg" data-mid="11126012" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_house_o.jpg" data-mid="11126007" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_sandbox2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_sandbox2_o.jpg" data-mid="11126040" caption="&quot;Our children will grow up multi-lingual. Senna will start Japanese pre-school this year, at age 3.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_sandbox_22_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_sandbox_22_o.jpg" data-mid="11206333" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna3_o.jpg" data-mid="11126021" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_senna2_28_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_senna2_28_o.jpg" data-mid="11128188" caption="&quot;While Senna is still a bit young to remember or identify with Japanese or American cultures, we still try to instill the basic holidays of each.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_lanterns_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_lanterns_o.jpg" data-mid="11126032" caption="&quot;We have many multi-racial friends and like to get together for major holidays and events.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_yard_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_yard_o.jpg" data-mid="11126062" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_lanterns2_40_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_lanterns2_40_o.jpg" data-mid="11206605" caption="Jason: &quot;I love entertaining in our backyard and typically light the yard with my lantern collection. I decided to hand-make a lantern with an Asian theme. I chose to cut my wife’s name out of steel plate; top character is 'KA', bottom character is 'YO'. I called it “The Light of My Life”." border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_senna1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/Kayo_senna1_o.jpg" data-mid="11126044" caption="&quot;Our children, 3 years old and 3 months old, aren’t yet old enough to understand that they are mixed race. Senna mixes English and Japanese words and sentences, and doesn’t direct specific languages to either parent.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_senna4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_senna4_o.jpg" data-mid="11126047" caption="&quot;He is not yet old enough to identify or prefer one culture over another. &quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_senna_yard1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_senna_yard1_o.jpg" data-mid="11126041" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_hammock2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_hammock2_o.jpg" data-mid="11126006" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna2_o.jpg" data-mid="11126018" caption="&quot;I don't think race will be much of an issue for our kids because they are raised in an open minded community such as Seattle.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason2_o.jpg" data-mid="11126030" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2224359/kayo_jason_senna_o.jpg" data-mid="11126014" caption="&quot;It’s important for us to provide our children with rich, cultural diversity. Not just Japanese or American cultures, but others as well.&quot;&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> Kayo & Jason's Family Seattle, WA / August 2011 Kayo - Massage Therapist Jason - Program Manager Senna - age 3 Suzuka - 3 months http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Christine-Matt-s-Family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Christine-Matt-s-Family Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:24:29 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 2147378 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family3_4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family3_4_o.jpg" data-mid="10717686" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family_o.jpg" data-mid="10714645" caption="&quot;We define our family as hapa, a Hawaiian term meaning “half&quot;. When asked for clarification we say Maile is half-Japanese and half-Caucasian.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley6_o.jpg" data-mid="10714704" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_o.jpg" data-mid="10715074" caption="&quot;I grew up in Hawaii on the island of Kauai and Matt grew up on the north shore of Boston. We met in Durham, North Carolina and now live in San Francisco, California.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m4_o.jpg" data-mid="10714688" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m6_o.jpg" data-mid="10747410" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley5_o.jpg" data-mid="10714698" caption="&quot;We did not decide to live in San Francisco because we were raising a multiracial family, however, the diversity of the city is a bonus.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_stairs_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_stairs_o.jpg" data-mid="10714714" caption="&quot;Growing up in Hawaii, I knew many multiracial families. Matt had one good friend from a multiracial family growing up, but his community was pretty homogenous otherwise.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_chris_matt_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_chris_matt_o.jpg" data-mid="10714637" caption="&quot;We were fortunate that our families were very accepting of our choices in a spouse. Our own family was readily accepted by our community.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_photo_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_photo_o.jpg" data-mid="10714711" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m_room_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m_room_o.jpg" data-mid="10714676" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m_o.jpg" data-mid="10714677" caption="&quot;Maile is not yet aware that she is mixed race. We do not speak about race explicitly, but do expose her to Japanese, Hawaiian and Jewish culture.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_shelf_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_shelf_o.jpg" data-mid="10714712" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_teapot_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_teapot_o.jpg" data-mid="10714717" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley1_o.jpg" data-mid="10714691" caption="&quot;She's not multilingual, but we are actively exploring language immersion programs.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_wall_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_wall_o.jpg" data-mid="10714721" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_droom_35_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_droom_35_o.jpg" data-mid="10763807" caption="&quot;A large part of Maile learning about her culture is through holiday celebrations. We aren't particularly religious but we celebrate most holidays from a cultural perspective (food, songs, traditions, etc.)" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_painting_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_painting_o.jpg" data-mid="10714705" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_painting3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_painting3_o.jpg" data-mid="10714708" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m_painting_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m_painting_o.jpg" data-mid="10714671" caption="&quot;Maile is lucky that she has two sets of very involved grandparents who support and reinforce our celebrations.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_painting2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_painting2_o.jpg" data-mid="10714706" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="10714657" caption="&quot;Food definitely plays a role in our cultural ties. Our family’s favorite meal is Chicken Katsu (a Japanese dish).&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_kitchen3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_kitchen3_o.jpg" data-mid="10714666" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_kitchen4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_kitchen4_o.jpg" data-mid="10714668" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_mtofu_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_mtofu_o.jpg" data-mid="10716858" caption="&quot;I definitely have a strong influence on Maile’s food and snack preferences – there is a lot of seaweed and tofu in her diet.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m2_o.jpg" data-mid="10714679" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m5_15_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m5_15_o.jpg" data-mid="10745543" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_m3_o.jpg" data-mid="10714684" caption="&quot;Right now we don't worry too much about Maile and racial identity. We joke with friends, but we feel like being &quot;hapa&quot; is almost the norm now. We know that isn't the case everywhere, but here in San Francisco, we are surrounded by multicultural families.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family4_o.jpg" data-mid="10714654" caption="&quot;We're sure she'll have questions as she grows older and we look forward to helping her explore both sides of her racial background. &quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_matt_miley3_o.jpg" data-mid="10714693" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2147378/chrisk_family5_o.jpg" data-mid="10729580" border="0" align="left"/> Christine & Matt's Family San Francisco, CA / August 2011 Christine - Director/ Biz Analyst Matt - CTO Maile - age 2 http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Anna-Sean-s-family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Anna-Sean-s-family Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:27:42 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 2013752 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_family4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_family4_o.jpg" data-mid="10355303" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_family1_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_family1_o.jpg" data-mid="10355297" caption="&quot;I think that first and foremost we identify ourselves as Americans, but more specifically, as a Chinese American family. I'm proud of V's mixed heritage.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_sean_v3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_sean_v3_o.jpg" data-mid="10355323" caption="&quot;Sean's parents are very open minded and welcomed me from the very beginning. My family has a long history of living overseas (great-great grandpa in India, great-grandpa in China, my grandpa in Thailand, and then my family in Thailand and India), so they embrace diversity.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v27_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v27_o.jpg" data-mid="10459690" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_wall_28_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_wall_28_o.jpg" data-mid="10461557" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_o.jpg" data-mid="10355375" caption="&quot;When I was ten, my family moved overseas to Thailand and then to India. I came back to the US for college which is where I met Sean. Sean grew up in ye olde town of Windsor, CT. We currently live in NYC.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_books_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_books_o.jpg" data-mid="10355292" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_skateboard_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_skateboard_o.jpg" data-mid="10461611" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna3_750.jpg" width="750" height="499" width_o="900" height_o="599" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna3_o.jpg" data-mid="10355379" caption="&quot;We are both attracted to cities for their diversity, busyness, opportunity, and all of the amazing cultural aspects that come with large cities. We moved to New York long before we got married and considered becoming a family, so I don't know that being a multiracial family is a huge factor in our being here.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v12_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v12_o.jpg" data-mid="10355348" caption="&quot;That said, I can't imagine moving to a place where being multiracial would be a problem, or even a challenge, so I guess in some way we are generally attracted to places that embrace our diversity.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v13_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v13_o.jpg" data-mid="10355351" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v2_o.jpg" data-mid="10355331" caption="&quot;V doesn't speak anything other than the universal baby language of babble, being only 6 months old, but sadly, she probably won't be multilingual. While Sean's father immigrated from China when he was a little boy, Sean's mother and grandmother were both born here and don't speak Chinese.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v22_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v22_o.jpg" data-mid="10355359" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v23_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v23_o.jpg" data-mid="10355363" caption="&quot;Chinese wasn't spoken in the house while Sean and his brother were growing up, so Sean doesn't speak it either. I would love for V to learn Mandarin, but it's not going to happen through either of us. Unless we can figure out an affordable way for her to learn the language, it probably won't happen.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_vtoes_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="601" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_vtoes_o.jpg" data-mid="10355365" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_window_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_window_o.jpg" data-mid="10355371" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v4_o.jpg" data-mid="10355334" caption="&quot;V's too young to be aware of race, but I hope that as she gets older we can talk about it. I'd like for her not to feel like race is a big deal, and to feel free to talk about it and to come to us with any questions she might have about race and ethnicity.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v5_o.jpg" data-mid="10355338" caption="&quot;I don't feel like there is anything wrong in noticing the differences or similarities between people, any more than one might notice that my hair is brown or that I'm tall or short.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v7_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v7_o.jpg" data-mid="10376941" caption="&quot;I want her to be exposed to and embrace people and cultures that are different from her own - not just in terms of race, but people who come from different religions or economic backgrounds, and so on.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_sean_v2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_sean_v2_o.jpg" data-mid="10355322" caption="&quot;I'm not sure how she will identify herself. I'm guessing that because Sean is culturally American, she will identify more with her non-ethnic side, but we both want to incorporate certain Chinese customs into her upbringing, and to make her aware and proud of her cultural background.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v18_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v18_o.jpg" data-mid="10355357" caption="&quot;I project some of my own fears onto V when I think about how she might identify as a biracial kid. Growing up, I knew a lot of mixed kids, many of whom couldn't identify with either of their cultures. They were always perceived of as &quot;the other&quot;.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v24_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v24_o.jpg" data-mid="10376942" caption="&quot;I worry that V will be seen as Chinese by her white peers and as white by her Chinese peers, and that she won't feel a sense of belonging in either community. Hopefully, this will all just prove to be a baseless worry on my part and she will identify well with both sides.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna2_o.jpg" data-mid="10355377" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v3_o.jpg" data-mid="10355332" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v6_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v6_o.jpg" data-mid="10355339" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="10376890" caption="&quot;I do think that food plays a large role in reinforcing cultural ties. Food and cooking are great opportunities to explain to kids where certain vegetables and fruits come from, to share dishes and recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_kitchen3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_kitchen3_o.jpg" data-mid="10376893" caption="&quot;Sean is the cook in our household, and while he mostly does western food, a lot of Chinese vegetables and fruits make their way into our meals. He does makes a mean bowl of ramen.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_kitchen2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_kitchen2_o.jpg" data-mid="10376892" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_noodles_750.jpg" width="750" height="499" width_o="900" height_o="599" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_noodles_o.jpg" data-mid="10355310" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_sean_v_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_sean_v_o.jpg" data-mid="10355319" caption="&quot;Both of our extended families live far enough away that we need to get on an airplane to see them. We speak to them regularly on Facetime, but it's not the same as seeing them all the time, so I'm not sure what role they will play in developing V's ethnic identity.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_books2_39_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_books2_39_o.jpg" data-mid="10460506" caption="&quot;My dad travels a lot for work and buys V little gifts from the various countries in Asia that he travels to, but that's probably not going to shape much of anything.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_family5_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_family5_o.jpg" data-mid="10462605" caption="&quot;My hope is that she will learn from her grandparents that there is a big world out there for her to explore, filled with different people, places and experiences.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_v_o.jpg" data-mid="10355329" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_room_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013752/anna_room_o.jpg" data-mid="10355314" border="0" align="left"/> Anna & Sean's Family East Village, NY / June 2011 Anna - Designer/Curator Sean - Architect V - 6 months http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Christine-Ed-s-family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Christine-Ed-s-family Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:27:40 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 2013747 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_family_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_family_o.jpg" data-mid="10262266" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_edje_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_edje_o.jpg" data-mid="10262251" caption="&quot;I live in Brooklyn with my husband Ed and our two sons. As we started a family and thought about where we wanted to raise our children, I knew that we wanted to live in a diverse community where the boys would be regularly exposed to different cultures and races.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_shelf_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_shelf_o.jpg" data-mid="10262294" caption="&quot;I was born in Bridgeport, CT and grew up in Fairfield County before moving to the SF Bay Area in 8th grade. I only spent two years before moving back East for boarding school for high school and I’ve lived in New England and NYC since then.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jbed2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jbed2_o.jpg" data-mid="10262272" caption="&quot;I didn’t know many multi-racial families growing up. They were either Chinese (i.e. my extended family) or White/European background (i.e. our neighbors, my schoolmates, parents’ friends).&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_cej_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_cej_o.jpg" data-mid="10293128" caption="&quot;It was important for me that my sons interacted with and appreciated the multitude of cultures, races and ethnicities that make up our community. I didn’t necessarily want them to grow up in the same kind of homogenous community in which I grew up.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_eroom_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_eroom_o.jpg" data-mid="10262261" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_etrains_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_etrains_o.jpg" data-mid="10262264" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_c_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_c_o.jpg" data-mid="10293041" caption="&quot;My sister and I were one of the only few non-white kids in our school. Thinking back on it, it was almost like I had a dual personality. I spoke Chinese and ate Chinese food at home, but didn’t really identify myself as Chinese at school or among my friends. They didn’t act or treat me differently around me.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ce3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ce3_o.jpg" data-mid="10351818" caption="&quot;I remember distinctly recognizing that I wasn’t white at one point when I was in the 5th or 6th grade. It wasn’t like this huge revelation or something that I dwelled on for days. It was the recognition of a simple fact and then I moved on.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e2_o.jpg" data-mid="10262246" caption="&quot;When Ed and I first started dating, I was a little concerned about how my family would accept him, not because he was white (since I hadn’t previously dated a nice Chinese boy), but more because he was a Polish guy who identified very strongly with his cultural background.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ej_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ej_o.jpg" data-mid="10262254" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ej2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ej2_o.jpg" data-mid="10262255" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ec_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ec_o.jpg" data-mid="10262250" caption="&quot;We both were bringing strong cultural backgrounds into our relationship, but my family was accepting from the start and it hasn’t really come up as an issue.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_family2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_family2_o.jpg" data-mid="10351808" caption="&quot;I am not sure if our family identifies ourselves racially in a conscious way. If we did, it would be Chinese-Polish-American.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ej3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ej3_o.jpg" data-mid="10262257" caption="&quot;Our children are multilingual. Ed speaks primarily Polish with them and I speak Chinese (Cantonese) with them although I have begun to speak more English with Jasper as both my Chinese language skills and vocabulary have begun to reach their limit.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_dominoes2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_dominoes2_o.jpg" data-mid="10351787" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jbed_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jbed_o.jpg" data-mid="10262270" caption="&quot;Jasper speaks English and Polish well. He understands Chinese but doesn’t speak it much. Ed and I speak English to each other and the boys are exposed to English through school and just being around in the neighborhood.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_room_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_room_o.jpg" data-mid="10262293" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_j_room_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_j_room_o.jpg" data-mid="10341254" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e4_o.jpg" data-mid="10262249" caption="&quot;Everett speaks all three languages right now very fluidly. It will be interesting to see if he favors one language over the other as he gets older.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e3_o.jpg" data-mid="10262247" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen3_o.jpg" data-mid="10295121" caption="&quot;Food plays a role in reinforcing cultural ties, particularly ties to Chinese culture. I think it’s because there is such a distinct cuisine associated with Chinese culture and because nourishing and sharing meals play a big role in bringing Chinese families together.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen4_o.jpg" data-mid="10295178" caption="&quot;Love and connection is often expressed through the preparation and sharing of meals together. Cooking is also a big part of my mother’s identity and role in the family and my mother helps to develop and reinforce the boys’ ties to the Chinese heritage.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="10262290" caption="&quot;When my mother is visiting, she is typically always in the kitchen or prepping the family’s next meal.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_boys_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_boys_o.jpg" data-mid="10295754" caption="&quot;As a family, we use our celebration of major holidays as a way to teach our children about their culture, such as Chinese New Year, Easter and Christmas. Holidays are seeped in tradition, history and custom and are one of the most concrete ways to share that with our children.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jcroom_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jcroom_o.jpg" data-mid="10292299" caption="&quot;For example, the house must be cleaned and prepped before Chinese New Year and there are certain auspicious foods that are served. I try to involve the boys and in doing so, I try to explain the reasoning behind these preparations and the importance of the tradition in Chinese culture.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_eej2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_eej2_o.jpg" data-mid="10316650" caption="&quot;The boys learn more about Polish culture through the celebration of Easter and Christmas which are two major holidays celebrated within the Polish culture.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_bdroomtrains_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_bdroomtrains_o.jpg" data-mid="10262234" caption="&quot;The boys’ grandparents are a big part of their lives. Jasper and Everett see their paternal grandparents much more since they live relatively nearby in New Jersey. They come up during the weekends and sometimes during the week when we need some extra help babysitting.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_kitchen2_o.jpg" data-mid="10262292" caption="&quot;They see their maternal grandmother, who lives on the West Coast, several times a year. Both sets of grandparents play a large role in reinforcing their language skills and their cultural identity based.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_grandma_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_grandma_o.jpg" data-mid="10327654" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_e_o.jpg" data-mid="10262245" caption="&quot;I am not necessarily worried about my children dealing with racial classification or misclassification issues. It’s less about “mixed race” as being something different and not the norm, since you see many more families that are mixed or non-traditional.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_j_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_j_o.jpg" data-mid="10262268" caption="&quot;What has always been on my mind is that given the mixing of races, how does one help to preserve cultural heritage and language?&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_croom_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_croom_o.jpg" data-mid="10340063" caption="&quot;As a first generation American, my ties to the Chinese language and culture are definitely not strong. My language skills aren’t great and I'm not familiar with all the history or traditions. I worry about what I am able to pass on to my sons and subsequently what they are able to pass on to their children.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ecj_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_ecj_o.jpg" data-mid="10324879" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_games_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_games_o.jpg" data-mid="10316732" caption="&quot;I remember growing up thinking it was unfortunate when I met another Chinese boy or girl who didn’t know the language or have any real ties to their cultural background – that in some way, they were missing something, something that I’ve found that has enriched me individually and help make me who I am.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_cejlrm_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_cejlrm_o.jpg" data-mid="10262240" caption="&quot;I want to be able to preserve that and pass that on to my children.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jc_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/2013747/ChristineY_jc_o.jpg" data-mid="10262306" border="0" align="left"/> Christine & Ed's Family Brooklyn, NY / August 2011 Christine - Nonprofit consultant Ed - Consultant Jasper - age 4 Everett - age 2 http://www.themixedrace-project.com/Dionne-David-s-family http://www.themixedrace-project.com/following/themixedrace-project.com/Dionne-David-s-family Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:27:36 +0000 The Mixed Race Project 1818981 <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_doorway_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_doorway_o.jpg" data-mid="10019028" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_livingrm2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_livingrm2_o.jpg" data-mid="10124361" caption="&quot;I’m black. David is white/Caucasian. Kids are mixed race / biracial (we use either term). I grew up in Trinidad and currently live in Brooklyn, NY.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_backyard_dd_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_backyard_dd_o.jpg" data-mid="10036318" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard2_o.jpg" data-mid="10097145" caption="&quot;We have chosen to live in a place where diversity is the norm – not the exception. It’s unfortunate because the places with the best schools tend to be pathetically lacking in diversity e.g. Connecticut, Westchester and parts of New Jersey.&quot; " border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard_o.jpg" data-mid="10019022" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_david_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_david_o.jpg" data-mid="10099644" caption="&quot;David was immediately accepted by my family. My parents asked if I was sure I was up for what might be in store for us and that was it. They accepted him from the start. His parents were initially not accepting of me at all although we have since moved past that.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard_dr_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard_dr_o.jpg" data-mid="10036315" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_dr_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_dr_o.jpg" data-mid="10099757" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_bedrm_e_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_bedrm_e_o.jpg" data-mid="10019057" caption="&quot;My kids are aware they are mixed at its simplest level – skin color. Mummy is dark chocolate, daddy is white chocolate and they are a mix of the two – milk chocolate :) &quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_bedrm_c_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_bedrm_c_o.jpg" data-mid="10019024" caption="&quot;They don’t ascribe any characteristics to their skin color but are aware of the visual difference. They think all chocolate is good chocolate though :) &quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_r_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_r_o.jpg" data-mid="10097299" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_mobile_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_mobile_o.jpg" data-mid="10036295" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard_de_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard_de_o.jpg" data-mid="10097291" caption="&quot;For me, my most visceral affinity is really more about culture than race i.e. being a Trinidadian features more prominently in my sense of self than being black. The latter is certainly important to me but having grown up in Trinidad, my “markers” for heritage are not the same as they would be for most African Americans.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_hair_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_hair_o.jpg" data-mid="10097292" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_backyard3_o.jpg" data-mid="10097148" caption="&quot;With that as the context, I think the kids don’t identify with one culture over another, but embrace both. The cultural markers in their lives from my side of the family really have more to do with food and music than anything else. &quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c_backyard_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c_backyard_o.jpg" data-mid="10036322" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_ce2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_ce2_o.jpg" data-mid="10097323" caption="&quot;They love both pierogies and stewed oxtails; ciabatta with good olive oil (David’s background is Italian/German) and paratha roti (an Indo-Trinidadian bread eaten with curry); Dalhousie Lake (David’s parents’ vacation place in Canada) and Trinidad; David Rudder and Lady GaGa.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="10097298" caption="&quot;Food plays a huge role and is (along with music) the most apparent way we reinforce our Caribbean cultural ties.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_kitchen2_29_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dione_kitchen2_29_o.jpg" data-mid="10115617" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_kitchen_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_kitchen_o.jpg" data-mid="10097374" caption="&quot;Our favorite foods include stewed oxtails; oxtail soup; roti (curry chicken, beef or goat with paratha or dhalpourie roti); bake and shark, which is fried shark in fried bread with loads of condiments – everything from ketchup to mango chutney to cilantro vinaigrette to hot pepper sauce.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_e_meal_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_e_meal_o.jpg" data-mid="10019030" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c_familyrm_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c_familyrm_o.jpg" data-mid="10097319" caption="&quot;We play a fair amount of Caribbean music – typically calypso – at home. There’s a lot of dancing around to Caribbean music in the house. &lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Also, because Trinidad is such a multicultural country, I grew up with friends from all races and religions and in fact, often celebrated their religious holidays.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_masks_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_masks_o.jpg" data-mid="10113437" caption="&quot;As such, we bring a number of religious holidays to their attention. We don’t celebrate them ourselves but use them as an opportunity to talk about other cultures and religions and to share stories of how I grew up side by side with folks from all different backgrounds and religions.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_e_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_e_o.jpg" data-mid="10099890" caption="&quot;Finally, we regularly use current affairs and occasions such as Martin Luther King Day to share Black history with the kids and to educate them about slavery and its aftermath.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c_window_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c_window_o.jpg" data-mid="10019025" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_legos_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_legos_o.jpg" data-mid="10036294" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_diningrm_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_diningrm_o.jpg" data-mid="10019058" caption="&quot;My parents are very involved in the children’s lives. They live with us so they see the kids daily. They are the primary caregiver for the baby and look after the other two a couple days per week.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_grandma_de_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_grandma_de_o.jpg" data-mid="10113428" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_dining_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_dining_o.jpg" data-mid="10099887" caption="&quot;We have dinner together at least 4 nights per week. They play some role in developing the ethnic identity.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_grandpa_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_grandpa_o.jpg" data-mid="10099892" caption="&quot;My father is the fountain of all knowledge on Trinidad and the Caribbean, and they also do much of the cooking of Caribbean food. As I mentioned, music and food are really the strongest connection the children have with any ethnic identity at this point in their lives.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_diningrm4_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_diningrm4_o.jpg" data-mid="10113702" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_e_baby_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_e_baby_o.jpg" data-mid="10019029" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_ce3_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_ce3_o.jpg" data-mid="10113412" caption="&quot;Our intention is to teach them to be proud of who they are and to continue to embrace both sides of their heritage.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c2_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_c2_o.jpg" data-mid="10113409" caption=" &quot;We will, however, teach them that many people will see them as Black and some will even be very offended if they don’t choose to identify themselves as such. Our hope is that it will be a non-issue but we intend to prepare them for the event that it is an issue at some point in their lives.&quot;" border="0" align="left"/> <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_ce_750.jpg" width="750" height="500" width_o="900" height_o="600" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/4/131268/1818981/dionne_ce_o.jpg" data-mid="10097321" border="0" align="left"/> Dionne & David's Family Brooklyn, NY / June 2011 Dionne - Headhunter David - Professor C - age 7 E - age 5 R - 5 months