I will never be prejudiced against due to the colour of my skin. My father, uncles, grandmother, and cousins however, will. Being a multiracial individual that particularly looks like my Caucasian mother, growing up with green eyes and blonde hair, it’s been difficult to embrace my African-Canadian heritage.
Typically, those around me discover that I’m “half black” very fast. Typically, they all share the same reaction: “You’re half black? No way. You’re not.” It’s as though people I had just met maybe two weeks ago can suddenly determine my ethnicity. It’s as though my blonde hair disvalues the fact that my great-great grandparents came to the Windsor/Essex area via the Underground Railroad. It’s as though my fair skin means I shouldn’t take pride in the fact that my distant cousin is the first black head coach to ever win the Super Bowl, who was also recently inducted into the NFL hall of fame. As though I shouldn’t take pride in any of the great African-Canadian/American achievements my family has experienced throughout generations.
Society’s determination to label someone with the “One-Drop” rule, meaning that you are one race, typically discourages biracial or multiracial people to embrace the cultures that make up who they are. In truth, multiracial people unfortunately adapt to the race that is most welcomed, most common, and most supported by those that surround them; I think we all know which race this is.
Looking a certain way or embracing half of your biological makeup does not discredit the other half. Just because you look more First Nations than Asian does not mean you cannot embrace your Asian culture just the same as you embrace your First Nation’s heritage. Having a multiracial background does not mean you need to conform to one race, it means you have the ability to discover, learn, and embrace your diverse ethnicity and heritage. Learn of yourself and all of your ancestors because your history helps make up your identity, and that’s something that is so important.