What Are The Similarities In 50 Experiences Of Racially Mixed People
Currently, racially mixed people experience difficult and often awkward situations involving their identity. These experiences can cause them harm as they question their identity or cause them emotional distress. In Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves, Evelyn Alsultany talks about her experiences about being a racially mixed person in her day-to-day life. In 50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People, Maria Root explains fifty different experiences or questions racially mixed people experience. Both of these articles have similarities and differences pertaining to the experiences of racially mixed people. There some similarities between Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves and 50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People. One similarity
is being asked “Where are you from?”. Evelyn experience this with a woman in her graduate class as the women asked where she was from and where her parents are from (Alsultany, Evelyn). According to Root, this is one of the experience that racially mixed people experience (Root, Maria P.P.). Another similar experience is the denial of being one race. According to Alsultany, she experienced this in a New York deli when an Arab Muslim told her that she “could not possibly be Muslim” due to her name (Alsultany, Evelyn). According to Root, one of the common experiences is being told, “‘ You aren’t really Black, Latino, Asian…’” (Root, Maria P.P.). Lastly, another similar experience is being told you're not a certain race enough. According to Alsultany, she experienced this when she was on a plane when a man told her she ‘must be more of one ethnicity than another’ and determined that she ‘ not really Arab, the [she is] more Latina because of the camaraderie he feels in [their] speaking Spanish’ (Alsultany, Evelyn). According to Root, one the experiences that racially mixed people experience is being told. “‘ You aren’t Black, Latino, Asian … enough’” (Root, Maria P.P.). While there are similarities between these two articles, there are differences. There are major differences between Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves and 50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People, In Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves, Alsultany experienced being asked, “‘Are you a U.S. citizen?” by the women she had a graduate class with (Alsultany, Evelyn). Another experience she has was being mistaken to practice and identify one culture over another when a man asked her if her parents were interested in setting up an arranged marriage and ignoring her being partially Cuban. In 50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People, there were more family involved experiences like rejection from relatives due to parents’ interracial relationship and relatives ‘“claim’” the person for their own racial group (Root, Maria P.P.). There is also mistaken identity of the parents like the mother being mistaken as the ‘nanny or babysitter’ and the father being mistaken as the ‘“older boyfriend’” (Root, Maria P.P.). With these difference, it shows that there are a lot of experiences that racially mixed people have to go through, and it can be by everyone from relatives to peers to strangers. Dr. George incorporated these two articles in Latinos/Hispanics because Latinos/ Hispanics do identify as multiple races. With the multiple terms like mestizo and castizo. Latinos usually do identify as multiple races. By American society, they are grouped into other racial categories. Also, with the U.S. Census, there is a wide range that Latinos identify as like Latino/Hispanic, White, or some other race. Also, history plays a role. Immigration and the expansion of America determined which sub-group Latinos fell under. Privilege comes into play, too. Being able to pass as white or able to identify as white, Latinos are able to avoid some prejudice and racism while being able to have some privileges like education and certain careers.
Some Latinos are racially mixed or identify as racially mixed as they are put into subgroups of race. This is why Dr. George incorporated these articles in Latinos/Hispanics.
is being asked “Where are you from?”. Evelyn experience this with a woman in her graduate class as the women asked where she was from and where her parents are from (Alsultany, Evelyn). According to Root, this is one of the experience that racially mixed people experience (Root, Maria P.P.). Another similar experience is the denial of being one race. According to Alsultany, she experienced this in a New York deli when an Arab Muslim told her that she “could not possibly be Muslim” due to her name (Alsultany, Evelyn). According to Root, one of the common experiences is being told, “‘ You aren’t really Black, Latino, Asian…’” (Root, Maria P.P.). Lastly, another similar experience is being told you're not a certain race enough. According to Alsultany, she experienced this when she was on a plane when a man told her she ‘must be more of one ethnicity than another’ and determined that she ‘ not really Arab, the [she is] more Latina because of the camaraderie he feels in [their] speaking Spanish’ (Alsultany, Evelyn). According to Root, one the experiences that racially mixed people experience is being told. “‘ You aren’t Black, Latino, Asian … enough’” (Root, Maria P.P.). While there are similarities between these two articles, there are differences. There are major differences between Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves and 50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People, In Los Intersticios: Recasting Moving Selves, Alsultany experienced being asked, “‘Are you a U.S. citizen?” by the women she had a graduate class with (Alsultany, Evelyn). Another experience she has was being mistaken to practice and identify one culture over another when a man asked her if her parents were interested in setting up an arranged marriage and ignoring her being partially Cuban. In 50 Experiences of Racially Mixed People, there were more family involved experiences like rejection from relatives due to parents’ interracial relationship and relatives ‘“claim’” the person for their own racial group (Root, Maria P.P.). There is also mistaken identity of the parents like the mother being mistaken as the ‘nanny or babysitter’ and the father being mistaken as the ‘“older boyfriend’” (Root, Maria P.P.). With these difference, it shows that there are a lot of experiences that racially mixed people have to go through, and it can be by everyone from relatives to peers to strangers. Dr. George incorporated these two articles in Latinos/Hispanics because Latinos/ Hispanics do identify as multiple races. With the multiple terms like mestizo and castizo. Latinos usually do identify as multiple races. By American society, they are grouped into other racial categories. Also, with the U.S. Census, there is a wide range that Latinos identify as like Latino/Hispanic, White, or some other race. Also, history plays a role. Immigration and the expansion of America determined which sub-group Latinos fell under. Privilege comes into play, too. Being able to pass as white or able to identify as white, Latinos are able to avoid some prejudice and racism while being able to have some privileges like education and certain careers.
Some Latinos are racially mixed or identify as racially mixed as they are put into subgroups of race. This is why Dr. George incorporated these articles in Latinos/Hispanics.