tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.comments2023-06-05T07:28:43.098-07:00I'm Not Mixed Up, I'm Fully MixedShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-90638355373737446882017-02-27T10:04:51.614-08:002017-02-27T10:04:51.614-08:00Shannon-I am quite honored to hear you speak so di...Shannon-I am quite honored to hear you speak so distinctly and eloquently on the historically heated topic-I am of mixed race-Father is African American 3/4 with 1/4 Cherokee Indian-and from Oklahoma-Boley-a historically 'Black' town; Mother is from England-100 % British. I have always considered myself of 'mixed heritage' and claim this until I leave the earth. I have never had a conflict within myself because I have always been true to who I am and have come in to agreement with myself that I of mixed Heritage; as a young girl and woman growing up in the Bay Area, I have experienced the most hurtful responses from people who do not understand the journey of a mixed race person. I have had to overlook comments, overlook attitudes, overlook being skipped over for church related functions because I wasn't either black enough or white enough-there are several people to are too insecure about who they are that a mixed raced person becomes a threat to their self identity. The best way many people deal with the threat is by belittling and dismissing the mixed heritage person in order to validate their importance as a 'white' person or a 'black' person. I have experienced being left out of relationships at work especially, when the black person and the white person decide to come together-and intentionally try and minimize my contribution to the work environment. I have looked within myself to see if I am projecting my own insecurities-and I have come up with the conclusion that many white and black co-workers feel threatened that their cultural identity does not hold the degree of importance politically as much as they were brain washed in to believing. As a result of my own stance on embracing my mixed heritage, I have come in to my own strength as a mixed race woman and I sense some black and white raced people do not feel comfortable with allowing me to feel whole and complete as I feel that I am. The way I deal with this scenario-I exude a gentle character with compassion and concern for my fellow colleagues, and I continue to remember that I am teaching others what it means to be of mixed heritage=there is an understanding and responsibility we have as mixed race people to show the world the unity, love, togetherness and power that come from a mixed raced person embracing everything they are -and the power that comes out of the harmony within--it is an example of what we can accomplish together when races stop fighting for rights and start fighting for the human race together-there is a much bigger fight we need to set our sights on. God is GoodAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11446734639262241080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-4268422161189408222016-02-12T14:18:20.170-08:002016-02-12T14:18:20.170-08:00Oh my gosh, I love this page! I totally agree with...Oh my gosh, I love this page! I totally agree with you about number one. It's exhausting to answer the question of "What ate you?", and I find it quite insulting. I'm a Filipino, Chamorro (a Micronesian islander), Chinese, Spanish, Irish, English, and Portuguese...and that is it. How am I this mixed? Through mixed marriges over the last 150 years. It's just as simple as that... I'm mixed.<br />Lord Allimacsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05200662130413862594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-68645292479923759162015-08-21T19:34:44.922-07:002015-08-21T19:34:44.922-07:00Thank you for your comment... I can definitely rel...Thank you for your comment... I can definitely relate to everything you said!Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-24654080957730394342015-08-21T08:07:48.625-07:002015-08-21T08:07:48.625-07:00I shared your article last week. I am also biracia...I shared your article last week. I am also biracial (b /w) but grew up with my white mother and adopted white father. My biological father was absent. I grew up in the middle/upper middle class South in mainly white neighborhoods which considered me the black kid in a white family.I grew up thinking I was black, which shows how fluid racial identity is in America. I then went to college and was introduced to the concept of biracial or mixed identify. Suddenly to some I was too light, spoke in a white voice and what was most hurtful, had no right to make strong assertions about black issues. This was sort of shocking as I had endured white racism based upon their perception that I was black and had to come to terms with that racism. Then I suddenly don't belong to the group I had endured the racism for! I would love to discuss this in more detail with you! I have black and white friends, biracial Asian friends, but very few biracial. Lack people in my vicinity to talk about this. Adzhivago (at) gmail (dot) comadzhiavgohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14278529510877964237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-19114485532807316762015-08-16T02:52:02.022-07:002015-08-16T02:52:02.022-07:00Great job!Great job!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02629377309817482212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-49953444111177179852015-08-14T15:44:56.190-07:002015-08-14T15:44:56.190-07:00Hi Trace, Thank you! Just sent you a reply on Twit...Hi Trace, Thank you! Just sent you a reply on Twitter. I'm following your Wordpress blog now, as Mixed Memes. :)Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-74178266576781599452015-08-14T13:26:13.953-07:002015-08-14T13:26:13.953-07:00Here is the MIX blog: https://mixemag.wordpress.co...Here is the MIX blog: https://mixemag.wordpress.com/ - and I live near UMASS-AmherstLThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08395257432521760435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-80112284717380273642015-08-14T13:21:12.548-07:002015-08-14T13:21:12.548-07:00I hope you got my msg via twitter (from laramiehar...I hope you got my msg via twitter (from laramieharlow) about reposting your op-ed. It's excellent! Will check you out on wordpress!LThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08395257432521760435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-83999194960506331712013-12-24T07:27:26.680-08:002013-12-24T07:27:26.680-08:00I found your link from Teri LaFlesh's website....I found your link from Teri LaFlesh's website. It's great to embrace a mixed race heritage. No one can take that away from me. As a former New Yorker having traveled several times to Europe, the Far East and the Caribbean, my encounters with the people there was amazing. They didn't care about my skin color but saw I went out of my way to speak their languages and understand them and their cultures. It created a bridge. Because of that, I speak French and Italian almost fluently and am learning Hebrew.<br /><br />I am a Sephardic-Jewish woman married to a wonderful Jewish man. My hair is also very curly and I've been natural for almost 10 months. My husband loves my hair; he doesn't care about my skin color but the content of my character. My mother is a Sephardic Jew (Spanish); my dad was a combo of English/Cherokee/Choctaw/Jamaican. His family came from Liverpool, England en route to Kingston, Jamaica then settled all over Florida. The problem we face in America is--the reality of racial diversity is not going away. Folks dealing with these prejudices need to grow up and get over it...it is what it is.<br /><br />Instead of trying to put mixed raced people into boxes they don't fit into anyway, or attempting to pacify racial prejudices, how about treating each other the way we want to be treated...as human beings!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-53977343012750695342013-10-03T09:56:07.181-07:002013-10-03T09:56:07.181-07:00I'm of South-Asian (Indian) descent but grew u...I'm of South-Asian (Indian) descent but grew up in Canada and the States, currently living in New York. Love this post! My character in my first YA Novel titled, Swimming Through Clouds is mixed and she calls herself an "ethnic cocktail." :) Are you interested in reviewing the book at all? Saw your name listed at TeenReads. Would love to connect. Thanks! rajdeeppaulus dot com :) -rajRajdeep Paulus-Writer of Young Adult Fictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15476117448023233170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-34099026596490022472012-07-28T18:23:29.494-07:002012-07-28T18:23:29.494-07:00P.S. By "excessive bleeding," I mean tha...P.S. By "excessive bleeding," I mean that my eyes would water with bloody tears that I'd have to dab with a tissue. So excessive in terms of eyeballs, but not in terms of how it compares to most surgeries. :)Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-24193103232998412852012-07-28T18:17:41.040-07:002012-07-28T18:17:41.040-07:00Hi Anonymous,
Glad you found my post! I'll em...Hi Anonymous,<br /><br />Glad you found my post! I'll email you privately as well, but I want to also comment here in case my answers can help others.<br /><br />Firstly, there's a good chance your insurance will cover it. Everything you're going through... ID people telling you to look straight, people looking behind them when you're talking... are the same things I went through. Eye surgeons completely understand what we go through and are totally behind surgery. If you come across one that isn't, see if you can find another one. The surgery helped my depth perception which is I think one of the reasons why it was covered. So it's not completely cosmetic, it does have physical benefits.<br /><br />Strabismus surgery is in fact different from laser eye surgery. I won't lie, it is a painful recovery, but you get good drugs to help you through it. ;) I had some excessive bleeding, partly because I didn't notice on the forms that I wasn't supposed to take ibuprofen for a week prior to the surgery. I noticed about four days before the surgery, but because I'd already taken some, my blood had thinned a little. I also had a suture that was too long and it took awhile to figure out why my eye was hurting so badly, so once that got snipped I healed a lot faster. Overall I think it took two weeks, though I was able to do most things after one week, just not anything that required long stretches of looking at things. <br /><br />About doing it on your own, you definitely need someone to take you home after the procedure. They won't dismiss you otherwise. I took myself there but had a friend pick me up. It took a few hours for me to be able to fully open my eyes. It wasn't painful at all during the procedure, because you get put to sleep, but after the procedure is complete, the anesthesia is supposed to wear off and then the surgeon tugs at the sutures to make sure they're in the right place. I couldn't tolerate that AT ALL, so they had to put me back under for that part. The procedure worked perfectly even with that glitch and my eyes continue to be completely centered. <br /><br />Lastly, no, I never saw double. The surgeon said my eyes compensated by working completely independently and taking turns which one was doing the "seeing." That being said, I did have some weird things like being able to look at sheet music on a stand and being able to see behind the stand at the same time, since each eye was seeing something different.<br /><br />Good luck, and I really hope you get the surgery! It's so worth it!Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-54856038283760999272012-07-28T17:40:18.852-07:002012-07-28T17:40:18.852-07:00HI I'm just learning about possible surgery fo...HI I'm just learning about possible surgery for Strabismus. I had surgery when I was a toddler but it didn't completely help. My problem is slight, and most won't notice but it's a wreck on my self esteem. I could never look anyone straight on, pictures I'm always facing to the left. I get extreme anxiety when I'm doing passport/ID photos and they ask for me to look straight and so on... I feel as though I'm young (24) and I don't want to live the rest of my life like this.. Not sure if my insurance in NYC will cover and I'm hoping I could work out a payment plan.<br />The recovery time will be my roughest as I never spoke to any of my friends about this and it will be embarrassing to bring it up. I had a rough childhood and I cringe whenever someone looks behind them whenever I'm looking at them. You know that feeling ugh.<br />So...I'm really thinking of it...<br />How much did it cost?<br /><br />Did you have double vision? Because of this problem I have lowered vision and once a doc told me if I got laser eye surgery I'll see double...but I think this stabismus surgery is different (right??).<br /><br />Was it painful during the procedure? after? what problems did you face?<br />Sorry for the essay :(<br /><br />I stumbled on your website in google and I'll prob forget to check for your reply..can you email me? : verne@verneb.com<br /><br />Also I just realized why I cannot see 3D movies, because of my eyes!!! how wack! I have bad depth perception :(Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-23462767188523429782012-06-23T07:53:18.764-07:002012-06-23T07:53:18.764-07:00Great advice, and a wonderful reminder to those of...Great advice, and a wonderful reminder to those of us who know these things but have slacked off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-89937202845948524642012-06-22T22:22:28.654-07:002012-06-22T22:22:28.654-07:00Beautiful Shannon. I wish I were that organized!Beautiful Shannon. I wish I were that organized!Ria https://www.blogger.com/profile/07738124917543618648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-75567982429775482922012-06-11T16:02:00.798-07:002012-06-11T16:02:00.798-07:00I've been wearing my hair natural for over a y...I've been wearing my hair natural for over a year now and I love it. It's who I am. I start off with 2 strand twist wearing that for about 4 weeks maybe 5, then I wear the untwist for about 3 weeks the older my hair is the better it looks to me. I have lots of gray hairs mainly in the front I feel much better with my semi color, it makes me feel better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-49094519412736547382012-05-23T21:57:23.447-07:002012-05-23T21:57:23.447-07:00Always ask people who have hair like yours that is...Always ask people who have hair like yours that is styled as you would like yours to be where they got their hair done. Alternately peek in every salon window you pass checking for stylists with hair like yours. I was a stylist for 10 years, and my population of curly-heads grew exponentially each year via referrals. I have hair like yours, but thinner. Also, because I never had a good stylist growing up, I decided to master haircare for ALL kinds of hair, all ethnicities, so I wouldn't have to turn anyone away. As a result, I was the only stylist in a black haircare salon who had customers from a diversity of cultures and ethnicities. By the way, that stylist who didn't want to 'tackle' your hair then offered you a rubber band, should be ashamed. It will take time to find a compatible stylist (if you haven't found one yet), but they are out there, and I wish you all the best! P.S. If there is ever a next time that your hair suffers damage (knocking on wood that there won't be), use a little Nexxus Emergencee reconstructor, 2 treatments 1-1/2 months apart, to help fix your situation. It is now sold all over the place, not just illegally in privately owned beauty supply shops, but at Kmart, CVS, and elswhere.MsKatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-59671979758709251082011-12-30T23:52:38.540-08:002011-12-30T23:52:38.540-08:00The best stylist I ever had was Puerto Rican. She&...The best stylist I ever had was Puerto Rican. She's the one who first got me to understand how my hair works, and how I could work my curls to my advantage. Who would have ever thought that my best stylist to this day would be located in a tiny town in Southern Oregon! Wish I could remember her name so I could pass it on.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-35369517728446978602011-12-29T19:16:29.396-08:002011-12-29T19:16:29.396-08:00Hmm. I wonder if there are any mulatta hairdresser...Hmm. I wonder if there are any mulatta hairdressers out there? You can't be be only one needing someone who understands your hair! Seems like an opportunity for a new business!Jennifer M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04962587342835841240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-64661706495317107132011-12-22T23:06:08.941-08:002011-12-22T23:06:08.941-08:00I also started cutting off my frayed ends myself w...I also started cutting off my frayed ends myself with a pair of hair cutting scissors. I've been advised to always cut your hair at an angle so that the ends don't look choppy.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-53036592914943318382011-12-22T23:00:10.934-08:002011-12-22T23:00:10.934-08:00Anonymous:
Thanks for the link! So far I haven...Anonymous:<br /><br />Thanks for the link! So far I haven't done anything at all with my hair and that seems to be working the best. :) I've just been cupping water through it every morning, adding conditioner that I leave in, and then braidiing it at night, which is all part of my daily hair care routine that I copied from the book Curly Like Me. <br /><br />The conditioner I use -- Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm (I think that's what it's called) is my wonder drug! Each day my hair gets a bit more hydration back.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-38471078090669106872011-12-21T16:00:22.416-08:002011-12-21T16:00:22.416-08:00Oh, my goodness! I am so sorry you had to go throu...Oh, my goodness! I am so sorry you had to go through such an ordeal. SMH<br /><br />How do you plan on nursing your hair back to health? Have you checked out this hair forum?<br /><br />http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-86900714185202602572011-11-12T05:55:04.736-08:002011-11-12T05:55:04.736-08:00Lol. I agree. It is totally hilarious reading this...Lol. I agree. It is totally hilarious reading this. I'm half black and half taiwanese, yet am often mistaken for being a pacific islander (nothing at all against pacific islanders--nothing but love). IT NEVER OCCURS TO ME TO ASK ANYONE WHAT THEY ARE!!!! Pardon the caps, but seriously!!! I have never, never, never, never, never, never asked any human being what they are/were. Why? I see them as human and that's that. The other funny bit is when people ask to touch my hair. Am I a dog to be petted? NO. Do I wish to touch anyone else's hair (I don't even like dealing with my own curly mess although I love my curls)? No. What's even more rude is when others actually reach out and touch my hair without asking permission. Um, hello? Personal space? The exotic bit is hilarious. The moment I hear that bit, I lose respect for the other person. When someone says that, and it is sadly more often than I would like, I respond with, "I'm not a plant."Chanda the misunderstood Pandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13945278784947796275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-27415091747750999482011-07-24T20:29:20.470-07:002011-07-24T20:29:20.470-07:00Hi! I just mozied on over to your site from a link...Hi! I just mozied on over to your site from a link I found while exploring TightlyCurly.com. I am a mixed gal like yourself: Black, Italian, Blackfoot Indian, Irish, English and Cuban. At least once a day I get asked the infamous question, "What are you?" I am so utterly used to it that I expect it. I also can identify when people want to ask but haven't figured out what the polite way of asking is, and I find that QUITE amusing. Lol. I find the uncomfortableness and awkwardness they unknowingly express somewhat of a payback for their stupid need to racially categorize me. SO, I say all this because I can identify with this post 100% and will share it with others as an overly needed PSA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320831103726849263.post-84462401444148138222011-07-11T08:37:29.520-07:002011-07-11T08:37:29.520-07:00In the case of black/biracial hair, "natural&...In the case of black/biracial hair, "natural" can require a lot of time and product. :) But it's free of chemical straightening agents and it's all from your own head. <br /><br />My hair is the same as it's been for awhile -- super curly and big! :) I'd love to see your hair straight sometime for the contrast of how it normally is.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04924980119673941843noreply@blogger.com