Saturday, November 8, 2008

My people




Mixed race identity is an interesting subject for me, as I am mixed raced. I have mentioned it before here. Lately my interest has peaked in the role the mixed-race plays in my own life. I suppose it stems from hundreds of people over my lifetime asking the dreaded question "so what are you?"
The question generally is not offensive, people are simply curious about my ethnic background. However, I am often caught off guard by the question as I don't particularly feel like I belong to a specific ethnicity.

Usually I don't think of my mixed-raceness much but, with Obama winning the election it has brought the subject front and center. Thanks again to Photojojo, I found this great photography collection of, well, my people.

A new book explores British mixed race identity. The collection of portraits challenges the awkward silence surrounding mixed race, and celebrates a diversity of culture, tradition and history. See more here.
All photos by Richard Milnes

5 comments:

n.davis said...

I love your post.
i really do.

and those pictures of the people from the hospice, they are amazing. it's so weird to see their spirit in them and how 'dead' they look without it.

again, beautiful pictures.
beautiful meikel.

Emy W. said...

Dude, I know what you are! You're my cousin! :D

Allison Tiek said...

You forgot to add my personal favorite... "I noticed that you were..a..different..."

{Erica} said...

I totally know how you feel. I have had someone ask me what "breed" I was before, or how I handled being in an "interracial marriage"...never even thought of that before...wow! Thanks for the info on that book...

Danielle Hatch said...

ahh, the joys of ethnic ambiguity!one of my profs from grad school did a similar project on the experience of being a mixed race asian american, here's his site:
http://www.seaweedproductions.com/hapa/