Not As Easy As Black And White

Aloha Hip Hapa Homeez.

It’s still officially summer, and we’ve been out playing way past our bedtimes. Because of our activity-filled lives, our blog hasn’t been as robust lately. Not to worry. We’ll be bringing you more stories of mixed-race people, interracial relationships, transracial adoptees and culture crossers soon. And, if you’ve got a book, film or other product that targets the multicultural community, please drop us a line.

This month’s featured Hip Hapa Homee is Mike Reed, a life-long Northwest resident who grew up in foster care. A computer geek and comic book enthusiast, Mike also supervises a group of laborers, all with developmental disabilities including disorders like Tourette Syndrome and ADD.

half-Asian Bobby offers black doll to half-black Mike, left

Q: Mike, tell us about your parents.

A: My mother, Judy Reed, is white. My father, Clearance Reed, is black. I have no idea how they met.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Mostly in Washington State, mostly in white communities. I lived in Chicago for one year. As a foster child, I lived with various people. I never had a stable home and once, while living in one, I was removed by the State. Many good people tried to help, but the State of Washington worked against them.

Q: How did you identify as a mixed-race black/white child, and how do you identify now?

A: I do not identify with any group or race.

Q: What have been some instances where you experienced racism due to your mixed-race heritage?

A: The one that stands out is when I was in Chicago and called the police after being beaten by unknown black gang bangers. When the cop finally arrived, he told me that one does not call 911 for this reason. He said if he had to come back, he would beat me himself.

I have also been called names and accused of being races that I am not. I have had items thrown at me--from a moving vehicle once, and in a crowd once. I never did see who they were, but I heard one of them call me a “camel jockey”.

I have also experienced racism from girlfriends’ parents. Most of them were white except for one Asian parent who did not want me dating her Asian/white daughter. She said I would become a drug user by age 30 and did not want that for her daughter.

Mike with Your Hip Hapa

(Notes from Your Hip Hapa: I was once in the car with Mike when he drove to visit a white “friend” in Seattle. The “friend” happened to be in his front yard and as our car slowed, he peeked inside. “Man," he said laughing, "I thought you were a terrorist."

In 2004, several years after 9/11, Mike visited me in Santa Monica. As we toured the LaBrea Tar Pits, a famous tourist landmark, a white man approached us and pointed to Mike aiming his camera. “I don’t think you should be taking photos over here,” he said as if doing him a favor. “They might arrest you,” he warned.)

Q: As a mixed-race black/white man, how did you feel about Barrack Obama being elected president of the U.S.?

A: I was relieved that the opposition did not win. I knew racists would have problems with it, but my decision was not based on his race. People do not see mixed-race individuals, they see whatever color they want to see.

Bobby finds a white and an Asian doll at IKEA
to rep his Caucasian and Thai roots

Q: How does having a mixed-race identity help you relate to people with developmental disabilities?

A: I recognize discrimination when I see it. Disabled people are one of the most discriminated groups around. Very few people take the time to listen to them.  

Q: Any thoughts about the future for mixed-race people like you?

A: I have no expectations for the future for anyone as long as religion is around. We will all be eliminated someday judging by the earth’s age verses the length man has been on it.

Mahalo nui loa, Mike.

Here’s a video clip of Mike and some of the men he supervises hanging out at the Puyallup Fair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8mznyuqYcU

Remember, join us at our Hip Hapa Homeez group page on Facebook where we often have these types of discussions.

And, check out these links:

Watermelon Sushi, the movie

Watermelon Sushi fan page on Facebook

Hapa*Teez on YouTube

Hapa*Teez on Café Press

Hapa*Teez fan page on Facebook

War Brides of Japan version 2

War Brides of Japan

War Brides of Japan fan page on Facebook

Mike's friend, Rob Lee, in a Hapa*Teez

Until fall, when we’ll meet again, I remain

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

Short And Sweet

Aloha Hip Hapa Homeez,

the poet ponders

HAPA Black History Month, Valentine’s Day and, of course, Presidents’ Day (George and Lincoln). February is a terribly busy month for being so short. In keeping with things quick and fast, please enjoy the following interview with Kahlil Crawford (Fontaine).

Seriously, Your Hip Hapa has been acquainted with Mr. Crawford, an artist and poet who heads Latin Music Booking, since about 1999, when he first contacted me about Watermelon Sushi. Since then, we’ve both grown along with the mixed-race movement. Please indulge yourself and enjoy this sweet treat.

Q: Kahlil, who are your parents and how did they meet?

A: I have three parents--my father remarried--who all met in Chicago (my hometown). My birth parents were high school sweethearts. I identify my Father as Afro-Créole; my birth Mother as Huguenot; and, my other Mother as Afro-Irish/Celtic. 

Q: Were you aware of your mixed-race heritage as you were growing up?

A: I grew up upper-middle class in Chicago. I was always aware of my mixed heritage, more so on my Father's side, yet never beyond the context of family history awareness. I was not politicized as a mixed-race person. It was always more of a historical or conversational footnote, something to discuss privately around family heirlooms or at reunions.

When my family began attending Carnavale, we became Créolized. New Orleans/Mardi Gras culture became predominate in our home. Créolité Louisiane is my cultural essence.

mixed-race neighborhood?

Q: What kinds of neighborhoods did you live in?

A: I grew up in Hyde Park-Kenwood, undoubtedly one of the more integrated and academically oriented neighborhoods in Chicago. Mixed-race families were, and are, a common sight and normal to the neighborhood dynamic.

Q: You said you were not politicized as a mixed-race person growing up. How did you eventually become politicized?

A: The Boricua instilled in me “Mulatto Pride, Loyalty & Self-Defense”.

in solidarity, alone

Q: What do you consider the biggest issue for people who are multigenerational mixed-race?

A: I have always believed the greatest issue facing the mixed-race community is solidarity. Advancing solidarity has been the backbone of my activism from day one...much easier spoken than achieved. 

Q: As a poet and artist, how do you convey your mixed-race messages through art?

A: Right now I'm repping my Native side. I belong to the Métis Nation. Check us out. Mitakuye Oyasin.

Q: What significant contributions have you made to the mixed-race movement, if any?

A: I am proud of having written for the now-defunct mgmix.com (MyGeneMix) with Chance Kelsey. I am now a member of sblendedblend.com.

Keepin’ it on the real, Hip Hapa Homeez, thank you for your short attention span this month. And, please check out our Watermelon Sushi website and like our Facebook fan page. You can also watch a video of our Hapa*Teez t-shirts on YouTube and like our fan page. And, while you’re on YouTube, look for our War Brides of Japan version 1 and version 2 videos with its own fan page. And, remember to join our Hip Hapa Homeez group page to add your voice to the mix, so to speak.

HAPA February!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

Obama Triggers Flashback To Germany

Yesterday, on That Day, I was scheduled to speak about biracial issues at a local high school. But when the kids tramped in, all they wanted to do was watch the streaming of the inauguration. As their teacher frantically fiddled with a computer, I tried to get the students'

attention. But, they were having none of it. Instead, I heard incessant complaining about why the streaming wasn't already happening. "I better not miss my president," one aggressive young lady warned us. After ten minutes of clicking keys, the teacher gave up and herded the kids into the cafeteria to watch the big screen TV with other students. Meanwhile, she and I headed to the library.

During the ceremony, I went over in my mind all the interesting paths that I've seemingly crossed with Obama. There's the fact that his mother attended Mercer Island High School near Seattle where I've resided on and off for a number of years. As a child, Obama lived in Honolulu. Well, I've lived in Honolulu, too--twice. My buddy, Lucy, currently lives in Kailua where the Obama's vacationed recently and where I visited Lucy's home last fall. Obama went to Occidental College in Eagle Rock. Several years ago, I spoke to a class there about biracial issues. I also met Anjulie, a transracial adoptee from Seattle, who has since become my good pal because she was in the class that I spoke to that day. And, I have a close friend who lives in Eagle Rock which is also the location of a newspaper that I used to write film reviews for. As for the inauguration, I'm acquainted with the poet who read the poem since she's a good friend of a friend. I seem to know a lot of folks in Chicago who knew Obama, too. And, the list goes on. Crossing paths these days is not so extraordinary given the world of social networking sites and instant communications. Still, it's something to ponder. Will I make the ultimate crossing with Mr. O with an invite to the White House? Now, that would be a trip!

While I watched Obama yesterday, I--of course--thought a lot about his biracial heritage. Later in the day, I appeared on the Mixed Chicks Chat special podcast to add my two cents about the subject. I had to admit that I was disappointed that Mr. O himself has said little about being mixed. Sure, he's referred to himself as a "mutt" and has revealed information about growing up with white grandparents, but it's not like he's in constant conversation about what it's like being biracial. Certainly, I don't expect him to push aside his presidential duties to focus on the multiracial agenda. Yet, I wish he'd do more.

For one thing, 2010 will be only the second time in the history of the U.S. Census that those of us who identify with more than one race group will be able to check more than one box. Think about it. For most of my life (which has been a l-o-o-o-ng one at this point), I've had to deny one of my parents. And, because the One Drop Rule for African Americans has been so prevalent, the person I had to pretend didn't exist inside of me was my Japanese mother. Even though she's influenced me more than any other living being on this planet, I, in effect, have had to announce to the world that she was no part of me. So, yes. I do believe that Mr. O could be a little louder about us biracial babies. Let's see if he does so once we get past all the economic and international problems we currently face.

Thinking about Obama, I also realized that most of the time when monoracial people use the term "biracial", they mean people who are half white and half black. That took me back to the time when my family lived in Germany where my father was stationed for three years. After moving back to the states, we ended up in an all-white neighborhood where no one would speak to us much less allow their children to interact with my sister and me. It was a lonely time for us, but she and I made good use of our solitude by nurturing our creativity.

But the really interesting thing to me now that I'm older and can look back is how white folks in Germany were nothing like the white neighbors in our Washington state home. For one thing, a lot of German kids then had black fathers. And the white Germans we knew were very friendly. Was it because they lost the war? The white American soldiers that worked with my father were friendly, too. Was it because of the Army?

As much as I prefer the idea of pure peace, I realize that having armed forces is a necessary thing. One of the benefits of being in the Army is that everyone is pretty much equal. Being forced together makes people learn tolerance. In civilian life, our white neighbors had the option of ignoring us, but in the military we all had to get along.

In these photos, clockwise: A soldier friend of my dad's visits us in Germany and sits my sister on his lap. Next, I believe this woman's name was PeeWee. She was German, and I don't remember whether or not she had a family. It seems everyone liked having my sister sit on their lap. In the next photo, we're having a picnic with a girl name Bridget, her German mother, Carmen (in the center, who is biracial), her German mother, my sister and me. The last photo is of me playing in the snow with two friends. I don't recall if they were German or American, but they never called me any derogatory names like our Washington neighbors did.

Until next time, I am...

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi