Damn It! Carolyn Battle-Cochrane Goes To Battle For Biracials

To all you Hip Hapa Homeez in the house, do we have a special treat for you this week! Perhaps you’ve already heard, but there’s a documentary about the biracial experience that is causing controversy on every side of the mixed-race experience. For one, the title “Biracial: Not Black, Damn It” has created huge debates. Below, we speak to director Carolyn Battle-Cochrane about her life and what inspired her to make this movie. Scattered below are photos of Carolyn along with promo pieces for the film.  

Q: Who are your parents and how did you grow up?

A: My father was a cotton-picking, cussing, pool hustling turned professional tailor black man from the South. My mother is a proper white woman from Boston who feels that certain etiquettes are always required. The extreme differences in their life experiences and/or lack of experiences made for an interesting behind-closed-doors-highly-dysfunctional reality show. I was one of the biracial folks who always knew I was walking the tightrope. My community constantly reminded me I had a white mother, and my father reminded me that "the white woman" was my mother.

I recently completed my memoir, "Private Conversations" telling the story of my extremely "different" parents (culturally) and my personal story about being biracial. Currently, I have two chapters on my website: www.battlecatt.com

Q: What’s your filmmaking background?

A: When I decided I wanted to make films, my daughter still lived at home. It was a serious choice to fall back from making the kind of money I was at the time and take a lesser position so that I could go to school. As a single parent, I had a talk with my daughter about cutting back. She said she was down with my choice to work full-time weekends while I took independent studies at the New School for Social Research in New York, as well as workshops and classes at NYU and several other film outlets. I was fortunate enough to make a great student film, which opened doors shortly after I left film school. I got a job as a consultant at Disney and was able to make a film that was used for cross-platforming business units into working together. Before the Disney gig, I had been in and out of Hollywood from NY because of a few scripts I had written. I got a call from an NBA player at the time who had read my script. He thought it was a hit and wanted to get me connected. We took meetings and I realized I had a lot to learn. I was not willing to compromise the storyline when the executives running the show had no idea about the world I was trying to bring to the forefront. Not much has changed. As people of color, we have few storylines. My scripts are about chicks that might be mixed or might not be, but have lived beyond the stereotypes. So the scripts are dusty, but still stories untold. That led me to making my documentary series. I decided I was going to do a project that I bankrolled that no one was going to control, but me. The money ran out, so I started selling a life from the past: LV's, Pradas, mink coats, diamonds. $350,000 later, part 1 and 2 are complete, and I am $150,000 in debt--but, still shooting and editing, still self-financed. 

Q: What’s surprised you the most about the people you've interviewed for your documentary?

A: That almost everyone has the same exact answers, that everyone felt so alone, isolated, even when they had siblings. Often the topic, the confusion, was/is never discussed.

Q: What’s disappointed you the most?

A: I can't think of anything disappointing about the interviews I have done. The closest thing to a disappointment is one chick I interviewed went really personal, dropping info that was shocking. She matter of factly mentioned that feeling so alone being biracial had turned her into a heroin addict. The experience with her after she chose to unleash the demon was a disappointing saga. I have decided that will not be an interview that I will put into the series. I have probably 20-30 interviews I will never use; too dark, too sad. I don't want a series that is only about the blues.

Q: How about what pleased you the most?

A: Pleased me the most is how open, easy and free the flow is when we're talking about "our" story. The element of knowing each other even though often it is a new relationship, and how healing it is for almost everyone that does an interview. Usually what they have to say has been laying heavy on their chest and unloading that burden is amazing to watch. The transformation from being in pain and then not is mad cool.

Q: That title upsets a lot of people who are not mixed. Was that intentional?

A: The title came from a place of pure honesty and frustration. I was tired of the arguments about my identity: 'No, you're black, you look black, your father is black, yada, yada.' I had no idea the impact the title was going to have, both positive and negative. I'd like to say for the most part it has been a much more positive response than negative. I get letters and emails from monoracial folks both black and white that thank me for telling the truth and keeping it real. After really pinpointing who has the biggest problem with the title, I have found that it is a small group that is still living the One Drop lie. There are people who like things the way they are for a number of reasons, and they would still hate the project regardless of the title, but this title got folks talking and that is what is needed. If we are not talking, we are not learning about each other. I do find it hysterical when folks suggest I should change the title because I might possibly hit a broader audience. Part one of this project was done a year and a half before it got any love. It just had another title, and no one was interested. That title opened the door.

Q: You have a huge Facebook following. Is social media a good platform for mixed-race agendas?

A: Social media is good for any agenda, that's where the world lives and plays and learns, but, yes, mixed-race issues can have a platform without asking for permission. It is still a hard knock-knock to get the doors open in mainstream America so this allows the support, the conversations, the unity that wasn't available years ago.  Eventually, the doors in mainstream media will open. It's just still an uncomfortable subject for whatever reason. I personally do not get it, but I am told folks are still not ready. That's why they have deemed Obama the first "black" president. 'Bulloney' is all I can say.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your documentary? Any future plans?

A: Hit mainstream and turn it into a television series. Multicultural/multiracial America is huge (and growing) and the interesting, funny, heart-provoking stories need a forum to breathe, to be told in truth, to be heard, to be documented.

I have plans, blueprints, and I am in constant motion to bring them to light. There is always something on the horizon, but I do not want to shoot myself in the foot by running my mouth before its time. I most recently got my first syndicated film review, which got me on Rotten Tomatoes and that was a great feeling. When I saw the review on the same page as three studio films, it was a ‘wow’ moment.

Thank you, Carolyn. Check out the multiple trailers for the documentary series at the official website: www.battlecatt.com

Also, remember to join our Hip Hapa Homeez group on Facebook where we post info about multiethnic and transracial adoptee communities. You can also “like” our Watermelon Sushi fan page which helps support our film, Watermelon Sushi. Purchasing a Hapa*Teez t-shirt will also assist in the production of our film, and you’ll receive a rear-crawl credit for your help. Just drop us a line a hapateez@me.com so we can spell your name right.

As always, it’s been real.

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

RAW: Complicated, Controversial, Conspiracy Theorist

Your Hip Hapa meets so many interesting Hip Hapa Homeez everywhere she goes, and Sean Hardin is no exception. We bumped into each other several years ago at a website that promotes vegetarian living. Instantly, I became fascinated with Sean’s raw food lifestyle. While Your Hip Hapa eschews all animal products including suede and leather, taking that one extra step towards a raw diet feels a little intimidating. Below, Sean shares with us some of his other interests, which are numerous as well as complicated and controversial.

Q: What's a nice mixed-race guy like you doing making so much noise about the world?

A: My podcast series Truther is about global public affairs. Most of my podcasts are interviews. Sometimes, I’ll do one where I’m talking by myself, doing an editorial. As to why I deal with public affairs issues, it’s because I still have some hope for humanity. I want to get this information to people, as much as possible, to those who will listen. Most of my audience is people who have been in the truth and freedom movements for a long time. However, there are some mainstreamers, too, and I’m working to increase them because my main motivation for doing what I do is to reach out to them.

I deal with Conspiracy with a capital C. I’ve been investigating the global aristocratic class for about 13 years now, as well as alternative health, and an eclectic mix of other topics that are off the beaten path. I did an interview with Professor Anderlini from University of Puerto Rico who believes in sexual freedom. She’s an advocate for the Gaia mode, as well as Polyamory. I deal with health topics ranging from the AIDS scam, natural ways to reverse conditions like diabetes, and how to get and stay in good health. One of my favorite interviews this year is with Leah Salmon in Luton, U.K., who’s a natural health practitioner. She gives all kinds of eye opening information on how to be healthy. There’s nothing mystical about health, there’s no need for anyone to be in a diseased condition.

My podcast series is aired on one of two hosting providers I use--Blip TV and Vimeo--and I average about 8 podcasts per month. Here are the links:

http://Truther9.blip.tv

http://www.vimeo.com/truther9

Prior to my podcast series Truther, I was writing articles online. I’ve been an independent journalist since about 1995.

Q: Who are your parents, and where did you grow up?

A: My mother is Jewish and my father was black although I never got to meet him. I know his name is John Lewis Hardin and mom is Cara Nina Hardin. I have inquired about my father, but my mom always avoids the subject so I gave up inquiring.

I grew up in downtown Minneapolis in an apartment building on Hennepin Avenue, which is no longer there. It was torn down.

Q: Did you grow up with a lot of Jewish culture--customs, food, holidays, rituals and religion?

A: No, my mom was not into religious practice too much although she does believe in a God. I don’t because I’ve seen no evidence to support that theory. I did not grow up going to a synagogue. I don’t practice any religion and I don’t believe in any of the theories of the world’s religions because none of them have any evidence to support their theories. I’m a very clinical thinker and I always demand evidence to support a theory anyone presents. If they can’t support their theory with evidence, than I consider that theory worthless.

Q: How about on your black side?

A: I only know a couple of relatives on my father’s side; two cousins, Angie, and Cara (named after mom). I have not heard from either of them for a long time. I often think about Angie and Cara, and I hope they’re doing well. My mom always had a lot of black friends though, so I was surrounded by black people--mostly intellectual black people.

Q: When and how did you first become so interested in politics and the global picture?

A: I’ve been studying the global aristocratic (Illuminati) for about 13 years now. I got into this area of research because in the 1990’s I began to realize that things are not right with humans around this world. We are plagued with problems that virtually no other species has that I’ve ever heard of.

I met my friend, Brother Ptah, who’s a very intelligent brother from Kenya, who’s been studying this for longer than me. He turned me on to books by David Icke, Dr. John Coleman, Coast to Coast AM, and many other sources. From there, I intensely researched to verify as much of the information I was gathering as possible, and since then I have not been able to get away from this research. I have made my life following the Illuminati.

Q: You don't seem to focus much on racial groups, but on the bigger human race.

A: I do periodically delve into race issues when I deem it called for. I bring race up, for example, when I’m covering the AIDS fraud because I suspect that there are aspects of it that are racially motivated. There are more AIDS testing facilities in black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Western countries than in white neighborhoods by far. Those billboard and poster ads at bus stops and trains stations that says things like “AIDS, get tested, know your status”, etc.; you see those in black and Hispanic neighborhoods overwhelmingly and hardly at all in white neighborhoods in cities like London, Chicago, Paris, etc.

Since Canada became the first Western country to implement criminal laws based on this scientific fraud, nearly all of the people who have been convicted in court in Canada and sentenced to life prison terms are men, and of all the cases I’ve researched out of Canada, all except one are black. That leads me to suspect that this is racially motivated.

What, one might ask, is the purpose for something like this? A possible answer is the money interests from the pharmaceutical cartel. Here’s the ultimate answer though; control of sexual activity, which leads to population control (of the population of people they look down on, that is). Of everything this global cabal has perpetrated upon humanity, the AIDS fraud just about tops everything else. Western countries now have criminal laws predicated on this fraud. That’s right, criminal laws! A person can be locked up in a cage for life if they’re found guilty in a Kangaroo Court for giving their sex partners so-called AIDS.

One question that demands addressing pertaining to the AIDS scam is how in the world is a black woman 20 times more likely to get a positive result from those testing devices than a white woman. Is there a precedent for a pathogen behaving like that? No!

I’m in this to reach out to humanity, to help and benefit humanity; that’s what I will continue to do with my life unless I end up in a FEMA camp. My goal is to plant as many seeds as possible to hopefully make a better world for all humans in the future. As a member of humanity, I value all of it including mainstreamers although they’re dumbed down and gullible. Hopefully, that can be changed.

My hope is that with the efforts of myself and others in the alternative media who are doing all we can to expose the psychopaths, people will not only learn about the criminal global aristocratic cabal, but also learn to tap into the infinite knowledge of how things in the Universe work that we all have programmed in our DNA.

 Q: Why is having a raw vegan diet so important to your beliefs?

A: I’ll never forget in 2000, my friend Peter Arneson and I were at a wedding of a couple of mutual friends of ours. At the reception, I noticed that of all the kinds of food they had to offer, the only thing Peter was eating was the salad. I asked him why, and he said he practiced a raw food diet, and we started talking about that. Everything Peter said made so much sense that I decided at that point to give a raw diet a go, and have stuck with it ever since.

Humans are the only species that cook its food, and there are different theories about why that is. Not all raw foodists are vegan like me. There are some who eat flesh. However, the vast majority of people could never imagine eating flesh raw, so that demands a question: Should humans be eating flesh at all if it can only be palatable cooked?

Cooking fruits, vegetables, and seeds is no good because it destroys the life-giving properties in the food, and creates a lot of carcinogens. That’s what causes all of the disease problems we have because people, whether they realize it, are in a constant state of malnutrition. I’ve been practicing a raw-vegan diet for about 10 years now, and am not having any thought of going back.

Thank you, Sean. That’s some pretty heavy stuff to take in all at once and we appreciate you breaking it down for us.

On another note, remember to join our Hip Hapa Homeez Group on Facebook where we post info of interest to blendies, mixies and multi-cultis. You can also “like” our Watermelon Sushi Fan page on Facebook, which supports our Watermelon Sushi film. And, your purchase of a Hapa*Teez t-shirt, like the one Julia Baker wears below, gets you a rear crawl credit once our film is produced.

Until we meet again, here's a shout-out and big-up for being you!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

Roger That: Cross-Cultural Ambassador Of Enka

Konbawa, Hip Hapa Homeez! That’s ‘good evening’ in Japanese. Once again, Watermelon Sushi World brings you a multicultural moment and tonight, we’d like to introduce you to Roger Danis, president of the Fuyumi Sakamoto Fan Club. For those of you not in the know, Fuyumi Sakamoto (or Sakamoto Fuyumi as it’s written in Japan with last name first) is a famous enka singer.

Although enka began as a form of agitprop or protest music, it evolved into blues post-WWII. Today, with the advent of J-pop (sadly, in my opinion) enka is no longer the prevailing musical form in Japan although it’s still hugely popular. Here's more info: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enka 

If you’re ever fortunate enough to watch the NHK amateur singing contest, Nodojiman, you’ll notice how the mostly elderly audience responds to anyone singing enka--whether they stay on key or sound flat. Recently, American expat Jero-san (Jerome White, pictured above) became a huge enka sensation in Japan not only because he’s mostly black, but because he’s also a young kid who dresses with a hiphop flair and speaks fluent Japanese. Another youngish kid, Hikawa Kiyoshi (above right), is called the Prince of Enka and is a darling among the elderly. One of my favorites is Mizumori Kaori (below) who likes to toss her arm around like she’s brandishing a samurai sword. 

Q: Roger, what's a nice white guy like you doing promoting cross-cultural connections? 

A: I have European ancestry from all over, which is pretty common. As a young boy of about five, I was drawn to Asian culture rather powerfully. One early experience at a restaurant influenced me greatly, and I asked my step-dad for a record of Asian music for my sixth birthday. He went to Boston and brought back a Chinese pop record, which I loved and still have to this day. Later in life as a teen, I watched the original broadcast of Shogun, where I was exposed to Japanese language for the first time. I was already doing many musical things at the time; singing, playing an instrument, and so on. The Japanese language sounded very musical to me. (I am probably the only person in the world who thinks that.) So I have been pursuing as much knowledge as possible about the language and its culture ever since.

Q: What attracted you to enka music, and particularly Sakamoto Fuyumi?

A: Being a singer myself, I was attracted to enka because it is very Japanese in its presentation and is a very disciplined vocal style, which is very difficult to do well. I discovered Fuyumi Sakamoto in 1990, when I lived in Los Angeles. They had some Japanese programs on the weekends, and I discovered her on an enka music program. I think that Fuyumi Sakamoto, in particular, is an incredibly talented, powerful singer. She is so emotionally connected to her music. Watching her, I get the strong impression that she is doing exactly what she was put on this earth to do. That is what attracted me to her.

Q: When did you create the fan club for Fuyumi, what are some of the events that you promote, and how can people join?

    

A: I like to post performances that I have enjoyed, and that I think others would as well. I also provide any information I can find about Fuyumi’s latest music, and so on. I have some photos on the page, with the permission of the fan club portion of her website. It was the first page or group of any kind for Fuyumi Sakamoto on Facebook. I am proud of that. It is called Fuyumi Sakamoto Fans In America. Anyone in the world can join; I would love to have thousands of members. Here is the link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=160259448919&ref=ts

Q: Do you have other enka favorites?

A: I like Ayako Fujii and a few others as well.

Q: Do you watch Japanese TV programs like Nodojiman, NHK Song Concert or Kohaku Uta Gassen that promote Japanese singers?

A: I love Kohaku Uta Gassen and Enka No Hanamichi. I think most Japanese dramas and comedies are well done.

Q: Have you been to Japan?

A: I was there in 1992 for three weeks and celebrated my 26^th birthday there. It was truly awesome. I wanted to stay.

Q: Do you speak Japanese? And, how familiar are you with cultural nuances of the Japanese?

A: I would say I am at an intermediate/advanced level, but I need opportunities to speak it more. I am very familiar with Japanese culture and think highly of some aspects of it.

Yokata, Roger-san!

Once again, Hip Hapa Homeez, please like our Watermelon Sushi Fan page on Facebook and join our Hip Hapa Homeez group page where we post the latest news about cross-cultural, multiethnic and transracially adopted folks. You can also support our Watermelon Sushi film by purchasing a Hapa*Teez t-shirt.

Until next time, here’s a shout-out to all my Hip Hapa Homeez! That's you!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

Erotic Multicultural Paranormal: Storyteller

Hey, Hip Hapa Homeez! Welcome back to our World of Watermelon Sushi where we address all manner of cross-cultural, multi-ethnic and transracial adoptee concerns.

Again, your support is appreciated so please join our Hip Hapa Homeez group page on Facebook where you are welcome to post links of interest to blendies and mixies. You can also “like” our Watermelon Sushi Fan page to keep updated on news about the Watermelon Sushi film. And, your purchase of a Hapa*Teez t-shirt helps us move towards our goal of completing the film. Please let us know when you buy one so we can add your name to our growing list of credits. Finally, you can also follow our erratic tweets on Twitter.

Hip Hapa Homeez, you rock! And, so does author T J Michaels, our featured Hip Hapa Homee this week. Check out her links here, and photos of her and her books below.

http://www.tjmichaels.com/bookshelf

www.tjmichaels.com

www.twitter.com/tj_michaels

Q: What's a nice African American girl like you doing writing about erotic, paranormal, interracial romance?

A: Believe it or not, this all started almost twenty years ago. One of my girlfriends and I had picked up our first romance novel. It was called Golden Surrender by Heather Graham. After reading it, my thought was it’s a great story; I could probably write something like it. So I sat down and started writing. That book turned out to be 150 thousand words! Of course, I had no idea what I was doing really. Then I raised my kids, went through a divorce, established a career, blah blah blah. Then a few years back, in 2005 to be exactly, I got back on the romance bandwagon. Only it was now much wider and had more genres than just the historicals I'd read ages before. Now there were vampires, shapeshifters, psychics, as well as contemporary romances. And, the women were kick-ass, and the sex scenes were a lot hotter than way back when. Being comfortable with all of the above, I sat down and penned my first erotic romance with a Native American twist called Primed to Pounce. It was also the first book that I sold to a publisher under contract. It's available for Amazon Kindle.

Since then I've sold about ten more books and I write a mix of hot vamps, weres, contemporaries, and sci-fi romance for three publishers--in addition to the day job, of course.

Q: Where and how did you grow up?

A: I was born and raised in San Francisco. My parents were from the South, but my sisters and I all grew up in the city. My parents were a strange mix of old and new school. They taught us not to care so much about race since we were of various cultural backgrounds. On the other hand, they still had some of their old hang-ups from being exposed to the racial inequality of the South back in the 1960's.

Q: Did you always want to write, and how did you get you started?

A: Back in 2005 after I decided I wanted to finally get published, I talked to my children about it. They'd been asking me over the years when I was ever going to do something with "the big book", as they called it. I decided that with them being a bit older, it was a good time for me to take some time to do something I'd wanted to do for myself for years. They supported me by understanding when I needed time to write, and by making lots of coffee runs for me to the Starbucks around the corner. Every single book I've written has a dedication to them in the front. They've helped me figure out sticking points in plots, figure out titles, and tell their friends’ parents about my books every chance they get.

Q: Do you have any favorite characters that you’ve created, or books that you wrote?

A: Absolutely! I think my favorite series I've written so far is the Vampire Council of Ethics trilogy. The women are smart, professionals and the men are alphas to the bone without being jerks. It makes for lovely tension. Oh, and the bad guys? Damn. You'll hate 'em...which is just what I want. Smile. After that, my favorite book is Jaguar's Rule. It's a book about a black (or African American if you feel like being politically correct) female jaguar shapeshifter. She runs a bed and breakfast in Belize where she also works as a ranger in the only jaguar sanctuary in the world, which happens to be a real place. She also teaches scuba diving on her off hours...until her mate crash lands, literally, in the jungle.

Q: What's this about you wanting to open a school that teaches Japanese culture and language?

A: You know, even though we're Native American, French and black (and my kids have a lot of Irish and Native American on their father's side as well), we also have love for other cultures and countries. Japan is one of those countries. My daughter plans to head over there to live, work and, hopefully, teach. When she started learning the language, we all started getting more deeply into understanding the culture than we ever had before. We fell in love with Japan all over again. So now we want to bring the language, history and culture of Japan together with the ingenuity and business acumen of America in a high school for young ladies. We're hoping that families here and in Japan will send their girls to our academy...but first, we've got to build it! 

Q: Why do you think it's important that people cross cultures or mix it up?

A: You know, we all have the same DNA and come from the same earth no matter what race we are. There's no single race that is perfect, and there is no single race that is totally flawed. We all have something to contribute to society. When I was growing up, on our block we had young and old, black, white, Samoan and Filipino. And, that was just on our one block. Our neighborhood had some of everybody from everywhere and nobody cared. We rode bikes together, had block parties together, roller skated together; my mom cleaned up their scraped knees, and their moms cleaned up ours.

As a result, I can't seem to help but write multicultural, interracial novels. Every single book I've written to date has a mix of cultures in it - black, white, Japanese, East Indian, Native American, the works.

Q: What's on the horizon, and what should your fans expect?

A: I just sold two new books. One is a contemporary paranormal that deals with the ancient people of Atlantis, and the other is a science fiction romance where our lead girl is a Super Soldier on the run from the people who created her. Now that those two have been sold, I'm working on four others. Two of them are follow-ups to Spirit of the Pryde--a book about four black women who are sisters and African lion shifters. They're technology and scientific geniuses for their day jobs. At night, they're bounty hunters for the shifter community. I'm also working on rewriting the original book I started more than fifteen years ago, in addition to a new contemporary. My brain is a bit full so I need to get some of these books out of my head and onto paper so I can make room.

Wow! Amazing, astounding and all around awesome. Thanks, T.J.!

Hey, Hip Hapa Homeez, check out the pix of Eva, above, in her Hapa Nation Hapa*Teez. Don’t hate, order your own!

Until the next time, I am…

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi

Dual Identified Designing Woman

Hola and neih hou, Hip Hapa Homeez! Once again, Your Hip Hapa is moved by your overwhelming support. Thank you for joining our Watermelon Sushi movement by “liking” our Watermelon Sushi Fan page on Facebook, following our sporadic tweets on Twitter, joining our Hip Hapa Homeez Group page on Facebook (where you can post news about multiethnic folks and transracial adoptees), and by supporting our Watermelon Sushi film by purchasing Hapa*teez t-shirts on Cafe Press. Without you, we don’t exist so please continue to journey on this fantastic voyage with us.

This week’s Hip Hapa Homee is clothing designer Chrissy Wai-Ching. Since one picture is worth 1,000 words, we’ve kept this interview short so you can check out Chrissy’s beautiful clothing line in the photos below. That’s her in the first three pictures wearing creations she designed, followed by shots of models dressed in her clothes.

Q: What's a nice multiethnic girl like you doing designing clothing?

A: I’ve been sewing since I was a little girl, since my Puerto Rican grandmother was an avid quilter. I started making clothing for myself in high school; then, went to University in Hong Kong and North Carolina, where I studied Textile Technology and Fashion Design. I started my line in Seattle in 2004.

Q: Who are your parents, and how did you grow up?

A: My father was Hong Kong Chinese, and my mother is Puerto Rican. I feel really lucky to have grown up with the two cultures. We took many trips to both places and celebrated both Puerto Rican and Chinese traditions and holidays.

Q: You've lived in many countries and still travel a lot. How do people in each locale deal with mixed-race people?

A: Puerto Rico is the most comfortable for me because everyone there is mixed-race. Hong Kong is an interesting place because, in some circles, I'm accepted as Chinese, and in others people don't believe that I am even mixed with Chinese!

I've noticed that the way I'm seen has changed a lot over the years. People are much more used to seeing mixed-race people all over the world now, whereas before it was more rare.

Q: What about you is uniquely Chinese or Puerto Rican?

A: I enjoy practicing Chinese art, like seal carving and calligraphy. Chinese tea and dim sum is my favorite! I speak some Chinese and also some Spanish. I often listen to Puerto Rican music, and feel the Puerto Rican lust for life in me.

Q: Besides being a fashion designer, you also create paintings and carvings. Tell us more about your other art interests.

A: I love to unwind with traditional Chinese art. It’s more about following a tradition and repetition than Western art, so I think there is a very meditative element to it.

Q: Please explain the Cantonese name Wai-Ching.

A: Wai-Ching is my Chinese name and it means Wisdom and Virtue.

Q: How can our readers buy your artwork and clothing?

A: My artwork and clothing can be purchased through my Seattle studio. I work with customers from all over the world. My website is www.wai-ching.com and the phone number is (206) 229-1111.

Mucho gracias and mhgoi saai, Chrissy!

Remember, Hip Hapa Homeez, you can get your own Hapa*Teez t-shirt like the one beautiful Cassie is wearing in this photo, below.

And, don’t forget that many of our Hip Hapa Homeez have products for sale. This week, we're featuring Thomas Brooks’ book, A Wealth of Family. You can read about him here.

See you in a two weeks with another blendie, hafu, hapa, mixie, multiethnic, FGM or MGM, cross-cultural person or transracial adoptee!

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi 

Perfectly Precious Topaz

Welcome back to Watermelon Sushi World! This week, Your Hip Hapa profiles Arana, founder of The Topaz Club, along with member Deborah Braxton. That's Arana, below, seated at the center of the table surrounded by Chicago Branch members at the celebration of TTC's 6th year anniversary last January.

Q: Arana, what is The Topaz Club and what does its name mean?

A: The Topaz Club is an online-based sisterhood for biracial/multiracial women who are of partial African/African American descent and are mixed with other heritages. The name “Topaz” is taken from the yellow/golden topaz that has varying shades of yellow, orange and brown. These colors represent the beauty and range of our skin hues.

Q: What inspired you to start and lead this organization?

A: When I founded TTC in January 2004, at Yahoo! Groups, I wasn’t inspired at first to form the sisterhood that it has grown to become. However, in seeing the immediate and sudden growth of membership--and in seeing the need for the members to bond and connect to each other, it was at that point that I became deeply motivated to build a strong family and community of and for Afro-biracial/multiracial women.

Q: How did you grow up?

A: My mother is a multigenerationally-mixed woman of African American and English/Irish/German/Dutch descent. My father, who is also multigenerationally-mixed, is of African American and English/French/Italian/Creole/Choctaw and Comanche descent.

I grew up in a home where my family didn’t really care about [multi]racial or [multi]ethnic identifications. My family tended to go with the trend of identifying with how society viewed them to be as only African American. I believe that this had to do with the Jim Crow laws and One-Drop Rule of the day. They knew about our multiracial/multiethnic family backgrounds, but did not often speak about them. Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, I knew for myself that an African American racial/ethnic identification did not accurately describe who I am and what I racially/ethnically am. And it doesn’t. I’m proud to belong to all of my racial/ethnic groups.

Q: How does the new community at Ning differ from the original Yahoo! community where The Topaz Club was founded?

A: Our new online community at Ning is an entire cyber network where our former online community at Yahoo! operated as an email-based listserv. At Ning, the Topaz sisters are able to see each other through their profile pictures as they communicate with each other, participate in special-interest groups, share blogs and videos with the community, and connect to each other at our bi-weekly chats at the site.

Q: Aside from its online community presence, what other activities and events does The Topaz Club offer?

A: The Topaz Club is slowly growing and evolving beyond its cyber community. TTC has several branches that host occasional social gatherings and outings in Chicago, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay area. Right now, we’re working on establishing a foundation of TTC branches in Dallas, Houston, Washington D.C., and Minneapolis/St.Paul. We had our first National Get Together in Chicago in August 2006. We’ll have our second National Get Together on a cruise to the Bahamas in December 2011.

Q: What are some of The Topaz Club’s goals?

A: Right now, the three main goals that The Topaz Club seeks to accomplish are: to increase membership at our online community and in the branch cities mentioned above; to establish a stronger foundation of our already-existing branches; and, hopefully, to establish our national home base in one U.S. city with active chapters eventually in other U.S. cities.

Q: What will women joining The Topaz Club gain from becoming a part of this sisterhood?

A:  Women who join The Topaz Club will become a part of a growing network of professional, educated, and sophisticated ladies who come from different walks of life and share the same bond of being biracial/multiracial and of African/African American descent. They will have the opportunity to connect with other members both online and in person, and to make a positive impact on the growth and success of the sisterhood through their involvement in various areas of leadership within it.

Q: How can women join The Topaz Club?

A: We are always looking for new women to become a part of the Topaz sisterhood. They can join us by signing up for membership at http://thetopazclub.ning.com or contacting us at inquiries@thetopazclub.com

Thanks, Arana. 

TTC sisterhood member Deborah Braxton is the daughter of an English, Irish, Scottish, and German blended mother and an African American, English, Irish multigenerational father. That's her in the photo below as a child and beneath that, wearing a white shirt, at the San Francisco Bay Area TTC branch luncheon in 2007. 

Q: How did you grow up, Deborah?

A: I grew up my first 10 years in a racially charged part of Philadelphia. I lived in a "black" housing development. Literally, right across the railroad tracks (which were approximately 50 feet from our front door) was a white neighborhood. There were often bottle fights between our neighborhoods. Commonly used words were "nigger, cracker and honkey". My mother even called us "Honkenigs".

Shortly after my father’s death, we moved to a more integrated housing development that seemed to be more racially balanced, but it wasn't.

I grew up with a very clear understanding of racism. I am a very light-skinned woman and often "pass" for white or Latina. This has made me privy to "insider information" within the white world. Sadly, I often heard (and occasionally still hear) prejudicial statements, opinions and the like that were (are) not meant to be said around a person of color. 

Q: What’s your involvement in The Topaz Club?

A: I am the Chair Representative for the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.

Q: What are some activities that you’ve participated in through your involvement with the Topaz sisterhood?

A: I have organized and attended a few dinners here in the Bay Area, and attended the Founders Celebration in Chicago in 2007.

Q: How has The Topaz Club supported you as a multiethnic woman?

A: I am blessed to have found a group of women that truly understands my life experiences as a mixed woman of African American descent. I find that if needed, The Topaz Club can be an excellent site for venting, and education.

Thanks, Deborah and ladies of the TTC sisterhood!

And, thank you Hip Hapa Homeez for your continuing support. Check out the numbers of you liking our Watermelon Sushi Fan page on Facebook! Remember, our Hip Hapa Homeez group page is for you to post the latest news about multiethnic and cross-cultural issues. You can also continue to show love for the Watermelon Sushi film by making a Hapa*Teez t-shirt purchase, like Eva did below. And, don’t forget to follow our erratic tweets on Twitter.

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'til we meet again, I shall remain..

Your Hip Hapa,

Yayoi