Mixed Heritage

In my day job as a social worker, I am on the Cultural Competency Advisory Board which is made up of mental health workers, consumers (clients) and consumer advocates (people who work for community based organizations). As part of this board we come together to work on special projects in order to improve the way that our services meet the needs of diverse populations. One of the projects I am working on exploring how services could be better delivered to people with "Mixed Heritage".

Part of this project is coming up with some experiences that us 'mixed folk/biracial/multi-ethnic' people face on a daily basis:

• What are you?
• Is that your mom/sister/dad/brother?
• You don't look _____(insert ethnic group here)
• You're only 50% (or whatever percentage you are)
• That's a great mix! (When someone finds out what you are)
• ::::Squints at you really hard::: "ohhh, now I see it!"
• Do you live in _______ ? (insert a city or region that has a high population of diverse people in it)
• Why do you act white? (or another group that you do not identify with ethnically or culturally)
• Check only one box: African American, Asian, Latino, White/Caucasian, Native American, OTHER

Being who I am has greatly influenced how I feel about my body and even more so because I have had to come in contact with the above statements many many many times in my life which makes me think about how I appear to others. This is not just for mixed folks. Social location affects all humans. Let me explain:

The way that I look at the world is based upon my personal and individual social location.  Which means that different aspects of our personality, identity and position in society afford us a unique take on the world and affects how we see each other and ourselves.  

My social location: cisgender female, 1st Generation Filipina, 2nd Generation Puerto Rican, heterosexual, raised in the SF Bay Area. 

Social location can also include: socioeconomic status, educational background, language/dialect spoken, political affiliation, religious affiliation, sexuality and more!

My experience as a "mixed heritage" person is not independent of how I feel to be a Filipina-Puerto Rican woman, or Filipina-Puerto Rican woman social worker!

Ultimately our identity and social location is a HUGE influence in how we view our bodies and ourselves. As I think about all the negativity that one can experience being a "mixed heritage" person (like confronting the above statements daily), I think about also all of the beauty in not being able to fit into ONE box:

• unique perspective
• the ability to navigate through different circles and cultures freely
• the choice to identify how you want to, not only how you're seen to the world
• the love for and value of DIVERSITY, not only in your family, but your partners, your community

What is your social location and how does it influence how you feel about yourself and your body?

My Parents

Myself, My sister, My Mami

My sister and I 

Me and Papi

Me and My Lola

Me and Grandma