Too Latina to be Black, Too Black to be Latina by Aleichia Williams, Is the most relatable article I have ever read, and I am sure it would be the same for other people of ambiguous features or mixed backgrounds. Alechia spoke about not fitting in, in North Carolina because people could not grasp the fact that she is a Black-Latina. This bias of what a Latina should look like or how a black person should act has come from the classification and stereotypes placed in society by the white man. When you are not accepted in either of your racial backgrounds you feel like you don’t belong, and it brings up the thought as to why one should have to look and act a certain way to be acceptable by society. This reminded me of Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon because gender non-conforming persons experience oppression in the same way. They do not fit into just one category so our existence is questioned. Alechia speaks about not understanding why one must fit into the roles of society and why we just can’t be seen as human. I really connected with this point of view, growing up as a mixed child being Black, Indian, and Hispanic people always tried to fit me into just one category. I would always be asking about how I am so mixed and if I knew how to speak all the languages and if I didn’t, I would be considered lesser than. If I had a dollar for every time, I get the question “What are you?” I would be rich. This always bothered me in the same way it bothers Alechia why does it matter if I speak the language or not that does not make me any less connected with my heritage and culture. The problem with society is that we use race to separate us from one another instead of bringing us closer. Alechia states, “I am Black, I am Latina, Also I am human.” This quote spoke to me because it reminded me of the moment, I realized I am who I am and I will never be able to please those in society but I can make peace with myself. Heather lee’s post illustrates exactly what many people of ambiguous features face due to stereotypes of race and what people should be and look like based on their skin color.
After reading The Power of Identity Politics, the many conversations I have made with my friends and family were proven correct. I speak to my mother often about how before colonization the world did not know race, homophobia, sexism, in other words, oppression. The article reads, “In other words, if white people had not created a false classification for people based on skin color genitalia or class status in order to maintain power and privilege over others would we even be having this conversation?” and answer is no. Colonizers stripped ethnic groups of their heritage and killed out those who did not want to give up who they are. It is the white cisgender Christian man that put the idea into all ethnic groups that fair skin is power. The Blonde woman spoken about in the article does not understand the significance of seeing more colored people on screen because she has seen people like her all her life. Yes, a person should not be hired because of the color of their skin but it is important to understand the power of representation of colored people and the power it has to lead us to be seen as equals to the cis straight white man.
