S. Belinda Rubio
Lexington, KY
I was at a gas station when the guy working the cash register asked me if I was half? His question caught me by surprise and made me laugh, but I knew what he was trying to ask and sensed that he was trying to bond. He happened to be multiracial and we ended up having a great conversation. I’m Mexican-American and living in Kentucky, by way of Texas, Rhode Island and New York. I get asked quite a bit, “What are you?” or “Where’s your family from?” When I was younger I used to get offended when that was the first question someone would ask me. I could sense they’re need to solve the ethnic riddle and put me in a box. I would respond, “I’m a human being!” or “My parents are from Texas.” “Where are yours from?” Now that I’m older I take it as an opportunity to engage in a positive dialogue and a great way to get to know someone.
