children Archives - The Race Card Project

I changed my name for you.

June 1, 2026June 1, 2026 Anglophone, changed name, children, German, Germany, Korean, name, Nayoung Kim-Weaver, related

Nayoung Kim-Weaver,
Germany

My race card reflects my lived experiences, particularly regarding my first name, Na Young (translated from 나영 in Korean). Over time, I’ve adjusted it to Na-Young, Na-young, and now Nayoung due to encounters with white fragility. Additionally, after marrying, I took on my partner’s easily pronounceable Anglophone last name, Weaver, for various visa-related reasons in the United States, especially after we had two children. However, our family is currently in the process of changing our family name to Kim-Weaver to preserve our Korean heritage. This change is aimed at ensuring that my family name carries forward when I publish, leaving a legacy for future generations, including my children.

My children won’t rob you

June 1, 2026June 1, 2026 children, fit the profile, good people, military, OK, Oklahoma City, rob, Shamica, single mom, stereotypes

Shamica,
Oklahoma City, OK.

I never knew that becoming a mom would be different based on race. I was raised on military bases, everyone got along. I knew that people could be racist but I never really experienced it. I was . . . naive. Then I married my husband, at a young age, then we had kids. I realized quickly that a good amount of people assumed I was a single mom or teen mom, when the truth is I valued my body enough that I saved myself for my husband. As my kids grew and we decided to have a larger family, I would be asked random questions like “Do they have the same father?”. But the worst was listening to my 8 year old daughter ask me why a little boy at church called her a mudface. Or when she became a teenager and was told by another teen that a certain boy wouldn’t think she was pretty because she’s black. Or how about the fact that I have to tell my boys not to wear hoodies in public, because someone may think they look suspicious. When truly they are just cold. I don’t mind raising my children to be respectful people and productive members of society, that has always been my goal. I mind that I have to worry if someone will shoot my honor student because they “fit the profile”.

Por supuesto que soy su mamá

May 10, 2026May 11, 2026 Asian, bi-racial, Black, CA, children, Korean, latina, mixed, mom, Northridge, Sonia Kang

Sonia Kang
Northridge, CA

Are you their mom? As a biracial mom (Black/Latina) married to a Korean man with children who look more Asian than anything else, we are often looked at with curiosity. They look at them then at me. Is she the nanny? Who can she be? Whether at their Korean language immersion school, Tae Kwon do class or at the park, I get the inquisitive look. There are those that just stare but then there are those bold enough to inquire, are they your children? Of course they are my children!

White mother afraid for her children

August 9, 2024August 9, 2024 afraid, children, mother, NY, Poughquag, Sally, white

Sally,
Poughquag, NY.

White kids without shoes, white privilege

June 3, 2024 barefoot, black children, Champaign-Urbana, children, crunchy, IL, Kate Maguire, kids, no shoes, privilege, same, socioeconomic

Kate Maguire,
Champaign-Urbana, IL

There is a parenting trend happening now towards “natural” childrearing which conjures up for me a picture of young kids frolicking barefoot in the grass, with grass and dirt-stained knees, perhaps not even completely dressed and fully enjoying the outdoors as nature intended. I live in a higher socioeconomic, predominantly white neighborhood in my city, and as a white mom with small children regularly encounter this parenting philosophy. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, I can’t help but always wonder that this parenting trend is not open to people of color. A white parent with a dirt caked, shoeless child running through the neighborhood is given the benefit of the doubt as “natural” or “crunchy”. A black parent would more readily be labeled a neglectful or bad parent, and that could have dire consequences for their family. This doesn’t seem fair to me at all. I have thought is over and over again since becoming a mom, and this is the first place I have ever voiced it.

Where did you GET her from?

March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 Beth Watson, bi-racial, children, mixed, Pacific Islander, post-racial, Tacoma, WA

Beth Watson,
Tacoma, WA.

In ‘post-racial’ ( I use this term sarcastically) America, living in the Pacific Northwest, I can’t believe how many times I have been asked outright, “where did you get her from?” in response to seeing me and my bi-racial daughter in public. This question, of course, comes at the end of stares and smug looks. Are you kidding me? First off, who are you to intrude upon my private life with that sort of question in that sort of way? Obviously, people in our country have no boundaries or any sort of knowledge on how bi-racial children come into this world. With all of the knowledge we have at our finger tips, there should not be any reason for such ignorance and intrusively offensive boundary invasion. After being asked this question, 8 million times, my answer was just as equally offensive and will continue to be.

Unconditionally loving my transgender biracial children!

March 5, 2024 biracial, children, father, GA, Grayson, mother, Nepal, transgender

Angel Smith,
Grayson, GA

I am a mother of two young adult transgender, biracial children. Some ask me how I can be so unconditionally supportive and loving of their lifestyles. So many of our youth falls into the wrong paths of drugs, crime, gangs, violence, teen pregnancy, etc. If THIS is the “worse” my children brought me, then I am the one who is blessed because they made parenting easy. They are amazing young adults, one has a BA, works a full time job and teaches children and their teachers art lessons in Nepal online. The other is a successful lab technician for a leading vision provider. I could not be prouder of the success they worked so hard to earn for themselves. Different is not always bad. Take time to learn and understand the things you aren’t exposed too before passing judgement. Differences make us all unique and beautiful.

My children are black. I’m not.

February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 Black, blended, children, Fairfax, state, VT, white, William G. Duval

William G. Duval,
Fairfax, VT.

My wife and I have a racially blended family in one of the whitest states in the union. I think it has made a difference in some admittedly small ways.

My children can never be president.

January 24, 2024January 24, 2024 adopted, AL, Barbara Lewis, children, China, country, kids, Madison, natural-born, president

Barbara Lewis
Madison, AL

It has been said that one thing that makes this country great is that any child can grow up to be president. This is not true for my daughters. Because of the “natural-born” clause in our constitution, my daughters, who were born in China but legally adopted into the US by US citizens, can not be president. However, a child born in the US to parents who are in this country illegally can grow up to be president. Call me crazy, but this is just wrong.

“Are they yours? Are you sure?”

January 15, 2024 "are they yours", Adam Conner, adopted, Asian, children, DC, sister, South Korea, Washington

Adam Conner
Washington, DC

My sister and I are both adopted from South Korea. Our parents are white. One of my memories from childhood is being at the grocery store and constantly having people ask my mom “Are they yours?” point to my sister and me. I remember one time someone then adding “Are you sure?” As if my mom was going to look over and realize then that “whoa these kids are asian! thank you stranger in a grocery store for pointing that out to me!”

They’re beautiful, why are they white?

August 15, 2023 Abigail Jimenez, assume, beautiful, children, El Paso, kids, TX, white

Abigail Jimenez,
El Paso, TX

Adopted daughter learns what “Yellow” means

July 18, 2023July 18, 2023 adopted, Bonnie Jerome-D'Emilia, children, daughter, derogatory, Haddonfield, NJ, shocked, yellow

Bonnie Jerome-D’Emilia,
Haddonfield, NJ.

These are my three children. We had never discussed the derogatory use of the word yellow to connote Asian, until we were forced to. My daughter was shocked.

“Are they yours? Are you sure?”

March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 "are they yours", Adam Conner, adopted, Asian, children, DC, sister, South Korea, Washington

Adam Conner
Washington, DC

Bless Black Skin and Blue Uniforms

March 17, 2023March 17, 2023 American, black skin, blue collar, blue uniform, children, Durham, heart, NC, son, Tanya Adams

Tanya Adams,
Durham, NC.

Will my sons come to know a time when we are in a United State as Americans??? My heart grieves!

Changing the path of my children!!

August 10, 2022August 10, 2022 CA, change, character, children, Chino Hills, culture, embrace, Path, Tina Bradford, White is right

Tina Bradford,
Chino Hills, CA.

Being raised in a home where “White is Right,” I only had one thing I could do. So I went on my own path of development. Creating myself into the black sheep of the family. Why would I do such a thing? So my children could learn we do not judge on based on the color of their skin, their sexuality, their education, or the past. We judge people on their character. We embrace cultural differences and learn from each other. No, my children are not considered supreme beings by my family, because they are mixed. But in my house, I would not want them any other way. I do not want them to associate who they are as a race, but know they will grow into a productive adult that makes the world a better place for you and me. As said before, yes, I am happy I am the Black Sheep of my family!

White immigrant = not an immigrant.

August 4, 2022August 4, 2022 American, bad, British, Canada, Canadian, children, community, daughter, diverse community, good, Hudson, Hungarian, immigrant, legal alien, lily-white, Linda M Larsen, other, perceived, small town, USA, white, white immigrant, WI

Linda M Larsen,
Hudson, WI.

Hungarian+British +Canadian = American.
I’m an immigrant, a ‘legal alien’ from Canada, with Hungarian and British parents, living in the USA. I’m supremely aware of the fact that no one sees me as ‘immigrant’ because I’m white. I moved from a very visibly multi-racial large Canadian city to small-town, lily-white America. I worried about how I would teach my daughter about the joys of living in such a diverse community as I came from, but in the end, I needn’t have worried. We pass on to our children what is most important to us, never mind whether it is perceived as good or bad by others.

Did I come from another planet?

July 18, 2022 alient, children, don't fit, humanscape, parents, Richmond, school, Selamawit Hurisa, teachers, VA, Virginia Community Colleges, white school

Selamawit Hurisa,
Richmond, VA

In my child’s school, the majority of parents are white. I am a black immigrant and I am confronted with many difficulties while navigating the humanscape of a majority white school. I find it difficult to fit, be accepted and just participate in the perfunctory day to day parent interaction at the school. Every time I visit the school and participate in school events, other parents are staring at me as if I am from a distant galaxy. They treat me indifferently or ignore me completely, and I allow myself to feel uncomfortable and further question if in fact I did come from another planet. Perhaps to many of the other school parents I am from another planet.