exhausting Archives - The Race Card Project

A transnational adoptee, consumed by “in-betweenity.”

March 4, 2025March 6, 2025 adopted, america, Color, conversation, exhausting, fvalidity, gate-keeping, inbetweener, MD, Rebecca York, Takoma Park, transition, visibility, white

Rebecca York,
Takoma Park, MD

Fighting for visibility and validity, in white and of-color spaces is perpetually exhausting. Transnational adoptees are at the heart of America’s racial, cultural, and nationalistic legislation and cultural beliefs. Stop gate-keeping, and let us join the conversation.

Ni de aquí, ni de allá

August 9, 2024August 9, 2024 Ana Rodríguez, anglos, Antioch, aqui, both, exhausting, food, IL, Mexican-American, not from here, Oprah, Salena, Sinatra, Wayne State

Ana Rodríguez,
Wayne State,
Antioch, IL

Selena’s dad explained it best in his monologue where he talks about how tough it is to be Mexican-American. He goes on to explain that, “Anglos jump all over you if you don’t speak English perfectly and Mexicans jump all over you if you don’t speak Spanish perfectly…We have to be twice as perfect as anyone else…We have to know about John Wayne and Pedro Infante…We have to know about Frank Sinatra AND Agustin Lara…We have to know about Oprah AND Cristina…Anglo food is too bland and yet we go to Mexico and we get the runs…Japanese-Americans, Italian-Americans, German-Americans, their homeland is on the other side of the ocean…OURS is right next door. Right over there…And we gotta prove the Americans how American we are… And we gotta prove to the Mexicans how Mexican we are… We gotta be more American than the Americans and more Mexican than the Mexicans…BOTH at the same time! Its EXHAUSTING!”

Shouldn’t matter so much in America.

September 5, 2022September 5, 2022 African American, america, Brandi Jones, Detroit, different color, exhausting, immigrant, matter America, MI, Wayne State

Brandi Jones,
Wayne State,
Detroit, MI

Growing up as an African American in America is exhausting. We are supposed to be the land of the free where you can be who you are. Instead black people who are born here are treated worse than immigrants. We are not terrible people just because we are a different color.

Is it because I am black?

January 2, 2022January 9, 2022 Black, demoralizing, Evanston, exhausting, IL, Renee Yates, society, treatment

Renee Yates,
Evanston, IL.

Being black in America means that every time you feel slighted or unfairly treated in the larger society you have to wonder “Is it because I am black?” It’s demoralizing and exhausting.

Mexican really? You dont look mexican.

February 5, 2019February 5, 2019 Abraham Quintanilla, American, anglos, being Mexican, but you don't look, CA, can't speak my own language, CBU HIS311, exhausting, Mexican, Mexican-American, Priscilla Esparza, Riverside, Speak English, tired, tough

Priscilla Esparza,
Riverside, CA.

Living life as a Mexican American is best described by Abraham Quintanilla,”Being Mexican American is tough. Anglos jump all over you if you don’t speak English Perfectly, Mexicans jump all over you if you don’t speak Spanish perfectly.” “we got to prove to the Mexicans how Mexican we are and we got to prove to the Americans how American we are. We got to be MORE Mexican than the Mexicans and MORE American than the Americans; both at the same time! Its exhausting!”and it truly is exhausting.

CBU HIS311

It is exhausting living this way.

June 7, 2018June 7, 2018 1970's, 1980's, class, ct, Delfina Bernucca, exhausting, first generation, Graduate, Kensington, Midwest, non-white, student

Delfina Bernucca,
Kensington, CT.

I am first generation born in USA and grew up in a 70s and 80s Midwest farming community where I was the only non-white student in my graduating class of 80 students.