looks Archives - The Race Card Project

My mixed-race son looks All-American.

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023 All American, CA, Emma Alvarez Gibson, French, heritage, irish, Japanese, kids, looks, Mexican, mixed race, Portuguese, San Pedro, scottish, son

Emma Alvarez Gibson,
San Pedro, CA.

My husband’s heritage is Japanese/Portuguese/French. Mine is Mexican/Irish/Scottish. Neither of us fit in anywhere while growing up; both sides of each of our families considered us oddities at best. People never knew what to make of us. I was too white for the Mexican kids and too uptight about racist comments for the white kids. Our son is fair and blond and looks about as All-American (a term that’s always made me queasy) as it gets. He will never struggle the way we did — for which we’re grateful; no parent wants their child to struggle. But the irony isn’t lost on either of us.

My Looks Don’t Define My Bloodline

March 3, 2017 bloodline, culture, define, growing up, heritage, irish, latinos, learn, looks, MA, Mexican, Sierra McGeoghegan, taboo, TX, Weymouth

Sierra McGeoghegan,
Weymouth, MA.

Growing up and even now I am always denied my Mexican heritage by lots of people of all races. I am Irish + Mexican and a few other races. My family treated my Hispanic blood as a taboo, the Latinos I knew as a child rejected me once I shared I was half white. I am 17 now and my plans are to travel to Texas + Mexico to learn from Mexicans their culture, how they want it to be experienced. To be completely honest I am scared of rejection- that I will be hated on and unwanted, but this is an life experience that I cannot leave undiscovered. Wish me the best for that experience. I’m thinking that I will write about it and put it online for others to witness. Thank you for doing what you do Ms. Michele Norris, your helping us minorities to feel important and that is a long needed thing. – Sincerely,
Sierra McGeoghegan

That glance they give me; Why?

September 30, 2015September 30, 2015 Dayton, glace, Jelani, judge, looks, OH

Jelani
Dayton, OH

I judge actions regardless of looks

March 24, 2014March 24, 2014 actions, Air Force, judge, looks, Nick Casey, NY, Saratoga Springs, white privilege

Nick Casey
Saratoga Springs, NY

I grew up in upstate NY. I was raised by my grandparents who have passed. My Mother was in the Air Force and married a man names Matthew. Mack (as he likes to be called.) has treated always treated me like his son and I love him very much. I have a brother and sister too as well as nieces and nephews who I Love dearly. I am white, Mack is black. I guess the rest of my family on that side is too. Who Cares????? why does color matter I love them ALL. Green people, brown people white people tan red does it really matter? I wish everyone would stop talking about White privilege on one side and racism on the other and judge people for WHO they are not what they look like. Until that happens nothing will change.

Looks white. Sounds black. Fooled ya.

June 12, 2013 Black, DC, Diana Veiga, fooled, looks, sounds, tricked, Washington, white

Diana Veiga
Washington, DC

This weekend I was at an event with a roomful of black women. There was this one lady who stood out because she looked “white”, but then she opened her mouth and she sounded “black.”. And then her mother stood up and she was black. I looked at my mom and said, “do you think that people would think…” I couldn’t even finish my question, my mom was already nodding and chuckling. We have family members who tried to pass, could have passed, they were light skinned women with green eyes and red hair, but the hair was nappy and it betrayed them. I though of this the roomful of “obvious’ black women. What stood out, what seemingly makes us this or that, what betrays or tells on us, what keeps us bound to this thing called race.

My background? Why do you ask?

July 31, 2012 ambiguous, ashamed, background, Canada, looks, Race, reaction

Em
Canada

This is a constant and terrible icebreaker. It’s not that I’m ashamed or shy about my mixed background or ambiguous looks, but I’m constantly disappointed that that’s all that people want to know, that’s all they see me as, or they believe they can’t know me without knowing my race.