The Race Card Project
By Michele Norris
Joseph A Flores,
Roswell, NM
The scion of pre-Chicano era parents who believed assimilation into the American culture was the key to success. My English only, college graduate led American lifestyle has been rejected by both the White ‘race’ I was raised to engage with AND the Hispanic ethnic group I ‘should’ belong to… in very profound ways at every stage of my life course.
Sunny G. Sampson,
Albuquerque, NM.
I managed to obtain one degree, still paying for it. Have attempted two other degrees. The debt and the education happened, but the piece of paper eluded me. In one case because of direct racism, accused of cheating because I had a 3.6GPA. In both, economic difficulties did me in. The result I am the most education person I know working for 13 dollars an hour.
Michael Kenji Yamasaki,
Rio Rancho, NM.
OBSERVATIONS – Where are you from? No really … Where are you from?
I can relate to Mr. Marc Quarles (African-American, with a German wife and two biracial children).
There were times when I too have been asked, “Where are you from? No really where are you from?” However, in addition to that, people have also commented how well I spoke English (despite the fact that I have been in the United States over 50 years.), or they would “welcome me to the USA.”
Growing up in Hawaii, race wasn’t really any issue with me. In Hawaii, Asian is the dominant population. (By the way, I notice that for the most part, Asians and Pacific Islanders are lump together as if we are one giant homogenous group. A lot of “mainlanders” don’t seem to get the idea that Hawaiians, Samoans, Japanese, Koreans, Filipinos, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. have their own unique traditions and culture.)
I recall that when I was getting married to my wife at the time, one of party from the mainland made a comment, “There aren’t too many Americans here.” Referring to the population of Hawaii. I was so shocked and speechless about it. She also commented that a lot of Mexicans were moving into Kentucky. (Her tone of voice signaled that she was not happy about it.) Unbeknownst to her, one of my best friend who was riding with us in the back seat was half-Mexican (but could pass for White). You should have seen the look of his face. Ugggh!
It was when I moved to the mainland (New Mexico), I became aware of my “minority” status. Asians are few and far between in the area that I live. It felt odd to be a “minority” coming from Hawaii. Most of the comments directed at me were out of ignorance rather than racism. False assumptions based on generalized idea of an Asian person.
I remember once where my wife told me while she was at the mall with our baby “hapa” (biracial) girl, a woman thought how adorable our daughter looked. She inquired where did my wife get the little girl. (Oh, did I forget? My wife is White from Kentucky.)
My wife almost told her, “At Walmart, on sale now. Down on aisle 15.” People assume that when a White woman has an Asian looking child; the Asian child is adopted. Sheesh, give me a break.
Laurie Mitchell Dunn
Taos, NM
In my northern NM community, Native Americans have been here for over 1,000 years and Hispanics for 400 years. Anglos are both minorities and relative newcomers (first arriving about 150 years ago). Even native born Anglos aren’t really accepted as “locals”. The Hispanics here have a saying: “Just because your cat has kittens in the oven, it doesn’t make them biscuits.” It’s an eye-opening glimpse at what it’s like being in an ethnic and cultural minority, although I can’t claim to have even remotely experienced what people of color deal with almost everywhere in the US.
Nichole Rogers,
Albuquerque, NM
We love to put people in categories and since I don’t visually fit easily into just one category I get asked this question all the time. I’ve been told I am racially ambiguous, which is “Someone that is racially ambiguous does not possess the stereotypical physical attributes of his or her supposed racial category. It is the physical features that one notices first about another individual when trying to determine that person’s racial identity.”
To this I say STOP…and if you ask me this I will respond with anything but my race or ethnicity. I’ll say I am a mother, a sister, a daughter, a leader, a cousin, a activist and a speaker of truth.
Jeannette Chavez
Albuquerque, NM
It was the early 70′s in the Texas panhandle. On a road trip we stopped at a diner to eat. He didn’t want us in there. He ruined our food. He put pickles in my pancakes. His action enraged me. Now it scares me.
Ken Romig,
Albuquerque, NM.
There is racial and cultural insensitivities in everyone.
Wali Shakur,
Santa Fe, NM.
Disband all use of the word race (and all of it’s uses) and most economic models will collapse. Peace.
Sylvia Anderson
Albuquerque, NM
Raised in Detroit, parents liberal, family on both sides of civil war. Grandfather said “The south likes the black man and hates the black race, north likes the black race and hates the black man. My six words relate to a trip south in 1963. I desperately needed a restroom and saw a bus station. I went in the front door, saw restrooms and went in the first one. When I came out of the stall and as I washed my hands I noticed all the women had frozen in place and a mother had a hand over her small daughters shoulder. I thought it strange and as I left I noticed each door had a rectangle of of lighter wood on the doors. I was back to the car when I busted out laughing, my new husband asked what and I said I think I just unintentionally made a civil rights statement. When I explained he joined my laughter. We were attending Wayne State University which had a large number of black students and civil rights were accepted in our environment. I was clueless in the south.
Tim Murphy,
Sandia Park, NM
White people take this for granted, I hope to live to the day ALL races could say this. At 66, I’m not hopeful.
Chuck,
Albuquerque, NM
People often say things like “Oh he must have a fetish for Asians” or “She must be looking for a Green Card” or “He must not be able to get a White girl”. No one ever says “Oh, you two nerds are perfect for each other” even if it’s true. In Asia, our mixed race kids are treated like supermodels because half-white is treated as superior to fully Asian, but white is just too foreign. And in America, my wife gets asked what she’s doing with those white kids.
Jennifer Evans,
Albuquerque, NM
So often people bring race in as a deep part of someone’s identity or use it as a reason for their inability to be a part of a group or a part of a culture. The truth is that while race can be a big part of someone’s identity it is not always. I have gone my entire life hanging out with people of various races and have always felt as though I belonged in their communities and I fit in but I have constantly been told I am “too white” to be a part of those groups. I cant enjoy hip-hop and rap music, I can’t speak Spanish and be involved in celebrating various Holidays of Hispanic Heritage. At the end of the day, My skin tone should not stop me any more than it should stop anyone else.
Louis Garduno,
Ramah, NM
Racism has been a fluid reality in my life as long as I can remember. It’s like dodging bullets but with words, looks, and bullying.
In solidarity with my black brothers and sisters.
Toya James,
Albuquerque, NM.
I am biracial (Black/White) and born in Cleveland in 1959. By “it” I mean race. I thought more people knew race is simply a social construct and that racism was something education erased. I have only recently realized how widespread the buy-in is in American society and that race was invented to oppress. The picture was taken in Brazil in April 2013. I am in the middle.
Starr,
Albuquerque, NM.
Black women are often characterized as sassy which I take as an insult. The root of sassy is sass or to balk, talk back; in order words, to disobey, or not know your place with the not-so-subtle inference that your place is inferior. I’ve been called sassy because I am smart and do not see myself as inferior in any way to any person. That I was called this today at my job by a group of disgruntled employees because I carried out my job as requested was racist as I informed the person who told me that about the comment. There are thousands of ways to disrepect someone one. Black folks all over the world are particularly attuned to the many monikers and mis-characterizations we are assigned when we make people uncomfortable with our inherent abilities, and in many cases, our power. Calling me sassy in the workplace disregards my skills and abilities as a professional. Moreover, it says that I am in the wrong place. Perhaps I am in the wrong workplace, but never am I in the wrong place. #racismcheck #iamnottheone
Scout Rainwells,
Santa fe, NM.
Britt Verstegen,
Socorro, NM.
I grew up as a blonde, blue-eyed kid in an interracial family within a racially diverse neighborhood of inner-city Detroit. My step-father is Black and my sisters are biracial. Due to my family composition, I became aware of white privilege at an early age. For example, I knew in third grade why store employees followed my Black male friends while summarily ignoring me: they assumed I was an honest, safe, and kind child because I was white and female, and they assumed my friends were dishonest, dangerous, and mean because they were Black and male. Within my 48 years of life, there have been numerous occasions where I have been in the company of whites and experienced what I term “the white club.” This is when a group of 2 or more white people form an ad-hoc “club” with complete strangers and begin talking smack about people of color. I have experienced this from New Mexico to Alaska, Michigan to Florida, even in my travels through Europe. Once brown people are gone, (some) white people feel free to say terrible things about people of color. One example: back in the early 2000’s, I was standing in line at a DMV in a small New Mexican town. Three women were ahead of me, two white and one Navajo. When the Navajo woman left, the two white women – complete strangers to me – turned to me and began speaking of “lazy Indians.” Suddenly, I was in the white club. Of course, I had an obligation to correct them, so I said, “I am not in your white club.” I have had to say those words many times in my life. It is a persistent problem. If there is a race war in this country and everyone of color is forced to live in, say, Delaware…well, I am moving to Delaware, ha-ha. I want to live in an integrated society where people of all races and ethnicities are afforded the same level of respect and opportunity. So no, I ain’t in your damn white club. No.
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