Alene Brothers,
Greenwood, SC.
Two of the most common questions I hear are “where are you from” and “what are you?” People see dark tan skin, dark brown eyes, and brown/black hair and think I have to be foreign. Although my family identifies as “white,” we’re a mix of different backgrounds, especially on my dad’s side of the family. His lineage is Native American mixed with white and his skin is darker than mine. My mother’s side of the family is a combination of German, Scottish, and Irish. She, and my sister, have fair skin and are never asked about their race. Whenever people see me though, they say they expected me to be Egyptian or Arabic, Spanish from Central/South America, or from Mediterranean like Italy or Greece. I wonder a lot why it matters what I am. Is it really that important? I identify as tan, and as American. That should be what’s important.
