"I'm A Biracial Person Who..." | A Snapchat Story

[@becathist]

I'm so sick of people telling me what I am or what I'm not. My identity is not up for anybody's input, suggestions or debate. Being mixed race, you feel that you don't really fit. You hear that you're not enough of this or that. It's something that really fucks with you. It is so BEAUTIFUL to see this video. I am genuinely in tears feeling like "Wow, I wish I had seen this video when I was a kid." Hell, even now as an adult it is so necessary to know there are others who identify with what you go through.

[@chescaleigh]

+Rebecca K. this video has been up MAYBE 20 minutes and there are already people in the comments deciding who's allowed to say they're black and who's not. it's so annoying. i recently saw that quote "be who you needed when you were younger" and it really struck a chord with me. i can't help but think how many people need to see this video right now or needed it years ago. i hope it helps people in all stages of their lives because our identities are complex and valid.

[@becathist]

+chescaleigh POC telling other POC how to identify is, quite frankly, horse shit... and they/WE all should know better, do better and be better. But seriously this video is so important. To be told that your experiences are an illusion by each community that makes you who you are leaves you feeling void of a space to exist in as a whole person. Thank you so much for lifting up voices that need to be heard!

[@sabrinah3347]

+Rebecca K. I wish I had seen this video as a kid too. It would have made me feel so much more understood and so much less confused about my experiences.

[@becathist]

+Sabrina Haskinson (Pomegraniteshading) I think that's the toughtest thing. it's confusing. You feel that you don't have a space anywhere so you don't know if what you feel is wrong, is your fault, if you really aren't enough. And my adopted family is mostly white people. So that added a whole other layer of issues.

[@sabrinah3347]

Yes, I grew up seeing people experience racism that was extreme and I remember always discounting my own experiences because of it. As if because I'm mixed even if I experience these things I don't count. And I experience this special kind of dehumanizing racism for being multi racial and everyone around me acted as if it was normal. So I thought maybe I'm just doing this to myself - this loneliness, exiling, and feeling like I'm being objectified. Because everyone acted like I should be happy because I'm pretty or "exotic ". I even get it now still- the "what are you" as if I'm not human and the weird looks for standing up for my multiple races and culture's oppression because I'm not a stereotypical image of them. So apparently we don't get a voice or opinion we're virtually invisible which is so problematic. Now I don't care, I identify with my races stereotypes be damned and I speak up no matter the looks I get. As I've gotten older I just realized our experiences as multi racial people are real and we are real. We're not here for peoples consumption and entertainment, we're not an aesthetic we're human beings even if we have to fight harder to be seen as such.

[@trentwilson2071]

I'm a biracial person who had no identity problems. Is something wrong?!?!?

[@mihneapopa8856]

I am a biracial White-looking person because my father is dark skinned Romani. But people don’t care abt that because they say that Romani people are just an ethnicity... When in fact they have Indian ancestry and look different and have a different culture.. I am tired of having to have my identity stripped away by others that are not even from my country that tell me who I am. Next step I’ll have to acknowledge to oppressing less privileged races... Does privilege even count as being an oppressor? Nope u have to do more than just existing to cause distress😑

[@amorousGravity]

identity is probably my biggest struggle as a biracial person. my advice is to see yourself as a valid member of each race you're part of. I'm asian and i'm white. saying that I'm half one race half another always made me feel like "I'm not asian enough" or "I'm not white enough" but ive learned that the truth is i'm both, not one or the other or half of one or half of the other.

[@fightthefairy]

amorousgravity Exactly!! As a white person I certainly wouldn't ever think of you as " not white enough"! You ARE white. You're just also Asian!

[@sophiamurillo7786]

In half Korean and mexican, the only struggle. is deciding where to go for dinner because both of the foods are delicious 🍲

[@jellyrolly]

+Sofia Murillo go for korean-mexican fusion! it's delicious :)

[@satanlordofhell5834]

+jellyjay Takoreana!

[@Sol-01]

+Sofia Murillo Wow i would love to meet you. I have never seen a mix between a mexican and an asian!

[@kingshali2358]

Toss a coin, makes things easier.

[@satanlordofhell5834]

There are fusion restaurants of Mexican and Korean food. Korean bbq + kimchi inside a taco....

[@chescaleigh]

2 things! 1. captions are ORDERED! 2. After I put out the call for snaps, it was brought to my attention that “multiracial” or “mixed race” is more inclusive as opposed to “biracial.” My apologies for not getting that right the first time around. I hope this error didn’t discourage anyone from participating BUT fret not, more collaborative snapchat stories and vlogs to come!

[@kbtitan2464]

You are so beautiful..even though im 15 you are the kind of woman I like.

[@chescaleigh]

+KBTITAN DA GOD24 omg i'm more than twice your age! LOL

[@kbtitan2464]

+chescaleigh I feel awkward now lol, but other than that I enjoy your vids!

[@chescaleigh]

+KBTITAN DA GOD24 it's all good. i'll take it as, i look young ;)

[@Stprincess]

+chescaleigh In my opinion, as a multiracial person, the term "mixed" implies that the two races (or however many) are not supposed to be, if you see what I mean. As if two "pure" things came together to make some "mix." Multiracial is the best term to use. :)

[@brookenoelle2836]

When that girl said she's been having difficult conversations with her white mom.... THANK YOU. I'm in the same situation

[@deafcharmed07]

Being black means you have BOTH black parents and being white means you have BOTH white parents. If you are mixed with two different races or more, you are simply biracial or mixed period. That's your identity. You can't just choose one race than other. Just accept that you are biracial or mixed. Nothing is wrong with that. You are beautiful no matter what.

[@tkking6481]

It is all up to the person. There is no such thing as a mixed category. A biracial person is both their races but it is up to them to choose as long as they recognize that some are privileged for being lighter skinned.

[@ShangTsung917]

Damn I wish the biggest problem in my life was that I was biracial.

[@fightthefairy]

Shang Tsung Same!! In fact I've always envied biracial people. Two (or more) whole cultures to learn about and be proud of. What could be more amazing?

[@dulcemuniz1239]

Just because we talk about doesn't mean its our biggest one. Trust me it isn't?😒

[@sibria]

this is sad, stupid world we live in. it would be better if we learned to accept each other, like decent human beings.

[@mottahead6464]

Replies to "What are you?": - the product of loving parents - the future, baby. You're looking at it. Better get used to it. - Me. That's who I am. - Complex. And also sophisticated. - A proud member of the human race. (or a not-so-proud member of the human race). - The same as most people : a work in progress. - a unique individual. - a person who does not believe in race barriers. - diversity incarnate. - Ethnically? Multitudes (when one is multi racial). - an American citizen (just ask my accountant).

[@witchplease9695]

Awesome responses!

[@italianrere]

I am a biracial person who is often told that I "act white" and don't "act black". I am a mix of black and white(African-American and Italian). When I express my happiness for black/African culture, I am told, in annoyed tone, that I'm not even fully black. So what? I don't understand what the problem is. I am black aren't I? I can love black culture even if I'm not "fully" black. And how can people tell me that I'm not "black enough"? I'm not "black enough" to do this or say that. Smh.. These comments are annoying and can be hurtful.

[@Trinitrin]

Same happen to me. I am half black and half white people ask "why can't you do this you're black" but as soon as I say something good about the black community or say something about me being black people reply "you're not even full black" or "you're only half black" 😑😑😑

[@gabbyavery420]

I love that you are bringing light to an issue that definitely needs to be talked about it. If it's okay, I'd like to suggest a video topic you should talk about: black girls that go to predominantly white schools (could be any level of schooling but I'm mainly talking about high schools). Though I feel like I am more accepted than other black girls at my school, I feel like in general, it is hard for a black female to distant herself away from that common black girl stereotype. This stereotype, as a result, leads to numerous issues, one specifically being dating. I have seen a common trend at many white high schools where the white guys are too scared to even date black girls (sometimes even approach), and the black guys actually only date other races than their skin color (sometimes they go to the extent where they basically fantasize in being in relationships with white girls; for example, some black guys at my school has made a #whitegirlwednesday smh); where I live may be a factor in this but I have seen many black girls that go to white schools say this. I am grateful that I had parents that told me to be proud of my skin color and embrace my heritage because I am content with my situation, love my skin color, and know that graduation is soon lol, but I am worried about the other black girls who are shameful/hate being black, the ones who were never taught to really love their skin color. This phenomenon that's happening is really taking toll on some young black women who go to white schools because they start to view themselves inferior to other races. Not sure if this made a lick of sense but I just thought maybe it was something worth mentioning in one of your videos. Anyway, thanks for being an awesome role model :)

[@skatergeek19811]

+Gabby Avery I hear you Gabby!

[@urbanaminoa]

+Gabby Avery Thank you for sharing this! Back in 2001, there was a movie out called Save the Last Dance that I love. Have you seen it? I'm curious what you think. I like pretty much all dance movies ever so my bar is, like, really low, but I also liked that it doesn't shy away from talking about race. Thank goodness for graduation. That's really all I have to say about my high school experience ;)

[@Livelovelifeeleni]

you're beautiful we all deserve to be accepted ily

[@ashleyashleym2969]

I mean it probably has more to do with the fact that majority of the girls around them are white.

[@elesaharrington]

Everything you said is the trith

[@charlottefox9182]

i'm half chinese and half white and it's so hard to find a community i can belong and identify with. people make me feel like i have to be extra chinese somehow to be a real chinese person but me being partially white makes me "super white". i can't call myself chinese or talk about my culture without people thinking i'm fake or trying too hard. we live in a society where it's almost unacceptable to be more than one race.

[@RITEFAIR]

Very true. I'm Yemeni English and have had a similar experience.

[@FeliciaFollum]

I'm a mixed girl who wouldn't change a thing ;) travel and studying various cultures has been absolutely incredible 💙💚💛

[@TimeLapse54321]

I don't know if any other biracial person with two "pure" race parents can identify, but I often feel a disconnect when talking to my parents about my mixed race. I'm also an only child and live in a place where my mix is extremely rare, so my parents are really the only people I can talk to about this. Yet, they don't know what it's like to be mixed...they are like everyone else. :(

[@mutleycrue8706]

Nah, I'm with you on that one. I tried talking to my parents about it, mostly my mom, but I didn't get any support. My dad doesn't really say anything and my mom is just... she says pretty mean stuff, because she doesn't understand. She thinks I'm just being whiny but my self-hating got so bad at a point I cried. It's a blessing and a curse...

[@crystaljackson7013]

I have two mixed race parents-but have lots of people in my life that think they understand because they have mixed people in their family. I can empathize, so much so that I am willing to admit that one of the things I love about my sons father is that he is mixed. There are just some things that one can only understand through living through.I'm sorry that you have to go through that however, it's great to live in the Internet age where you can connect with others who do have a shared experience.

[@TimeLapse54321]

+Jane Lane It really is true! Most of my relationships have been with pure-race men, whatever the race may be. I've only had a very brief relationship with a mixed-race man and I really enjoyed the fact that we understood each other so well in regards to our mixed identity even though we were both different mixes. Ideally, I would love to date another mixed-race man, but we'll see what life throws at me. ;)

[@fightthefairy]

TimeLapse54321 I have a rare disorder and my parents don't! Nobody in my area has the disorder. So what? You find your own place in life, accept yourself and others will accept you!

[@maxximos2960]

"im a biracial person who never even thought about it until i saw this ridiculous video" of course now that i think about it, it makes no difference at all.

[@an.s.7930]

maxx imos Same here lol

[@PrinceSwaggy]

maxx imos same

[@kathwren2109]

You dodged a bullet there then!! Managed to skip the shit show that most of us get.

[@rammiine]

I love that you are talking about this issue, because it's something that I feel is hardly ever talked about by anyone regardless of their race when it comes to racial issues. Great video!

[@bloocantaloop]

Being mixed race is difficult because you are constantly made to feel like an other. Most of the time it feels like you don't fit in anywhere and there is no community where you belong. Both of the cultures that I come from refuse to accept me as one of their own. When I am in the U.S., I am Malagasy. When I am in Madagascar, I am a vazah (foreigner). I also don't feel like I fit in the black community because I'm not African-American. It's like being stuck in cultural limbo.

[@BriannaLovesPudding]

I can assure you that educated people would not care who you are. If you're a nice smart individual with a loyal good heart, you'd be right at home in my community of black people where I'm from. You're beautiful and I bet it's hard to be mixed race and I'm sorry you have to go through all that but you're a person nonetheless Anyone who sees you as a person, and not an alien or exotic piece of meat will know that.

[@hannah60000]

+Angelica Bethany Education has nothing to do with it. Educated people theorised racism. A reasonable person wouldn't exclude anyone over racial factors, but would understand each group needs their space. People aren't privy to everything that they may not be part of. It's life.

[@user-tc1sx3qn7e]

Life is full of people who won’t accept you, but you don’t have care what others think. Look, when I was 6 I was diagnosed with brain cancer. I lost my hair and was the only bald kid in my class, along with this I had massive scars on my head. I would wear hats but then people would ask why I wear hats indoors so much, but I would pull them aside and take off my hat, which would sometimes make people cringe a little bit. I still didn’t let that bother me because I knew that most of them would’ve been able to go through half of the horrors that made it through. Of course they would apologize, but I never took it personally because I knew they didn’t mean to be rude.

[@lt80355]

I relate to 5:02 a lot. Thank you to everyone who shared and thank you Francesca for posting these!

[@nanaklit7364]

Im the girl from 5:13, and just wanted to thank you! The world needs this and you. So important

[@SomaliWale]

+Nana Klit guuurl u fine

[@nanaklit7364]

Ty hahah

[@fijiwater4967]

Do You Have Facebook?

[@nanaklit7364]

+Testicular Fortitude yeah :)

[@nbshikki]

I understand what you saying, i'm a male mixed dark-person and white-person, since 9 grade i struggle with finding true friends again, i'm now studying computer science, and i found like some people that i liked in gym, but for me to find friendships take a long time. So i had that feeling feel like nothing and it fucking sucks, and i have it right now again in computer science.

[@stagedreamer5416]

As a mixed person that doesn't live around many other multi-racial people , it's easy to forget that there are soo many people who don't just belong to one ethnic background that understand the complexities of the mixed experience. Thanks for making this video!

[@broadwaygodess630]

I relate to this video on so many levels. Thank you for starting this conversation, as a mixed person I often feel left out of conversations about race. We really need to stop telling mixed people that they're "basically white" or they aren't "really (insert race) here" because, from my experience, it just makes us feel like we don't belong entirely in any group. Thank you again

[@joeytrtl]

As a mother of a multi-racial child I want to thank you for doing this video.

[@Gvf77x]

its really cool to see so much variety in the way everyone in the video looks. makes me feel better about the way i look as a mixed kid

[@chescaleigh]

+Gvf77x i know! that's what I liked most about this video

[@nanayai1656]

Biracial people are not black, they are not white, they are not Asian, they are biracial. Love yourself for who you are :) People should love all of themselves. I love that Im black and have two black parents, that's apart of my identity. A lot of biracial people are turned away from their parents races because they are not fully apart of that race, and never will be. But the thing you guys need to understand is that you have your own place to fit in. Which is awesome. Also, I totally disagree with the guy at 4:57. What is he sipping on lol? White ladies can have white and biracial children not black. Just as yourself :) Love yourself for who you are, a biracial man because you are not black. A lot of the issues presented here stem from your parents, mostly mothers I can tell. Overall this was great vid. Its always nice to see and understand what is happening with people of different backgrounds, Again I am black so meaning I have two black parents and so this was eye opening for me. I had no idea what biracial people went through.

[@chescaleigh]

+Brianna Thesweetheart i think...you kinda missed the point of this video. it's really not your place to tell someone else how to identify.

[@WillieFordham]

Actually, she does have the right to. Biracial people are biracial that is it. Yeah, that one guy was smoking on something strong! White can't give birth to nothing black. That's the problem with the black community, we didn't leave that "one drop rule" in slavery where it belonged. So, we try to accept biracial people which messes up the black race and causes this light skin/dark skin debate. Like, I said before Rachel Dolezal was black people fault. Why, cause we took that one drop with us from slavery!

[@nanayai1656]

chescaleigh I am black I have the right to define my blackness. By the looks of it I think you missed the point of my comment.

[@MyLimitedInfinity]

+Brianna Thesweetheart The problem is that it goes beyond just accepting yourself as biracial. It's about being included in a community. There is no mixed race, multiracial community, so what are we supposed to do? Exist no where?

[@nanayai1656]

***** Exactly! The one drop rule is racist and has been gone for some time now.

[@NikiBabyDoll]

Thank you so much for putting this together.. I identify with so many peoples' stories and it made me tear up because I've known only a couple of people who have gone through certain things as a biracial or multiracial person, and most of them were my cousins.

[@jacobsmith2121]

I'm Puerto rican and African American and people would just think I'm black and don't believe I'm mixed because I don't look that mixed and when I fill out forms I have a hard time

[@241Genevieve]

+Jacob Smith sorry to ask but is your Puerto Rican parent black or Whit- pretty straight forward, if yes your are mixed, if no you are "fully" black. Race, Nationality and Ethnicity are different.

[@jacobsmith2121]

+241Genevieve I don't really understand. My mom is Puerto rican and black but she has the completion of a Puerto rican and my dad is straight Ghanaian (African) so I don't know but I know my race is black but I rather identify as multiracial or multicultural

[@241Genevieve]

okay my apologies if I cam across rude- so basically your mom's mixed race ( guessing some European Puerto Rican and Afro Puerto Rican or African American) and your Dad's Ghanaian makes better sense. loool to be super intrusive I have some Ghanian they would probably ask your ethnic group (tribe) in Ghana

[@jacobsmith2121]

241Genevieve oh it's okay I wasn't offended just confused I'm only thirteen so I was kind of curious

[@241Genevieve]

that's okay we all have a lot to learn no matter our age:)

[@erica1529]

i know this is late but i just wanted to put my two cents in :P i'm a biracial person who didn't know where to fit in growing up. I always was told by white people that i wasn't white enough to be with them and always told by black people that i wasn't black enough to be with them. As a biracial person i have dealt with so much criticism such as people calling me a demon spawn because black people and white people should procreate. But being biracial has taught me to love myself and see racism for how it truly is. Being biracial is a gift! Love yourself!

[@Ishtarthemoon]

thankyou so much chesca and everyone else who shared! I really thought I was the only person who was getting pissed off by this but it seems like there's loads of us facing painful microagressions every day. I guess that means we have much more power to change it.

[@sabrinakbar]

I'm half Cuban and half Pakistani and gosh I can never fit in with either families. Topics about biracial identity is the only thing I feel comfortable about. I literally connect so much better with people who are mixed. I guess If I can't fit in with one race I can try to pretend I fit in with other people who are mixed too

[@sunnyedaize1262]

@@user-bd6mx4oy2p listening problems.

[@AmazingRuin]

Wow, this put me in tears. So beautiful.

[@GemmaYM]

00:59 Hey, that's Maddie! Also, as a mixed person, this video was very important. It's very good to know that there are many other people who feel the same way as me, but we shouldn't have to feel that way at all.

[@hannahw2]

Thanks for making this video. It's really refreshing to see other multiracial people, and to hear their experiences that I've felt too. Whenever I see other mixed kids, (Especially white x black, since that's my mix)I can't help but get excited! It's extremely refreshing and instantly relateable to find someone like ME! Who gets it! But I have to say... The way our culture views multiracial people is extremely puzzling. Because on the one hand, we're put on this pedestal of beauty and "exoticness" but I hardly see representation for us, and I don't understand why. As you mentioned a little bit in your other video, if a multiracial person plays a character in a TV show (Especially in a case of a Black x White person), they're always defined and use as a representation of the minority. This isn't necessarily a bad thing per sa... but it's just weird... why not represent us. At least once in a while. :/

[@blacknetizen]

!!!!! It's definitely strange. Mixed ppl are used as the face of Blk ppl, but their stories/perspectives are barely told. That's how we get bizarre 'controversies' like the cheerio ad where they finally had a mixed couple to match the mixed girl who would've been cast as the daughter of a brown-/dark-skinned Blk couple without anyone batting an eye. It's rly messy.

[@crystaljackson7013]

+blacknetizen Yes so hard. Not to mention the real life repercussions. I grew up with so much bullying from black girls for my hair, skin color, and "white features" so much so that I began to resent the mixed girls playing black girls on tv and would cry to my mother about how I hated being "socially acceptable black" even though I didn't identify as black. When I hit puberty it intensified-with the added bonus of being fetishized. Not to mention how many people dwell on how I am "so dark for a mixed girl" since we've been brainwashed into thinking that all mixed girls are beige with springy hair. Stop on!

[@hannah60000]

+blacknetizen One of the reasons why mixed people shouldn't be used as the face for black people. They should have their own space.

[@vbee_]

i just wanted to say thank you again for uploading this. it helps so much to hear about the experiences that other biracial people have (and how different everyone's experiences are!), and to know that i'm not alone in both the internal and external struggles i experience as a biracial person myself. i like to come back to this video when things get difficult, i really appreciate it. x

[@acesherif]

This is something that needs to be addressed and I am so happy you were the one who did it!

[@BusyAsABree]

I had the privilege of directing a short sketch/play my friend who is bi-racial wrote in college, which addressed with some satire the kinds of comments he's gotten based on his appearance and that people are not able to pigeonhole what ethnicity he is -- black? white? Latino? Middle Eastern? Though it was comedy, it really showed how dehumanizing it can be when people aggressively try to identify your race before attempting to just get to know you as a person, as if what ethnicity you are is the most important thing to know about you when meeting. My younger brother is biracial and is starting to become aware of this kind of treatment as he gets older. Thanks for the video Fran!

[@mamita927]

wow. i had no idea this is what a multiracial person goes through. I have a biracial daughter, half nicaraguan and black, and this is just an eye opener to see what may come. It is a cruel world we live in and I know I won't be able to protect her all the time, but I know i will do my best to make her feel loved by both cultures that make up who she is. Thanks for sharing this.

[@ANaturalAllure]

Thank you so much for doing this. As constantly foretold to me and my husband of 10 years, we did have a cute little mixed baby right before out 10th anniversary.But, he does not "look mixed" his skin is his fathers color, and it won't get much darker. I want to make sure that he is able to fully love and accept everything that went into him being him, with no shame, no defensiveness and no feeling that he needs to make any choice. This was helpful for me to understand a little better. Thank you everyone for sharing!

[@june1093]

I'm a biracial person who has people in my life say I can't celebrate Mexican holidays because I look white. People literally screamed "your white not Mexican, I'm more Mexican than you!" then again that's from the same Native American girl who told everyone I masturbate with markers, fake depression and being emo (because my colorful closet and rock music makes me soooo emo and I totallly cry at school all the time. like yea I've had panic attacks but I'm not depressed), told everyone I use four bras at a time, and called me annoying when she's the one always yelling at me whenever I walk near her. at least I didn't have a three some and finger millions of girls in this seventh grade year. I'm sorry I'm still not over this. I need to rant every once in a while.

[@iwtlhs112]

I'm Greek and Indonesian. Though growing up, people always just assumed I was Hispanic.. Like ??? But really, this was a beautiful video and I'm so glad there's youtubers like you who cover these types of topics. Great work!

[@zenzenyokunai]

I had a conversation with a white-passing biracial person in my class a few days ago. She mentioned that her dad was from Turkey, and I said "cool". But she just kept going on about "I know I don't look Middle Eastern. I know I am very white. Only my round face looks Turkish." And I just said, "You don't have to convince me, I believe you. I'm sorry you feel that you have to justify or defend who you are." Plus Turks are PoC and there is no wrong or right way to look Turkish. Most Turks have dark brown eyes and have dark brown or black hair with typically middle eastern features. But Turks are very genetically diverse due to their empire's legacy. I've even met a ginger Turk with bright red hair and pale skin, he is still Turkish. There is no right way to belong to an ethnicty.

[@iknowhumans9776]

Middle Eastern people are Caucasian so technically, she's Caucasian. She is multiethnic but multiethnic is not biracial. A japanese and chinese person is monoracial but multiethnic because they have Chinese culture and Japanese culture.

[@skatergeek19811]

This is a dialogue that really needs to be brought out of this closet of shame Thank you for bringing these candid stories to us & kudos to the kids out there just being themselves

[@starpasta]

Love this. Love hearing people's stories.

[@bakus3phy69]

this is literally so refreshing to know that there are other people in the world who feel the exact way i do.

[@jamesnotjames]

Thank you Francesca for curating this collage of stories! And thank you to all who shared! This is really important.

[@wolfbite6033]

I'm a biracial person who has a white father and a black mother and I have never felt like a victim even if people think I'm Hispanic and try to converse with me in Spanish. I do have to explain to them my heritage but I don't go around complaining like a victim and calling everybody that doesn't accurately identify me by first glance a racist. Those kinds of people are victims of their own stupidity and believe that they can't do anything in the world because of some nameless, faceless, racist oppressing them. I love my culturally diverse family from my Caribbean mom to my stereotypical white dad. I have no problem fitting into a group because I identify as a "Texan who bleeds America". And if there is any real "white privilege" (which there is not) I can get both privileges such as a affirmative action and the fantasy white privilege. So yay me and any one else as lucky as me ;)

[@justexisting6292]

WOLFBITE welcome to the club. i too am Caribbean and white.

[@crossing.the.cosmos84]

Man, this was pretty sad... It makes me think twice about having mixed kids( I like all guys..so it could/might happen) still, I appreciate their transperancy ...and hope they're all doing well.

[@ilikealison]

1. Really appreciate you creating this platform for people to engage in this dialogue! 2. MADDIE #LUNCHCLUB REPRESENTING

[@EyesOfJemSanPedro]

represent!!

[@vladdracula1631]

She just created a platform for useless morons and their pathetic,pointless feelings.

[@EyesOfJemSanPedro]

u r so late to the party,pls go back to bed x)

[@vladdracula1631]

Jem Triggered.

[@chilvari]

omg 4:06 is basically me! I'm Black & Hispanic but I was never Black enough or Hispanic enough! Also, after taking a DNA test I found that I'm not just African, Spanish & Portuguese, I'm also British, a little Irish & a little Southeast European (not specific enough). I'm 2/3 Black & 1/3 White and proud! I'm Afro-Hispanic and proud!

[@barbiana1802]

I am half Korean and Spanish and ever since a young age people always say "yo you're not a real Asian your only half.. " and I would get bullied and be called a liar because my mom mixed between English and Korean and I could never learn. But she was fluent in Spanish and I learned Spanish and Korean at the same rate.

[@TheVintagePress]

I'm holding back tears right now. I can identify with almost everyone's stories. It's hard to talk about because many people are quick to tell you the category you fit into based on what you look like 😑

[@brontesaurusrex7235]

This video is incredible. I talk to my students a lot about race, and it's shameful how much being biracial/multiracial is left out of the discussion entirely. I can't wait to show them this.

[@anthrotv8643]

Being a Biracial Latino can be very hard in this country, my parents are from Mexico, but we are of Spanish, Purepecha, Huichol, & Chichimeca heritage, my facial features are both European & Native American, but my skin tone leans more on the native side, so people would say I'm Native American, Latino, or sometimes Spanish (from Spain), but I try to convince people that Latino is not a race, but a cultural heritage. Being biracial has been a challenge for me, never been accepted by either sides. But at the end of the day, God made me this way, I'm very proud to be mixed, & I don't care what people think :)

[@ARNGcandy]

I'm Native American, African and Afro-Latina (Dominicana) and people always consider me as only African (medium brown tone), until I speak and or see my children whom look straight Native American (red-bronzed & features) or Spainsh (fair skin & features). My spouse is European and our littlest one looks mostly European (fair skin & features). I have always felt like a loner/outcast until, I fully embraced my ethnicities as a biracial beauty of the human race and loved myself even deeper than ever before. You all, we all are beautiful in our (mixed tone) skin! ❤️👍😊

[@johnferguson7235]

My daughters faced the same problem of feeling left out of both social/cultural groups. It took years for them to reject the idea of being part of a racial group. They have joined different groups. They join interest groups with people who all love music and theater, sports, church, travel. They refuse to be coerced into any patterns of behavior and thinking. It's called freedom. Don't let other people define who you are and reject anyone who tries.

[@serumser1]

"What are you?" Simple question. People are just interested in you..

[@crystaljackson7013]

It's not a simple question it's an insulting one - they want to know what category to file you under. When you are interested in a person you ask questions with substance. People of mixed race are just that-people, and asking "what are you" implies we are something else. It's "othering" and that never feels good-tolerable sometimes but never good.

[@OmegaX91X]

+SERUMSER CODE For their own selfish reasons. If you can't sit STILL without HAVING to know my ethnic background, you need to ask yourself why. This is also not to DEMONIZE people who ask these questions, they're intentions aren't bad, but people need to be more AWARE of why it's not just a simple question. and it really is NOT simple. We live in a society that does NOT teach people of color their true history, so to ignore parts of you in ORDER to CHECK in somebody's else's race box that they have created for you in their mind is damaging. Some people ask in order to WRITE you off. They want to categorize and compartmentalize you, and then adorn you with all the stereotypes that come with said perceived identity. The next time you see a racially ambiguous person, and you're dying to know their ethnic lineage, ask yourself why its so important for you to know, challenge yourself to WAIT for that person to disclose that information to you if they want to, and chill. Thats not always the most important thing for some people to talk about. Racial ambiguity is puzzling to some people. It's also uncomfortable for some people. It shouldn't be. We're just people.

[@honeycone111]

+SER UM SER yah, I'm mixed and it doesn't bother me :p

[@AllAboutAliciaa]

Sheesh, people would think that they had it easy but you never know what that person is going through whenever they get home or in general outside too.

[@OmegaX91X]

Chesca!!!!! This really spoke to me as a multiracial person. Thank you so much for this and thank you more letting me know I am not alone.

[@sonatamoon8187]

"And they're gonna have like light blue eyes!..." Clearly, these people didn't remember learning about genetics. Unless chescaleigh has a parent who is at the very least mixed themselves with the chance of having blue eyes, there's no way the baby could have blue eyes seeing as though black people are usually born with brown eyes, which is a dominant gene over blue eyes. If the baby has blue eyes, that means that both parents had a chance of having a baby with blue eyes, but if her genotype is BB(completely dominant brown eyes) there's no way the blue eyes would show through (sorry if this explanation was messy, but if you remember anything about Punnett squares, this'll make a lot more sense).

[@DNGH814]

I'm a mixed race person, who some people look at and say "you don't look mixed", when obviously you don't have to look mix to be mixed. I also get "your hair is long, are you mixed", as if a black person can't have long hair.

[@MrSaqeq1]

I can relate so much to the Danish girl! Finding makeup for POC is close to impossible here in Sweden as well and same goes for good curly hair products. Although I know we are a minority, it's like we aren't even acknowledged.

[@MrSaqeq1]

***** excuse me? Did you even care to ask if I live close to these places? No Somali store where I'm at sells makeup. There is literally one brand from all the ones I've looked at that have my shade, even though those exact brands have more shades in other countries. So thank you very much.

[@TheHannahx]

Ohhh yassss! This video is very much needed and it is exactly what I tried to do with my "Mixed Girl Tag" video. Props to you Chesca and thank you xx

[@sabrinah3347]

I relate so much to this video. It's crazy that growing up I felt so alone and now when you hear all of us speak we have such a universal experience of being a mixed person.

[@billnye9389]

I'm a mixed race person who doesn't give a fuck what others think of it because I can't control what they say and Im not entitled to kindness or acceptance from them as they are not from me.

[@sistersnaturally]

Really great and important conversation. Identity is such a huge part of a persons life. I hate how we as a people tell people who they can identify with. That is selfish and we only do it for our own comfort. We say, "you can't be black because you don't look like it to me". So we make our comfort take precedence over someone's identity. Just let people live! As a black woman with multiracial people in my family it pains me the how they are treated by the world.

[@jessier8949]

I'm boyfriend is biracial and its never effected him in his life

[@FunFilmFare]

I am a biracial person who feels sorry for all the biracial people in this video. Only by encountering racist insecure idiots for most of their lives could they feel this insecure about themselves. Thanks God I grew up in Washington DC area where being biracial is essentially normal and therefore I never felt these sorts of insecurities.

[@MarshaunO]

That was honest, raw and pure. Thanks! Hopefully it wakes some of us up who aren't of a mixed race to stop asking "what are you"........ Answer HUMAN!

[@lazysun1]

This is the best video I've watched in a while. So many interesting points. Please make more videos on this topic!

[@JakeMontes]

Some of these brought me to tears... I feel this so much. I'm a multiracial person who is tired of feeling like a false person of colour because of the pigmentation I ended up with.

[@lilguyonhiswaytothemall]

At 1:00 minutes is that Maddie from Lunch club...? ^^" interesting video though, it's great to hear peoples experiences about being mixed. :)

[@chescaleigh]

+Blonde Baka Chan apparently! seems like everyone recognizes her! now i'm off to watch Lunch Club!

[@degroded]

Oh my god you guys are so sweet haha I'm so happy this video was made its so important! Thank you chescaleigh!

[@joshhastime4233]

+chescaleigh LUNCH CLUB IN THE BUILDING

[@lilguyonhiswaytothemall]

The Lunch Club is taking over XD

[@EyesOfJemSanPedro]

+The Polski Lunch Club taking overrr x love this video

[@hahalove47]

I've gotten the "you don't look Hispanic enough" so "you're just white." My mom is from Peru...she was born there and lived there for most of her life and had two of my siblings there. I am a mix of different nationalities and yes, Hispanic is one and I am proud of that.

[@chescaleigh]

captions are live!

[@EvilAntonio]

+chescaleigh Good 2 set of videos you posted here. As a Bi-Racial person myself, I identified with quite a few of the struggles people outlined in the video. My personal pet peeve though is people looking at me and seeing my last name and going "So you're Italian, right?" It really highlights just how much whiteness is considered Default in this country still.

[@bare69]

+Evil Antonio why does it bother you so much that people assume you're Italian? I'm English, people have assumed I was Italian and even Egyptian. I mean my Muslim friends told me I looked Arabic and wanted me to get them extra food at school during Ramadan. Did I get offended? No. It's so unimportant that if that's what you consider a problem that's pretty sad.

[@bare69]

+crappiefisher13 It really seems like they looked at people like MLK and Gandhi and were inspired but found nothing to fight against so they decided to make problems about the smallest things that no one else gives a fuck about.

[@crappiefisher1331]

North Fiend yeah and by doing so those morons fuel actual racism, because people will get sick of those "oh someone dared to ask me where i am from" and "only whites can be racists" whiners and will actually turn aways from other races... those idiots do nothing for diversity and less racism, but anything for seggregation and to fuel racism and they dont even see what morons they are... i am so sick of them

[@KingOldManBob]

Yeah well people think I have downs cause of my speech impediment. So fuck off and man up

[@DejaVuNaturals]

i really love this and how you compiled this into a video! Great job to everyone who shared their thoughts!

[@emilyshapcott8398]

I am biracial and I feel like it's not enough to put "mixed" as on option on forms since so many ethnicities/races can make up a mixed person.

[@Love.Afrykah]

I'm a MULTIRACIAL woman who is raised as a proud Jamaican! My knowledge of my Arawak Indian, white (Scottish or Irish) and South African black roots empower me! Jamaica says "out of many comes one" we are ONE people. I have heard it all "are you Dominican?"... "you have good hair you must be indian" .. I always just laugh and say "I'm Jamaican I'm a little bit of everything"

[@jessicap1580]

I was born in Belgium. By both black parents. Everyone's snapchat hit close to home because I have a lot of biracial cousins in my family. Although, I accept them as they are and truly only want the best for them because they are my cousins and I love them, I know that outside of the family they had to deal with a lot. But where i identify with this video is when someone mentioned that, they were rejected by a certain race because they acted too white. When I left Belgium and came to the United States, I was told by a lot of African Americans that I wasn't black enough. That I talked too white, had white mannerism and wasn't black enough. I wish we could open this subject up. That the color of your skin is just that a color but shouldn't have to restrict you from being who you are as an individual. If you feel like doing something, acting some kind of way or anything like that. No one should have to shame you for it.

[@TimeLapse54321]

I am a biracial person who has had people treat me completely differently (better!) once they find out that I'm not pure Black--I'm half East Indian. Where my family comes from, it's a common mix, but in Canada, it's quite rare so to most people, I "look Black". For a lot of my teen years, I wanted to run away from the fact that I'm half Black purely due to the way people perceived me. Now, I'm working towards embracing both sides of me. I've also noticed the fact that I "look Black" is a really good filter through which I can filter people who deserve to stay in my life from people who need to go. People say, "Oh, THAT'S why you're so smart!" or "THAT'S why your skin is so light." Anyone who starts treating me better after finding out that I'm half Indian needs to go!

[@Themodel2690]

I really wish I had seen this video when it had come out, because it strikes so very close to home for me. I'm a mixed race person, but I don't look even a little mixed. I look like a white girl, and my last name is an Irish one, so it's just assumed that I'm all white. I got asked all the time if I was adopted, or if my mom was my "real" mom. Strangers often looked at my Japanese grandmother like she was my nanny. One of my earliest memories is of being in the grocery store with her, as an obnoxious small child, screaming "Grandma! Grandma!" even though she was right in front of me, and a clerk came up to me and tried to take me away from her because he thought I was lost. When I told him that the Asian lady in front of me was my grandma at first he didn't believe me, and when she insisted it was true he scoffed, looked her up and down, and walked away muttering something under is breath. I remember going to family functions as a little girl and being surrounded by my Asian cousins and having them ask me if we were cousins, why didn't I look like them. I asked my mom on three separate occasions why I didn't look even a little bit like I was Asian before I hit middle school. When I started getting jobs my mom told me that I should always put my Asian heritage down in applications, but I always felt a heavy conflict weighing on me every time I checked both boxes, and sometimes I still do... I hear Asian stereotype jokes all the time, and I bite my tongue because I'm not "Asian enough" to openly feel hurt or offended by them, and if I am openly offended I'm "too sensitive." I'm a mixed race person who isn't viewed as a mixed race person, even by other mixed race people, and the lack of acceptance I feel on a daily basis is overwhelming.

[@CiecieNewson]

This was an enlightening vlog. Thanks everyone for sharing. Smile!

[@chantaeknight6134]

This was so beautiful. Award winningly beautiful. I want to share this with everyone! Awesome Chesca!

[@erikhickson2492]

I hated growing up bi-racial, I was born in 1975. I was one of two people that was biracial in my school. I guess if I was growing up now, it would be different because I know alot of biracial babies that were born between 95-00 & still being born today. Parents sometimes are selfish and don't think about what their child will go through.

[@timbo7873]

And a lot of parents can't even relate, so it's difficult for them to guide us through. But we become stronger and wiser from dealing with these unique experiences.

[@DoRiToBaG1278]

Hey, Chesca :) I don't have a snapchat, but I'd love to share my story here. I'm a biracial person who didn't even acknowledge that fact until very recently. I'm 22 years old, and the other day for the very first time, I wrote down that I'm white and Native American while filling out a form. For some reason, even though I knew about my heritage, I always considered myself "just white". I had this weird idea in my head that since I wasn't "Chippewa enough" to get free college, and I haven't participated in the culture since I was a child, I wasn't allowed to call myself Chippewa. No one ever corrected me.. not that it was something I talked about often. It was kind of a rapid series of events starting this fall that made me really start contemplating my race. The first was seeing my aunt, who is almost as white as I am, refer to herself as Native American. Like I knew she was, and that meant that I was too, but it just didn't sit right in my head after years of what I should really call whitewashing myself. The second was watching Cut Video's One Word series that involved responses from Native Americans. I sat watching and thinking "I look like these people". Until then, I hadn't even thought I had Chippewa facial features. I was born, raised, and accepted as white, and wasn't at all bothered by it, but now it makes me feel like a liar, like I'm burying part of my true self. All at the same time, I feel this fear that if I identified as biracial, I'd be dismissed for being "too white" or people would tell me I was "just trying to be edgy" or say (and I read this a lot directed at white people who don't acknowledge their privilege) "you really just want to be oppressed, don't you?"

[@smaflenna]

Thank you so much for sharing these. As a mixed culture (but not race) person myself, I can identify with so much of this. And as a mother of biracial kids, as well as stumbling ally, I thank you so much for putting out this kind of education.

[@Tvalentine86]

I struggled for a while (from 3rd grade until high school) with being multiracial. My dad was Black and Native American and my mom is Black. Growing up, because of my lighter skin tone, I was treated differently. I never knew my dads family so I has always Identified as black but the kids at school (especially the black kids) weren't accepting. They assumed that I was stuck up and picked on me or ignored me altogether. It was funny that the white kids embraced me and then I caught backlash for that as well. I went to both public and private schools with the majority of time in private school so I "talked white" too. And in middle school my mom told me that I needed Black friends. How was I to do that when they hated me for no valid reason?! It wasn't until high school that I was able to make friends with people of my race. I needed to belong and I later realized that me being comfortable in my own skin helped me to do that.

[@vbee_]

thank you for doing this and uploading this

[@dananagata3799]

I really appreciated this video that you made, watching it made me feel so emotional and has related to my own story. I still am trying to find myself in terms of identity because I found out 3 years ago that I'm Filipino-Japanese. Since then I've been trying to connect with other people who are the same as me as well as finding how to connect with myself, I hope you have the chance to make another video about bi/multi racial people :)

[@-_lol_its_jam_-4396]

The thing I hate most about being mixed is when people call me a white girl, or when they say that I talk too white. It's honestly what I hate the most, IM MIXED AFRICAN AMERICAN, CAUCASIAN, AND MEXICAN, WHY THE FUCK ARE RANDOM PEOPLE CALLING ME A WHITE GIRL ?!??!! AND WHAT IS TALKING TOO WHITE ?!?!!! oh and there's the people who feel like it's okay to be racist around me, and when I ask why they're being racist, they ask why i care since I'm mixed it shouldn't affect me, then I'm like oh so now I'm mixed, I'm pretty sure you called me a white girl 4 seconds ago.....but o-fuckin-kay

[@sophierobledo8485]

I am so happy!!!!! I identify with so many of these stories. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

[@msfridrichmusic]

ALL of these snapchatters are BEAUTIFUL!!

[@thighgapproject7475]

Thank you for this! It is really important!!

[@EmpoweredADHD]

You guys are so brave and awesome, thank you for sharing your stories

[@ItsRiya123]

IT'S MADDIE FROM MADDIE MONDAYS ON LUNCH CLUB

[@ashleywoods5357]

This was amazing!!! They were so honest and forthcoming! Love!

[@JosephBarbourJr]

Thank you for this video!

[@LenaleeLee]

Great video, as a fellow biracial person I can definitely relate to some of these.

[@veliciahiley7652]

You received some honest and sincere answers. Great conversation .

[@snowpawzvideos]

I am a person with a biracial boyfriend & the hardest part is having to explain to people he's half Lebanese half Filipino! The other hardest part I suppose for him is he's missing a whole cultural feature of his identity (his parents divorced & he barely knows his mother at this point). Essentially, He's forced to carry a flag he knows nothing about. Kind of sad but I am educating him in Filipino culture (i studied it for a year).

[@thetree8528]

My dad is from Hong Kong and my Mom is finish. I am constantly asked "what are you?" or I am being told "your not white, your not Asian" among other things (some very racist), and being on of only five coloured kids in the entire school did not make it any easier.

[@tegan8523]

I don't think many people around where I live get that people can be biracial. I was walking through the park with my friends and a gang of teenagers went up to my friend and bothered her for a while saying "what are those" pointing at her shoes. I told her to ignore it and carry on walking so we did. The gang began to follow us and a girl that was doing most of the shouting asked my friend if she is Chinese. My friend shouted back "I'm half thai". I can't explain the girls actions after that but she walked behind her pushed her to the floor and began beating her up. My friend managed to rip the girls shirt before the fight ended and we all walked to our other friends house. We had never even met that girl before!