Young women perform "Ambiguous" about racial identity

[@leia7517]

And it's all about the wording. If someone asked me "Where are you from?", or "What's your background?" then I'll be happy to reply, but when someone asks, "What are you?", staring at me like I have three heads and reducing me to a mere object, that's when I get a little ticked off.

[@AT-ez5hr]

I am still pissed when people ask me "Where are you from?" though cause I'll just say Australia, Brisbane, "the same god damn hospital as you" and they end up asking "What are you?" any way.

[@RaheemD]

It's dependent on how it's said for me personally. If someone was to ask 'What's your background?' I wouldn't mind. But I absolutely hate when people say "So are you from Africa or Jamaica?" NEVER assume where someone is from, it just shows your ignorance! And I *Will* side eye you. But I love the part where they mention "Why do you talk white?" I get that all the time and it annoys me so much.

[@feather2643]

As a mixed woman, I find this a little hypocritical…I mean one minute the poem is saying "don't assume" and then it's saying "don't ask". The only way to break down ignorance is for people to educate themselves. Rather than talk about me behind my back or "assume" I prefer when people ask me straight to my face. There is nothing wrong with wanting to know. Knowledge is power, and finding out someone's nationality has almost always opened up the dialogue for me to learn about their culture, background and experiences. We can't go around wondering why people are ignorant and then get upset when they ask questions. I have nothing to be ashamed of and I can't fault someone for wanting to know so I don't hate on the question about my nationality. The rest of the ignorant comments like "who do you identify with"…wtf. That's some nonsense right there. Great poem but I do feel as black/mixed sisters we sometimes send "mixed" messages (no pun intended)

[@myishenhaines1706]

I'm dark skinned but I actually get asked about my heritage a lot. It's very annoying and insulting when people don't accept me saying I'm from California when they ask where I am from. Where are you really from? Is assigning.

[@neutralpeace647]

if I ask you where from where you are from and what is your ethnical background does this makes me racist?

[@spannito1893]

@@neutralpeace647 NO

[@xoxoshaneandmexoxo]

it was cool till they started talking abt 'ghetto' girls like .. sis wyd lol

[@kaymarie4851]

Haylea Marie EXACTLY. I was hoping someone said it 😒😒

[@na3suniverse]

ikr sis I was like ....nope

[@ironlung9189]

ghetto aint a good look for a bitch.

[@becca_khalil]

Just to let you know- both Nayo and I did not know enough at this point in our lives to have this big of a platform. Idk about her (although I'm almost positive she feels the same) but I definitely grew into realize how problematic a lot of the stuff we said in this poem was. And honestly I'm really sorry that we supported bs resepectability politics.

[@daisyharris4247]

@@becca_khalil I personally thought that was my favorite part and don't think you ladies had ANYTHING to apologize for. As a woman of color growing up I was confronted with the "why do you talk so white" "what are you" by the same type of girls. They are the ones that have to deal with the fact that their vision of their own people is so one dimensional. Our community has to understand that it's made of all walks of life, it may sound different, look different, have different hair textures, different experiences, but we are all black. It's about our history as a collective people in this nation no more, no less. We are insulting our own people by snatching black cards because of dialect, skin tone, or hair texture. We'd just be pouring dirty water on the wounds of slavery and wondering why they're not healing.

[@charleswilliams7128]

writing a research paper for a final titled " Who Are You Meant to be?" and its crazy this video was back in 2012. It's now 2020 and people still look me up and down with my curly hair and my light skin asking "What are you?" "Where are you from?" "Stop tryna act black" Not much changes being mixed race but being able to embrace it and educate others as best I can is a relentless journey. Especially being an artist with most of the work that I document is on my racial identity. :/

[@Cervantesbracetty]

the worst is when you feel like you're letting someone down when you tell them what you are mixed with and its not what they though and they give you a look or instantly feel uncomfortable about your answer. It happens soo often. a indian or a middle east person or family will gleefully ask me what i am. and when i mention part black they almost look offended and like they regretted ever asking me . And its such an awful feeling. And it has been happening all my life. btw im not middle eastern or indian at all.

[@mekaylathomas9887]

I love the Egyptian girl's hair! That is my goal, since it's about the same texture.

[@oneiro2274]

This poem sounds a bit preachy, but maybe it's just the tone of delivery. I get asked "what are you? " and mostly the asker asks out of curiosity. It's like asking someone's age, people ask not intending to hurt or offend you (and I'm going by the context as to where the question is placed) - but unwittingly can put their foot in it. You can't shut someone down just because they where curious as to where your roots lay.

[@steakismynewnamenow8692]

the only thing is that throwing shade at african american venacular english is total bull shit same as people throwing shade at people speaking in english as taught by a teacher. most of the time people speak in which ever way the majority of people speak in there neighborhood or family and so really the way you speak is nothing to brag about or anything to make you better or worse that a person. besides the whole never been to school thing sounds like you have never been to a school in the ghetto. you can go to school all day everyday and get all a's and still not use proper english and be far below average at innner city school

[@seanw8777]

+steakismy newnamenow RIGHT

[@steakismynewnamenow8692]

yeah. very ableist, classist and overall silly reason to pat yourself on the back for

[@mrose9921]

Thank you!

[@quinboyce5455]

This was a great eye opener for me. I was that innocently bigoted person who would ask someone's racial identity when getting to know them. Why? Because I was personally at war with my own identity. I had been categorized by race all of my life and was kicking the can onto the next person I met. It took a kind young Asian man to correct me from asking where he was from. He wanted to be known as a human being with talents and good looks ;). He didn't want all the generalizations I knew about different Asian countries to be dumped onto him as his identity. I am so grateful to this day for his courage.

[@beautifuljessica2964]

Oh my gosh.... WoW, so Egyptian girls do look like that. Her hair is so beautiful I wish I had Egyptian in my bloodline with hair like that and skin color to.

[@cocoafreak7]

I really never understood Why people get so angry over this. I'm more brown skinned but am constantly asked what I am mixed with because of my hair. It's longer and less dense. I don't have a problem with it. I know others might but I never understood Why. People are just curious. So I just tell them what I am and get on with my life. I can understand the who do you Identify with question being irritating but I don't see anything wrong with someone asking what you are.

[@feather2643]

+Ijustcantthinkofausername Myself as well. I just answer and keep it moving. No need to get upset about someone trying to get a straight story. However, if "what are you" was one of the first things out of someone's mouth when I first meet them (rather than after they've gotten to know me) my first instinct would be to think "why"?

[@afrifut1]

The hood girls?

[@weirdisthenewblack6157]

My thoughts exactly !!!

[@kwilliams6707]

lol I was waiting for her to balance it out and come for white people but... I guess we know what she identifies as lol

[@kwilliams6707]

@Madison Willoughby actually little Madi they're ignorant and you're the annoying one. Clearly you aren't black or you would understand how problematic their tirade is against "hood girls" Oh how terrible it must be for people to be curious of your ethnic makeup (cries in biracial) 🤭. Are you biracial? Do you need a hug? Are you having an identity crisis? Let's hear your poem.

[@MCblacksta]

I'm confused, so I'm not allowed to ask where you're from? Or I'm not allowed to ask you what are you?, Is it the phrasing of the question that's offensive or the actual question ,I'm sooooooooo CONFUSED

[@Lebythebookworm]

I can relate...I almost cried

[@laurenadelaid]

I know that youtube isn't the best place for valuable discourse but here goes... I see where these girls are coming from. We ARE all human, but having an informative dialogue among the "races" (the quotations b/c race is a social construct) is beneficial for everyone. Most people grow up with others who look JUST LIKE THEM! Why isn't it ok to acknowledge differences, especially when you think someone is beautiful?! I have learned in my life that I love giving compliments! It makes me and the other person feel good. Also, Being colorblind isn't solving anything - it's ignoring all of the problems that still result from a racialized society. Shaming people for asking questions and being genuinely curious about others' backgrounds is going to make it more difficult for that dialogue to happen. Why not use it as a teaching moment? Race is so taboo - to get to a place where we are all treated equally we can't ignore it.

[@dennisblackwell9402]

A beautiful performance. So powerful! Thank you for this video.

[@nicadquartz]

Half of the time I'm happy someone thought to ask "What are you?" instead of just assuming - or telling me what I should be (yes, this has happened). :/

[@danaalysontignor2961]

1. What's wrong with being black? I think people may be interested in how the girls identify themselves, not presuming to choose for them, and not forcing a choice between parts of themselves. To be black is not to not be white- being black is being many things. It's one piece in a large puzzle. 2. The reference to "hood girls" and "ghetto" are a little startling. It seems that they are being prejudged and pegged down in a way much worse than what the girls are complaining about when someone just asks the open-ended "what are you" questions 3. I think these young ladies are interesting and did a great job at writing, and especially performing this poem. I wish them luck!!

[@Aiycee]

I live in a very culturally diverse area, so one of the first things many people ask each other when they meet is something along the lines of "what are you?". I find the question to be a means of making conversation, or a way of connecting with the person you are speaking to. If you appear on the outside to be part of a specific race/cultural group/ect, people may be curious because they want to find a means to identify WITH you; not merely identify you as an object as many people here seem to think they are. When someone asks me what my background is, I just tell them. Being Native American, that generally flowers into conversations about my ties to my heritage, questions about whether or not I receive perks for being a Native in Canada, ect. I don't find these questions offensive, but rather a means to educate those who are curious. I think people who become offended are just expecting the worst of the intent behind other's questions and responding less than kindly in response. When someone says 'what are you?' I just assume that they aren't attempting to objectify me based on my physique, facial structure, or the texture of my hair; rather that they have just worded it in a way that people may take the wrongly.

[@MrJJoseph76]

You Don't Need to Know my Genes (Jeans) I wear them just fine... BARSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

[@jcking2758]

... curiosity does not entitle anyone to an explanation about who we are. We are not obligated to explain ourselves. keep it movin.

[@freakingtv2343]

I don't think there's anything wrong being asked what am i its good to ask questions, that's how you inform. be happy to inform. I don't think there's anything to be mad about here. I'm always happy to answer questions.

[@miloallerton]

This has been a recently growing issue. I think the issue really lies with lower class and education rather than race. There is a looming need to separate ourselves from others that the American way has engrained in us (gov, media, entertainment, stereotypes). The good thing is that people are breaking those barriers and there is a whole generation of less racially focused people out there. The problem is that the people who remove themselves from the evolving way of life and charge through ignorant and arrogant actually make it harder for progress. So where this topic should really be focused on the multicultural decent of the American people, it is reduced to “what are you”. In addition to trees I would really like to help this country get on the right track for education, its soooo bad.

[@lynda3360]

I agree,it's not easy to be mixed because people always ask you if you are in the Black side or in the White side,but that's a stupid question because we are the both :)

[@darlingtheylie]

doesn't mean that those persons aren't African. Africa is a quilt of many colors and cultures and if white South Africans can claim "African" then those with a deeper history in the continent should be able to do the same. And don’t get me started on Middle Eastern's. They have never identified themselves as today's white or European.

[@eamami1087]

whoever is making these videos doesn't know what 'racially ambiguous' and 'lightskin' means

[@darlingtheylie]

Obviously not everyone in Africa is dark with kinky hair. Example: my own mother and we are Ghanaian (West African). But if the country is located in Africa then they ARE African. Just like those from the European continent are considered European. all my Egyptian and Somali friends identify with being African (even though many people want to call them Middle Eastern or West European because of looks). Africa is a place rich with different cultures and colors.

[@ruita3189]

I want to cry because this answers so much to ignorant people I wish the whole world can see and drill this deep into their minds to fully understand the question and how it hurts I've been asked this question a lot although I'm brown some people think I'm part Chinese because of my eyes or other crazy things for now on ill answer human or unique

[@Araweelo]

I find it sad when African Americans belittle their own dialect. There's nothing ghetto or "wrong" about talking black. The way black people talk has a history and formed after being isolated into their small communities or "hoods". Talking white isn't talking right. It's ok if you want to speak in the common dialect or the "official" one, but don't belittle those that don't. There is nothing wrong with them. I know black people, who are college graduates that still talk "black". It doesn't mean they're uneducated or improper, they just have their own dialect. It's unique and a part of the African American culture. Don't knock down ur heritage. As a Somali person who grew up in the states, I never truly understood this until I watched a documentary in U.S. History that talked about how the African American dialect formed. I now cringe when I hear anyone making fun of talking black.

[@sophiadavenport3959]

I lived every word of this poem.

[@whimsysmith2835]

I hate having to put my "color" down on forms. I put down white because that is what someone looking at me would define me as, but it feels unfair to my African, native american, and Asian ancestors. Not enough of their genetic traits got passed along to me for an immediate visual recognition, but should their existence be erased from my history like some kind of guilty secret? Then again, don't I sound pretentious if I say "actually my great great great was black/native american/chinese"? If I divulge the fact of my not entirely "white" ancestry the response is "oh that explains the hair", or "that explains your ass" and sometimes too, "Oh I just figured you were Jewish. You know, because of the nose." Heh. Nope not Jewish. Maybe I SHOULD just start checking "other". Maybe we all should. Because like these girls say your visual assumption of what you think my genetic heritage is probably wrong, probably prejudiced, and really says nothing at all about who I am and what I am like as a person.

[@darlingtheylie]

Look up their history dating all the way into B.C. and realize that they are their own people and race. Just as many South American's born of the original aboriginal South American's don't consider themselves Spanish (i.e. coming from Spain). They were already there. You’d think these things would be obvious but that's the difficulties of America for you.

[@averiebishop]

Can someone possibly transcribe this poem and post the lyrics in the comments

[@domosapien6104]

I love this! My sister and I made a video about our mixed/black identities as well

[@a.g1540]

Lol I'm Black as hell, and people still ask me what I am? :(

[@beccity98]

Being mixed (mostly Asian), I LOVE this! I hate this question! So wish I could answer like this! Unfortunately, the only times I get asked this are by customers or at church, and being rude to either is frowned on.

[@ngonsainti]

What the heck do customers or people at church need to "know" *that* for ???? (I guess you don't know the answer more than I do)

[@TheLastCurlbender]

Oh my goodness YES!!! This is all kinds of YES!!!!

[@darlingtheylie]

Okay so America classifies ANOTHER COUNTRY as a race and that country is just supposed to accept it? Egyptians DO think of themselves as African. Even the ancient Egyptians/Nubians were African. Coming from the Ghanaian-Ashanti tribe of Akan origin that migrated from Nubia/Kush/The Nile I think I'd know. There are so many similarities between my culture and my modern day Egyptian friend's culture and

[@247SwagClothing]

They don't want to know about the reservations my people are still on after the trail of tears, they want me to IDENTIFY MYSELF, so they can put me in a box and decided what kind of person I am and how they can treat me, and if you don't act like a stereotypical version of your race\s you get mocked or questioned for it. "You're half black, but your hair..." or "but you speak SO well" when they see you after talking on the phone at work. It's not about knowledge, it's about classification.

[@theskyisblue8979]

Its so hard because people don't know whether I'm celtic or germanic. What am I to do?

[@blackangelwings9]

I agree the wording of the question "What are you?" is extremely rude, I don't find asking someone about their heritage is a bad thing. I love and find fascinating to see the faces of America and the beautiful blends that we create. So be warned, if you walk by with those beautiful curls that I am completely jealous of or that afro that I know takes ton of work but not only makes me jealous but makes me celebrate our differences, I might ask where around our world your family came from. Yes, I may be only looking at your outside beauty but I give myself up for you to share with me your inside beauty. I put the game piece in your hand and it's up to you what you do with it.

[@q3huynh]

Who wrote this poem? I hope most people don't take this seriously. When people ask "what are you?" they don't mean it in any way negative. I know these girls are just performing a poem but there are people out there that really take offense to this question. It's just human nature to be curious and if they see a beautiful person who is obviously a mix of races, they would ask "what are you?". stop drinking the haterade and take some chill pill people.

[@ngonsainti]

"What" is not a mark of "nature", but a mark of "culture", what's more of a culture that has put the categorization AND classification of humans at its center, in the form of "races" (which are a pure invention, by racists). So it IS offensive when you are the one constantly being asked. It doesn't bother those who are never asked because they are deemed "normal".

[@amahmaat-kare5883]

Sorry to inform you, but your parents did go to school over your identity, that is why you are having the issues you are. Embrace the totality of you and reunite both your past, present, mother and father. It is the only way you will truly have a whole life. How do I know? Because I am the your mother who went to war on your behalf and obviously I lost, but the other half has never been told. Sending much love and light for you to return to that which has the greatest love of all for you Nayo, your mother, the darker aspect of you!

[@emonessishotness]

I don't see why so many people are fighting over what race they are...the whole point of the poem is to tell people to back off and let them be without asking what race they are....so all of you are just contradicting the whole point, so really all of you need to jump off this video and leave it alone...Just saying.

[@californication751]

I'm surprised people ask them what they are at all. Instead of assuming they're 'exotic,' with what's being pushed in the media, most I've encountered would simply assume they're white/black mixed. Or polyethnic. For many I know, at least, there'd be no need to ask because it's easy to tell they 'aren't only black' in the first place. and that's usually all that's worth noting. This piece is well done though. Just really presumptuous. Furthermore, they complain about the attention, but honestly, being as their complexion would receive the attention in the first place because it's the 'preferred depiction of what's Black,' I wonder if they consider what it's like to be completely invisible (or looked down on) for being darker than them.

[@2010gypsylady]

A good friend of mine was being berated with these questions, as she stood there with no expression of how to answer, I interrupted and said "she's beautiful". That is all!

[@jolieandbooch]

I'm byracial my dad is black and my mom is white therefore I am black AND white. I have never been confused about my race Im actually proud of it. I also thought the one drop rule went away when slavery did but I guess not. Its most surpizing hearing the one drop rule from black people which I would think they would find it offensive or a reminder of slavery but what can you do. I love the peom I could relate to alot of it

[@Yomamaone]

Omg,I appreciate this so much I'm mixed female.my dad is black and german while mom is black.i hate when people say that I'm 1/3 so it doesn't count.people ask all the time"what are you" thinking that I am Hispanic maybe.and it's so irritating to be called things like Nazi and neo Nazi and all types of stuff. I hear stuff like "I wish I was mixed" "if I'm mixed then I'll be pretty" "do you speak German" etc.all my life.people say stuff that basically I'm not black enough and it's irra

[@405boy4]

I love how they performed this👍👍

[@naturalforme]

MINDA YA DAMN BUSINESS!!

[@spacedumpling4806]

My own mother asks me what side I identify with

[@sharonopuuli9100]

so sad

[@jolieandbooch]

ok you won the youtube comment battle yay! I hope it makes you feel better about yourself

[@MissKimari]

oooooooooooooooooooo weee she said "i shine so bright, that EVEN RA shields himself from my light" oooooo weeeeee giiiiirrrlll GO!

[@darlingtheylie]

Africa may not equal the stereotypical "Black" but it does equal African :)

[@Maribkc]

I loved it and one day when my kids ask why do the other kid make fun of us I can show them this inspirational vid thanks to the two brave young ladies who performed this

[@awakone4266]

It doesn't matter what color you are it matters who you are

[@AdelleRamcharan]

Why must they be so angry? I like being special. Ignorant people will say ignorant things about anything they are ignorant about. Oh well. lol

[@VeilerDark]

US has educational problems, also most self called pure blacks genetically are mixed. The US president does not give a fuck about educating people about what is part of personal identity, and that personal means not socially pressed to select. So our biggest problem is US education. People do random things with poor education, and the opress people to say non rational things that serve a cultural myth of an anxious problematic society. Epigenetically we must reshape our education. I personally cannot blame proor neighbourhoods. The point is not to blame but to find solutions. You are a sweetheart. Can we meet? =*

[@kedahmiller]

You know the old adage: "It's not what you say, but how you say it"? I think the anger comes from someone asking "what are you?" as if you are something other than another person. the way it is presented is as if said person were a spectacle and not an actual person. IMO.

[@marsthatdamnrebel]

+Adelle Ramcharan I'll tell you why that question makes me so angry. Because when I say what my parents TOLD me to say -- that I am Black -- people do not believe me, and will often start asking personal questions like "What percentage? What are you mixed with? HOW can you be Black? Which of your parents is white?" People who ask this question are so stuck in BOXES and LABELS and STEREOTYPE that even if you answer them, they do not understand or believe, and certainly learn nothing from the experience. So if they aren't interested in actually learning something new, why bother intruding?

[@AdelleRamcharan]

Mars C. Who cares? Life is beautiful :)

[@invisiblerevolution]

I hate when people kick that "You are what your father are" shit! That shit don't make any got dam sence! Somebody please tell me the logic...behind that kind of statement????

[@Ascension1004]

There isn't any

[@jbrownx1]

Great video!

[@JustHuman8]

Egypt is part of Africa and as for the rest of your comment its not even worth my time

[@imParisthoee]

They are African and they have every right to identify as African. But according to racial categories North Africans are not Black. Black is only sub-Sahara. Like I said when people think of Asians they think of a Chinese looking person, but Russians are Asians, Indians are Asians, Iranians are Asians, Filipinos are Asians, etc. When people think of Africa they think of Black, but not every African is Black. According to the census they read North Africans and Middle Eastern are considered white

[@247SwagClothing]

Yeah, I'm going to disagree here. See, asking questions is when you pop on google and look up things like mutli-racialism. Walking up to someone you don't know and then asking them WHAT ARE YOU and forcing them to play the "mixed-race-game" is ignorant and RUDE.

[@afeaddeh2203]

Woman help the world in a whole lot of ways and not all guys are sane enough to be responsible to take care of them selves. Also black people just want to be recognized that it isn't just your skin color that makes them black it also how they feel their race is .

[@kl342000]

So since I am genuinely interested in other cultures and was hoping that maybe you could provide interesting insight, that makes me dismissive of you as a person? Definitely serious insecurity issues here.

[@thatgraygal1613]

Standing ovation!!!!!

[@slicbro]

"ok whatever"?......Thats another of saying i understand. i'm glad you got the point.

[@PiperBlue]

It seems most people commenting here may not have watched the "Who is Black in America" program this is from, so just FYI... Race classification according to the U.S. census: "White. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa..." Egypt is in North Africa... I'll let you deduce from there...

[@Mindsetolympics]

This inspires me :) Although I'm not mixed.

[@jolieandbooch]

well they are black AND white no matter how they look to you, one of their parents are white so they do have white genes. They have features that are common for mix person such as curly hair and beige skin.

[@imogenn3641]

I get this every time I meet a new person, but there aren't many black people where I live. It's exhausting. People also ask me if I mind being called the 'n' word frequently. I understand it is just curiosity and ignorance, but it sucks to be reminded constantly that some people see me and automatically put me straight into the category of "black"... like they can't see past the skin colour.

[@alejandraduarte748]

When one girl talks about wearing her jeans just fine, I wish she had a stool to put her foot on and show off her leg with her jeans and made a face like; "Bitch, see?"

[@MySignatureSoul]

Spoken truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@alexschmidgall7670]

I see your point but you need not be so angry. Kill them with kindness.

[@waldobaez4751]

Like when you are pale and latin american and they say "you dont look latin american" .......SORRY?

[@JayWestSings]

I'm German, Native American, Irish and French. I was offended by the jackass, too. No degree of "black" in me, really. I think anyone, regardless of skin tone/heritage/ethnicity, who stands for progression, tolerance, understanding and peace would be offended by such ignorant, uneducated, foolish, rude, racist, hateful, regressive, pitifully thoughtless statements.

[@TheMartian23]

Beautiful monologue, by two beautiful ladies! ;)

[@madelly9044]

Very talented

[@LAtttiful]

They sound whinny about it. "What are you?" is kinda of a rude way of asking, but MOST people mean well and are just curious. When you first meet someone its kinda of a way to get to know you better/conversation starter.. I feel they're too sensitive over this, especially when there are much bigger issues in regards to race.

[@ILuvComment]

LAtttiful a conversation starter shouldn't be directly targeted on someone's skin colour and appearance, That is bigoted and disgustingly ignorant. You shouldmn'y degrade anyone's experience with racism. Instead acknowledge peoples issues and support it.

[@parisclayton3590]

LAtttiful Why does getting to know someone have to start off with "What are you?" Why must people make race the main thing that they care about? Why do people have to decide/find out what a person "is" so the asker can stop being uncomfortable about it? Because being asked "what are you?" like you're not a human being is demeaning and when its the main thing people focus on all of your life, it's painful.

[@seanw8777]

+LAtttiful it;s not really though. if it was something so harmful as that it wouldn't have been mentioned. it's a way to appease someone by allowing them to fit you in a box of preconceived notions in regards to your ethnicity and it's a bullshit thing to say when you first meet someone

[@feather2643]

+LAtttiful Personally I don't mind being asked but to be honest, I usually am asked after the person and I have developed some sort of a relationship. I think if that's what they started off with it would be sort of jarring.

[@LAtttiful]

+Kay JayP I can see if you first start off with it could be like..."whut?" but why should we have to tip toe around this issue? So now we cant even ask what people are/where people are from? I guess I have to assume or wait until they drop hints. Personally I like asking because I like learning about different cultures and what not and if I can't pick up what your background is, why not ask? This shouldn't be something to be offended about. It all depends on context. Of course saying "What are you? oh you're X! you're so pretty for a X girl!" or any other shady backhanded comment is offensive, but curiosity isn't.

[@tatianec.4636]

I loved this video!!!

[@fluffinator21]

While I generally agree with the message this comes off as kinda insecure. They assume the worst of other people who likely just have a curiosity. People don't ask what race you are so that they can put you into some stereotypical box, they ask because they are legitimately curious about your heritage. It seems in this skit that they start with the assumption that whoever asks this kinda question is doing it racist reasons, which I think generally isn't the case.

[@caleb3704]

what are they tho? very curious

[@KianaLewis1]

The one with the longer curls is Egyptian(black) and the other is black and white.

[@ExtraDaze]

Egyptian is actually categorized as being White in America.

[@D3n1honey]

@@ExtraDaze thats terrible, because that girl is obviously a black egyptian. She looks like a horn african

[@unilove7503]

I relate to this poem. I have to deal with all of these things on a day to say basics.

[@xfghkhjfsejid]

Very surprising of CNN to post this.

[@jasmineadrian4084]

I just want to say thank you.

[@juliarenee6019]

I agree

[@Iceejayy]

Latinos can relate so much to this

[@janababyblue]

Love. Love. Love. Love. Love.

[@yuhz1m1]

LOVE. IT. You guys should come visit us in Jamaica, I think you'd love it :). "Out of many" baby!! :)

[@tessa111222]

I loved this sooo much

[@pwndumbppl]

Lol, they take it way too personal.

[@a.k.g478]

Like some of the original language/metaphor lacking from a lot of other slam poets and the duet. Definitely, great emotional depth.

[@lorir4896]

I understand 😢.

[@TDPina]

AWESOME Poetry!

[@becca_khalil]

Wanna know how I really feel? Search the poem "Blacktavist Becca" by Becca Khalil and find out what happens next!

[@TheJking85]

I say that because they ARE black! One of them is Egyptian. Egypt is in Africa. Hence, she is black. The other girl is half-white and half-black. Nuff said! So please don't act so indignant toward me and get the facts first. I don't even know why I answered your ridiculous question to begin with!!!

[@jolieandbooch]

Thank you I thought I was the only one!

[@jolieandbooch]

you said I was black not look black so I corrected you and can you stop studying my picture its getting weird. I didn't know you where so concern about the young ladies in the video, if you were you would have stop commenting a long time ago. What did you accomplish by telling me your Irish. Stop commenting your not making sense anymore.

[@jordahnsmith3644]

YES YES YES YES YES

[@thezquad]

Most of these questions seem to stem from personal insecurities. They assume to know why they are being asked and I am guessing that their quick assumptions are often wrong. If not for the attitude, maybe the follow up response would be "wow, god bless your dna..." or "you have some great genes..." No one complains much when asked what mix a dog or cat is.

[@ninavann9411]

Lol actually a lot of these questions are asked... Lol I'm mix and experienced this a lot, but I'm not bad about it.

[@anaminianimated3804]

I love them!!!