Are your parents the same race? Same ethnic group? Are your children? What about your brothers and sisters and extended family — uncles, aunts, etc.?
Continuing with the Racial Justice Challenge and this question is deep for me, for several reasons. My parents are both black and they grew up in the same neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee. My siblings are all black. My wife’s parents are a mixed couple and they found each other through her father’s work. Mr. Alford who is black and was a soldier in the United States Army. His service enabled him to travel around the world. While overseas, he met his wife who is Korean. Their union produced three children, two girls and a boy. So, this makes my wife biracial and by happenstance, a blending of two cultures. In our own family, we have two boys and they are rambunctious, sweet and loving. I am reminded everyday how important it is for older generations to give back to the younger generations. It is so important for me to be intentional with their upbringing. I want them to fully understand their history and culture. Both the Black and Korean sides of the family. This is important because they will be in learning spaces where they will need to be secure in their own identity.
