It is quite prevalent in our society that if a person of color assimilates nicely into the American mainstream, that some white people pretend to overlook cultural differences, ‘not notice’ race or straight up consider them white. This epidemic has happened to me much of my life, but there was one experience that has remained a running joke. I had…
View Post
Photo Credit: Model Dilia Martins by Jessica Mahaffey for Harper’s Bazaar Two mixed teen girls in my life have been grappling with similar negative circumstances with ‘mean girl’ peers assuming they are not black at all or not black enough. The confusion of other people when they look and then judge light skin mixed black girls really does take…
View Post
Introducing Aileen Kyoko, a multi-talented creative a and beautiful half-Asian woman with a unique perspective on life. Aileen is a playwright, actress, director and producer with her full length play The Year of the Solar Eclipse that just premiered this summer at Teatro Latea. What an incredible play it was! Aileen is also producer and brand curator for the wellness expert…
View Post
Some strange realization hit me one night when I was hanging out with my two childhood friends from elementary school. We never really talk about race. All three of us have pride that we have remained friends for almost four decades. That takes love and dedication. It’s not easy but from passing notes in class to adulthood we have been…
View Post
Lately I’ve heard of the struggles of mixed black teenagers trying to navigate being different in majority white surroundings in America. I’ve been through it and felt the need to share my tips to empower mixed black teen girls in predominantly white suburbia. As a biracial girl (Burundian, Italian & German Jewish) growing up in Long Island, I realized early…
View Post
