Showing posts with label mixed race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mixed race. Show all posts

Adoptees Getting Published: Other Tongues Anthology


Normally I don't like to toot my own horn (probably 'cause there's not much to toot), but, along with transracial adoptee Lisa Marie Rollins, a piece of my writing is published in a new anthology called Other Tongues: Mixed Race Women Speak Out. Mine's a wee essay about appearance and how the "mixed" look is commodified in advertising and other ways. Mostly my observations and personal experiences which are naturally wrapped up in discussions of hair and adoption. Some awesome writers whom I adore are in this anthology, such as the famous poet Natasha Tretheway. Which is really why you should buy this book.

The editors have sponsored a few release parties, mostly in Canada. Hopefully there will be more stateside readings and launches, and I'll post updates here so you can come and listen, cheer, laugh, weep and support the celebration and contemplation of mixedness.  

May is Mixed Experience History Month

It's Mixed Experience History Month over on Heidi Durrow's blog. Each day she writes short profiles of important mixed folks in history--Bob Marley, Edith Maude Eaton, and more. I just love all the work Heidi does carving out a place for multiracial identities. Hard to do in our bifurcated society that prefers to see people as one thing or another--not both. Check it out!

Adoption Discussion on CNN (sparked by Sandra Bullock's recent adoption)

Fellow adoption activist and transracial adoptee (+overall awesome woman) Lisa Marie Rollins was featured on a discussion about transracial adoption and "why it's controversial."
Don Lemon begins the show asking this question, in light of the sometimes non-positive reactions people are having to celebrity Sandra Bullock's recent adoption of a Black American child. He obviously finds those reactions surprising, thinks it's odd that people aren't simply praising Sandra for "saving" the Black child from a lifetime of foster care.

It's amazing to me the profound ignorance of so many people in the mainstream about these issues. It shows how much adoption is shown from only one side, that so often we fail to recognize the powerful forces behind why those kids are in foster care in the first place, and also fail to validate any feelings from an adoptee that are not "grateful."




In her blog post about the show, Lisa points out that CNN was confusing transracial adoption with two white parents with mixed-race bio kids with mixed parentage. Big difference. However, you can still see Ms. Walsh's exoticizing of her mixed kids, saying that they were a "welcome racial curiosity" in their white communities.

Overall, I'm proud of CNN for giving voice to a transracial adoptee--it happens so rarely! And I'm proud of Lisa for being so eloquent and saying what needed to be said!
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