Racial Identity

Mariah Carey's thought-provoking memoir discusses her experiences growing up as a biracial person in America. Mariah says that when she was little white people made her feel ashamed of her Black ancestry. According to them: "Not being white was other—and Black was the worst kind of other there was." Mariah developed 'a deeply suppressed sadness' from the painful blow of being told that she 'was not white enough or Black enough, which translated into “not good enough.”' 

Barack Obama was born in the United States to a Black Kenyan father and a White American mother. Prior to starting his political career Barack Obama wrote a memoir titled 'Dreams From My Father' in which he discusses issues of race and racial identity. Obama acknowledges his White ancestry but he classifies himself as Black. When Obama was elected as President of the United States he was celebrated as America's first Black president.

Earlier this month Kelly Curtis was described as 'the first Black olympian to compete in skeleton for team USA'. Many people celebrated Kelly's achievement but some people left comments on Kelly's Instagram page telling her that she looks like a White woman. In response to the controversy, Kelly wrote a message on Instagram which said: "I think it's okay to claim this space being bi-racial, Black and White at the same time. Not half and half." Kelly went on to say: "It's frankly none of my business how other people perceive how I present phenotypically. That is nothing I can control." 

Kelly's sister Kitty came to her defence on Instagram so I reached out to Kitty to discuss her views on racial identity. 

@kittycurtismilfort via Instagram

 I asked Kitty if she could relate to the pain that Mariah Carey felt growing up as a biracial person and she said: "Absolutely! Mariah was actually the first person I saw as a kid that I felt represented by. I've never felt like I belonged to the white or black community to be honest. If I straightened my hair, black people would tell me I was trying to be white, and if I wore my hair curly or put it in braids, white people would ask What ARE you exactly?" It made me pretty insecure. Everyone in town knew my father was Black and my mom was White so I didn't necessarily have to prove who I was to anyone, but there would definitely be staunch reminders regularly that I wasn't considered a member of either the black or white community."

@kittycurtismilfort via Instagram

I asked Kitty whether she thinks that race is a social construct and she said: "I've always just kind of thought of my racial identity as who I am culturally, but I'd agree. I think race is something we handle very differently in America than others do in other countries. In other countries you don't necessarily have as much weight on your race as you do your actual skin tone. I feel like we're the only country that puts so much emphasis on race, and I think it's been made worse with recent administrations to be honest."

@kittycurtismilfort via Instagram

A popular Black American anti-colorism YouTuber often tells her followers that classifying biracial people as Black is leading to the erasure of racially unambiguous dark skinned women in the media. I asked Kitty for her thoughts on this and she replied saying: "I understand where people are coming from with this, I really do, but I also think we're ignoring the fact that black people having mixed children is contributing to the browning of America which actually means we're creating more black women who will eventually be in the media. What makes her stand point any less racist than a white man that doesn't want his daughter dating a black man because he thinks it erases his lineage? Also, when that white man's daughter has a black child does that child not count? Biracial people share black ancestry and they have their own struggles that come with that, you can't just cast them out of the community and discount their experiences because you fear something that may never happen. I just think it's pointless to try to fight progress. We can't be angry at racism and then angry when people don't discriminate against each other and procreate."

"Yes I’ve been bruised
Grew up confused
Been destitute
I’ve seen life from many sides 

Been stigmatized
Been black and white
Felt inferior inside 

Until my saving grace shined on me
Until my saving grace set me free Giving me peace"

'My Saving Grace' by Mariah Carey

May God give us all peace🙏🏾.