How To End Racism

DWB: Driving While Black

Many minorities and interracial couples have experienced the issue of racial profiling from the police. Are all minorities perceived as suspicious?

Officer, what did we do wrong?

Citizens use to look to law enforcement for a sense of security. Have times changed? In most recent years there has been a rapid increase in racial profiling by law enforcement officials.

Being married to an African- American male and being Biracial, myself, my husband and I have had our share of experiences. Living near the Nations capital, in a predominately African-American area, all African-Americans are racially profiled.

Law Enforcement officers look for African-American males, driving with tinted windows as a target for “suspected” thugs. They racially profile African-American men, based on those two key details.

My husband and I were out riding around back in March, when we got pulled over. Back up was called. I suppose we looked suspicious, a young “black” male, “white” female, tinted windows?? We were questioned about our relationship. Once the officers were informed that we were husband and wife, they were surprised. Not once did they mention anything about my husbands tint being too dark. The only petty thing they could say that their reason for pulling us over with was for a random traffic stop and because we didn’t have tags on the front of our car. Only recently our state has been enforcing the requirement of front plates.

Was it probable cause for us to be pulled over because of race? Did the officers believe that they would of found more fault in us, other than not having front plates?

Is it that strange or unbelievable that two people can be married of the opposite race?

Racial Profiling MUST end!

Leave a message below, detailing about your similar experience…

Dire need of a cure for Writers Block

WordPress,

 

It seems like forever since I posted here on Biraciality. I know I must rebound from this writers block and

find some inspiration. I miss from blogging about my opinions and thoughts after listening to Mixed Chicks Chat and after reading racially targeted articles online. I have been extremely busy in life taking care of my family, pursing my career both, academically and through work.

I must set time out to tend to my blog and reconnect with my Mixed Community. Please leave a comment with an update of how you are doing. Continue to check back for updates.

Love & Peace,

Erica

The Good, The Bad, and The Nappy Hair

Throughout my entire life, in my African-American family, there has been an obsession over good hair. If you had “good” hair you were accepted. Any signs of “naps” resulted in negativity and a sense of no acceptance. It’s all about who is the lightest and who has the most non-kinkiest hair. If you can run your fingers through your hair, no problem. Even if you can just simply wash your hair and go, no perm or relaxer, you were accepted.

It’s sad to say that there is racism within the African-American community. Not even my fathers Caucasian side of the family is racist or non accepting, as oppose to my African-American side. Society has molded and idolized what beauty is through television and advertisement. Whether it’s the fair skin, blue eyes, and healthy hair “non-nappy”.

What is good hair, bad hair, and nappy hair?

-Good hair is healthy hair. Your hair doesn’t have to be straight to be good hair. As long as your hair is healthy, it is good hair! Your can have the most beautiful, well defined curls, kinks and all and your hair would be good and healthy. The healthiness of your hair is what is most important!

-Bad hair is untreated, and unhealthy hair. Whether you don’t shampoo or condition your hair, which causes damage from hair breakage. This can result in hair lost. It is imperative to take care of your hair and care for it.

-Nappy hair is unmanageable hair, but there is no reason why nappy hair is considered bad hair. If it is healthy then it is good hair.

Love what God has blesses you with. Embrace both, your inner and outer beauty. You are one of a kind. Let no one but “yourself” define your beauty and worth.

xo,

Erica

At Last . . . A Soul To Rest, Etta James.

Yesterday, Friday, January 20th, 2012 a lenendary songstress and biracial individual, Etta James passed away from leukemia at the age of 73. Recently Etta James had been battling cancer and was in the final stages of leukemia. Not one disease could kill the soul of such a remarkable legend. Etta James will live on throughout her raspy emotional blues filled voice.

One thing that I admired the most about Etta James was her attitude. I have never known one woman to be as fiesty as Etta James. James was well respected for her confidence and attitude. Her presence will remain with us all every time we hear her songs.

Another Angel has arrived in heaven. xo

Until next time . . .

What encouraged me to start blogging?

Growing up I always felt like no one understood me or could to relate to me. I had one friend that I met that was also biracial but I felt that it was still something that separated us. In my opinion she identifies more with her black side, unlike me who feels like I am equally both black and white. It was hard not having someone who could share the same experiences with you. During the time I began blogging there weren’t many sites for biracials to share and speak out on their experience.

I reached an epiphany when I discovered Tiffany Jones youtube channel and wordpress blog, Mulatto Diaries. For once I found a stranger who shared the same experience and had some of the same feelings toward racial issues as me. Watching her videos made me feel like she was a friend to me. Someone who spoke up and spoke out to those biracial individuals with no voice. At the time and even now the resources available for biracials are limited. The biracial community is small. I encourage others to create a blog of sort to speak out to others. I remember feeling lonely as if no one shared the same Biracial experiences with me until finding Tiffany Jones vlogs & blog. The small and limited biracial community encouraged me to write because I wanted to leave footprints on the internet for young biracials that may feel lost and alone. I write down my opinions and personal experience so the lost ones can feel found.

Through personal growth I have come to realize that despite culture and races separating us we are more alike than ever. As different as we all may feel, we are alike. We are human. We eat, sleep, cry, smile and breathe all the same.

Until next time . . .

The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Heidi W. Durrow

Since reading Heidi Durrow’s novel, “The Girl Who Fell From The Sky” last year I have felt so lost. The book grasped me by my heart and captivated me. It was dreadful when i came to read the last page, all because the journey Heidi Durrow took me on had came to an end. The novel was amazing and so beuatifully written. I often find myself rereading it over and over again. The story never gets old to me. You know when a book is good when you feel like you are the main character when reading.

I am looking forward to reading more books from Heidi Durrow. The story she told in “The Girl Who Fell From The Sky” was so rich and filled with reality. I can guarentee that you will fall in love with the story and the characters. If you have not already read her novel, I HIGHLY suggest that you get your hands on a copy.

 

Purchase a copy? http://heidiwdurrow.com/book-buy/

Until next time. . .

The Biracial Breakdown

Comments?

Biracial Hair Care for Parent’s & Children

• Determine the curl type —  http://www.naturallycurly.com/hair-types
• Determine your approach: “chemically treated or natural hair care

Chemically treated hair can damage biracial hair. Speaking from experience a perm was accidently put into my hair and damaged my hair for about three year. When damage is caused from a perm you have to wait until the perm grows out which is a long transitioning process. A perm is not for fine or thin hair in my opinion. Keep in mind that chemically treated hair can cause hair damage such as split ends and can cause breakage.

Parents have gone with the approach of chemically treating their biracial child’s hair with the misconception of:  “this will make my morning easier”. Chemically treated hair does not make doing your child’s hair easier. In reality a perm requires more maintenance than wearing your hair natural.

If you approach is natural hair care I HIGHLY Recommend:  “Mixed Chicks Hair Products”.

Mixed Chicks Hair Products was created by two mixed chicks. Who better to know what biracial hair needs other than a mixed chick? I struggled for years bouncing from product to product trying to find one that works with my curly hair. I have been scammed into using Pantene,  Garnier Fructis, Tresemme, Herbal Essences and Sun silk, trying out all of their products for curly hair. None of their products left my hair healthy! They always dried my hair out, which is a big NO… NO!

Mixed Chicks has a line of products to meet every Biracial hair care need. I have been using their products for some years now consistently! My hair has grown more in the past few years than in my whole life. I use the Mixed chicks shampoo, deep conditioner, leave in conditioner and hair serum. If you want to go natural . . . go with Mixed Chicks as your hair products.

Mixed Chicks:  http://www.mixedchicks.net/

–TIPS– 

1. Condition hair often concentrating on the ends.
2. Limit shampooing to once every 7 days, simply concentrating on the scalp.
3. ONLY comb curly hair when wet, using a wide tooth comb.
4. Air Drying (Recommended)
5. Use a leave in conditioner daily

BEWARE products containing:  Alcohol, Mineral Oil and Petroleum.

HAPPY NEW YEAR IN ADVANCE! — UPDATE

Blogging Family,

Here is an update:  I didn’t get my flu shot this year so obviously with my luck I did catch the flu. It was the worst couple of weeks of my life! =/ On top of that afterwards I caught a little common cold. I am feeling better now. I can guarantee that I will make it a priority to get my flu shot each year!

I hope you all have been doing well. I have been a bit discouraged since Biracial Tiffany doesn’t make videos or update her blog Mulatto Diaries anymore. It’s a bit depressing. I really enjoy reading others blogs about the Biracial and mixed experience. If you know of any blogs for me to check out, feel free to comment below with a link.

 

Hopefully with this new year approaching I will get the courage to start making videos for my youtube channel. Otherwise my new year resolution is to set some time out for myself so i can tend to my blog. (: I am sure my readers would like that.

What is your new year resolution?