I love being biracial but there are some struggles that aren’t talked about. I am proud of being Hispanic and African American because it allows me to live in two wonderful cultures with rich backgrounds. Not only am I biracial, but I am also fortunate enough to be bilingual and have the chance to go visit Guatemala, the country my mother is from.
It’s an interesting conversation starter and it has gotten me to care about both Hispanic and African American issues on a deeper level.
One of the struggles that I find isn’t really acknowledged is the fact that biracial people aren’t considered “enough” for either race. I am usually seen as “not black enough” for the African American society because of my skin tone and my hair. Conversely, I’m “not Hispanic enough” for the Latino community because of how I was raised.
When trying to embrace my African American side by wearing box braids, I was criticized and looked down on by those who did not realize that I was biracial. The same thing happens when I walk around campus wearing a dashiki one day and a traditional huipil another. It creates an unexplainable tension of having to explain my race and background to others when I shouldn’t have to defend myself for embracing both cultures and who I am.
Another struggle of being biracial are the stereotypes of both races being tied to you. My ex’s mother immediately disliked me as soon as she realized that I was biracial. She later attacked both of my races by bringing up stereotypes such as dropping out of school and wanting to get pregnant.
This is just one incident and being biracial is a different experience for everyone. Whichever way you flip it though, embracing both sides has made me who I am and appreciative of where I come from.