I love Lynn especially her role as Josephine Baker. Unfortunately, no matter how you define yourself, SOCIETY will place you in a category.

As the world confronts these and other serious challenges to survival, why add more complications by trying to reduce a living symbol of racial harmony to a checked-box identity?

Great thought however I truly believe I will never see this happen in my lifetime.

Well said!!!!!!

Well, Grace Gibson, obviously the program was not made with you in mind. It was made for us, the ones who have to go through the daily struggles of being Black In America.

I agree with Grace. I don't see why it’s so important for someone of mixed race to have to identify with one or the other. I wish the documentary had spoken to younger people who had parents of different races. I feel like the younger generation looks at race than the older generation does.

It was interesting to see how that couple could not agree on which race their children would identify with. If their own parents could not accept them for what they are children of two different races that just may identify with both then how is the world supposed to?

Lovely! Well done Grace and I hope that readers will give it some thought.
Taken back far enough in our own individual family trees, most of us are melting pots and that for me is a wonderful thing.
My grandmother from Budapest with her dark skin and curly hair was very different in appearance than my Canadian-born grandmother with her red hair and freckles. When I look in the mirror I see them both in my reflection and can only smile at the beauty of the my own little melting pot.
I worked hard to raise my own two sons with the realization that each of us is a unique blend of all who have gone before us. That we represent the latest blend in our family and that it is something of joy and beauty. Though society would like to class my children as 'white' they don't seem too stuck by that. They date young women of many heritages and I look forward to grandchildren one day who represent the next generation of our family. Beautiful, unique and ever closer to the time that we are all of one race- the human one!

As a parent of biracial children, it feels really good to read such an article. That's exactly the way I want my children to be about their heritage: proud of both!
It is definitely unfortunate that you have to make a choice between different races. There are still a lot of administrative papers which do not have an "Other" section. Very confusing for the parents and children.
But after all, aren't we all from Africa anyway?:)

Loved this . The things you are saying at 16 , are things that I as a Mid western, caucasian woman took twice as long to realize. I do believe that children of mixed race or ethnicity are able to see the common humanity that others often are blind to.
Thank you

WOW! Ms. Whitfield is one of my fave actresses and she has raised an intelligent, articulate young lady. I know she is proud of her daughter and so am I. I have mixed race relatives and friends and I have never heard it put so eloquently. You go on girl! Be yourself!

Wow. I am blown away by your deep insight at such a young age. You are blessed to have such wise and loving parents. You, young lady, will go far and do much with your life.

Grace, you are absolutely right. I watched this series for the past two nights and I was very disappointed with the negative portrayal of biracial children. Why can't we move past forcing a child to choose which race he/she is? We as a society need to move past labels and accept that America is very diverse. We should be proud of diversity and mixed race children. There is no pure race on this planet anyway. Our bloodlines have been mixing since the dawn of man.
I am Black, and my boyfriend is White. We plan to have kids in the very near future. I know when they are confronted with ignorant individuals in their daily lives, they will have the tenacity and self esteem to withstand everything. We as people need to get over our diabolical need to categorize people and focus on the content of their character.

Interesting yet an ideal that can create division

I agree with Grace well said, couldn't have said it better myself. I feel that the matters of race are just a waste of time. Why focus on the difference, which are not much, and forces more on the common ground. No matter what color your skin is or the language you speak...we are all human. We all have the same concept of life and family...to live and love. The world is not perfect but why contribute to what "society" thinks and live by their standards…let’s educate more our common interest so this segregation won’t continue.
I’m not black nor I’m white...I’m an American, with a Hispanic culture (white and Spanish). I’m proud of where my family has come from and the little difference of my culture but that does not define who I am as a person. What define me is how I carry myself, what I have done with my life, and how I treat people. That shows people who I am... a loving person. If you really think of it no one is really a pure race...if you’re American and did your research you'll find someone on in your family tree is a different race.
Sadly, I have seen in my generation, our properties are not set in the correct order. Let’s make this a better world and learn from our history...let the following generation live in peace and grace.
We all have the same color blood running thru our veins... we are a human race. This is what needs to preached.

That's what I was saying in an earlier post and was quickly put down for it by two other bloggers. Thank you for eloquently making the point that I was trying to make. You are a beautiful AMERICAN.

Apparently everyone is missing the point. Interracial marriage and children is just a minute part of this program. I believe it was to highlight the problems of those who know, believe and state that they are black americans. For those who don't believe they belong to either only the white race or only the black race. You don't identify with the black race so....this is not for you!

You could suggest CNN doing a piece on what it feels like to be of mixed heritage. There you go.

As a white mother of a blended child, I couldn't be any more affected by Ms. Gibson's comments. Her parents must be so incredibly proud that she is comfortable in her own skin.

My son was in the 2nd grade when his teacher told him he was African-American. He had no clue what that meant. The only thing he knew was that his dad was black, mom was white and he was brown. He was perfectly content in knowing that. I answered a thousand questions on what being "African-American" meant without any actual knowledge. His father is a marginal figure in his life.

I was trying to figure out if we were passed that the other week when I asked whether he thought Obama was more black or white. He shrugged his shoulders and thought for a minute, then he asked me if Oobama was married to a black woman or white woman. I told him his wife is black. He asked if he had kids. He then told me Obama is black because his kids are black. Originally I thought it was a weird answer but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that in his own 8-yr old way he was telling me it wasn't about what anyone else said or thought. Racial identity is a personal and private, but it is not nor should it be what defines a human being.

Geri, why the hostility? I think Grace was expressing a very mature and thoughtful commentary on her experience as a mixed-race child. She makes an excellent argument for recognizing the common humanity in all of us. So why antagonize? She did not demean the struggles of racial minorities or mixed-race people, yet chose instead to focus on the positive - that she embraces both cultures of which she is a part.

In my humble opinion, the negativity is what is such a huge obstacle. Here's to hoping that we can all be a little bit more like Grace - focusing on the positive!

I agree with TESAP; SAVANNAH, GA. It is true. Depending mostly on the hue of your complexion, society WILL categorize you. YOU may not accept their categorization, but their initial attitude towards you will be determined by how dark you are. Thus, the many mixed-race people of lighter skin tone often find little difficulty in being accepted by whites. Those that are "light-damned near white" can even "pass" as white. Other mixed-race people of darker skin are treated just like any other full-blooded black person (if there IS such a thing in America). Strangely many people of India in this country are often much darker than their black cousins, but are treated as "honorary" white folk! I wonder why? In any case, Lynn and her daughter Grace are both beautiful people. I completely agree with her that at some point we must begin to think of each other simply as fellow "Americans". After all,what threahens one from abroad threatens us all. We all realized the tremendous unity, as Americans, during the Oklahoma bombing and during 9/11. It's so sad that it takes a catastrophic event to pull us together.

This young lady really has heart. I too, experience that dilemma daily. I am the child of two African American parents. As fate would have it, my complexion is whiter than most Caucasians, yet I feel great pride in my Race, which I proudly claim to be African American. In an ideal world, we would just be "Americans"; unfortunately we do not live in an ideal world. We should all make a concerted effort to work to dispel the myths and stereotypes that have long existed to disparage the hopes and dreams of African Americans. This responsibility lies within each one of us to make sure that our children value who they are, and to the extent possible, ensure that we work as volunteers in our communities to help other children who may not be as fortunate.

I am a mutt and I’m darn proud of it. I can see in the near future that we will all become a melting pot of pure healthy and beautiful humans. Every day I see more and more mixed couples and their beautiful children and it makes me smile.

I myself am mixed with Indian, American Indian, Black, Scottish, and Chinese and my Husband is white of European descent. Pure bloods are slowly but surely vanishing out of existence. Can’t you see the more we mix the better chance we have to survive.

This subject as always been a sensitivesubject to talk about. Especially in the Black community, but everyone and I do mean everyone is part of the America "melting pot." No one is just in one category because everyone is or have relatives that is biracial and even triracial if you look further in your family tree.
But to actually see people getting along like Dr. Martin Lurther King wanted will again take time to heal.

I was inspired by the strength and courage that Grace portrayed. Having watched many of Lynn's movies, I can see she got some of that from her mother. However, I would be remiss if I did not point out that Barak Obama identifies himself as a black man – not biracial. Society sees Obama as a black man even though he is biracial. I also remember reading that Halle Berry's mom told her in no uncertain terms that she is a black woman. The problem lies not with the parents but with the society at large. In the past the black culture was more willing to embrace biracial kids than the white culture. In fact, I have not heard of any biracial child that was accepted in the white culture as white. It is indeed a matter of acceptance. In Jamaica where I am from we are almost all biracial but we have one culture – we are all Jamaicans. We eat the same food, love the same music and attend the same churches. I am sure that with time and vigilance, biracial children like Grace will probably change the minds of many; however, I believe society has to first recognize that we are all Americans. Whether we are black, white, brown, yellow or some mixture of the above we are all Americans. Only then will we have a true melting pot in this country.

Look at those eyes, those smiles, that figures! What color did you say they were? (:+P
---–
Some women in Thailand take pills at night to 'make themselves whiter' and 'whitening cream' is a huge seller along with talcum powder, which they splash on.
They all adore the King over there. He should come out and outlaw these 'whitening' attempts. They love him and his skin color; they should be just as happy with their own.

Grace-

You have said it all. Be proud of who you are – all of who you are. Raise your children well, and concentrate on universal matters -HIV/AIDS, children that need help or medical care, wherever they are

I would say you should run for president, but you seem far too smart for the job.....

Again it seems to be an issue of complexion and not race. Race is the issue and no matter how much discussion the real idea is not producing anything fruitful. There are enough dark people in this world to frieghten those who may not want to see them make to many stands and movements toward social, political, and economical progress. Mixing races is a way of trying to break down a world class of mainly a dark race of individuals who will be demised even further into second class citizenship. Yes, biracial people have been the "American" exception to the extent of a mafia blood dipping kind of agreement. Although the many dark leaders who were realist such as Malcolm X back from a world visit saw different. This is a time of revolution where the western (not American or even French) power structure is under attack even from ranks within its power structure. So Obama is the one who will unite the nations again under this blunder. Let's face a real black man no matter how dark or light his complexion is a threat to this nation.

I think your insight was great; however the fact that you were able to write your thoughts for CNN and have a picture and blog attached too it shows you come from a different world than those who do endure prejudices from the black and white race.

A little insight for you....
Please know how blessed you are NOT to hear comments like "Oreo" or proper white #$^& or you talk white, you must think your white. Be glad you are not being judged before you even open your mouth because you have curl long hair and light skin and that automatically means you are stuck up. Continue to grow in your "the world is beautiful" spirit, love life and be you. Because IF these things occur later in life, you will want to look back on how you think and feel right now and that will have to be your saving grace.
Take it from someone who knows
.

.

most biracial Blacks view themselves as Black for good reasons. We were regarded as 3/5 human, Whites, comprising the dominant culture view biracial children as black, and scientifically speaking, Black genetics are dominant. In all fairness, if a biracial person does not consider themselves Black, I say more power to them. The African American world should stop trying to celebrate famous biracial people that have voiced there dissidence with the racial characterization of being Black. We should stop celebrating them in Jet magazine, etc....they have every right to be mixed. As for Barack Obama, it is clear that he is a Black man...his Black genetics are dominant and his disposition is clearly that of a Black man...that is what he identifies with and rightly so!!....And he is more than qualified to run America!!!

You wrote from your heart and did an outstanding job. I always respected your mother as well. I am of mixed ancestry (black, white, native american Indian) and have experienced a great deal as to everyone else's perception. Those of us with light/white skin, straight/curly hair get just as much abuse from blacks as whites. While we have been exposed to the ideal that is a "legacy of equality", it is often looked upon with disdain. Many wish to uphold the old ideas of racial superiority, whites as well as blacks. I applaud any who stand up and identify as they wish without respect to societal pressures. This is a positive view of life that is cognizant of the inherent desire we have for an acceptance devoid of ambiguity. Unfortunately, many do not look for a positive viewpoint as to our relative position as individuals and not representations of race or ethnicity. We need to constantly recognize that an increasingly positive view of our own image has power. Everyone must also understand that seeking to denigrate others only diminishes who we all are as individuals and collectively as human beings. You are developing a wisdom that belies your age. I applaud your growth and wish you much by way of understanding and success. Say hi to your mom for me. She always has reflected an inner dignity evocative of timelessness and grace.

Most integrated black folks are many years disconnected from the black community. The seperation breeds a neo-notions of identity, a sort of inclusive-exclusive atitude. I hear a many blacks saying they are mixed with this and that, especially if the mixture is not black, they are quick to accept it. If the male genes can be traced to the San bushmen of Africa and the female can be traced to ancient tribe in Kenya, I don't hear anyone claiming to be part bushmen? Lynn's daughter is bright and beautiful, however, a new race of people in America, we don't need.

Thank You Grace!!!! h Im in full agreement. I just also want to state that perhaps it is the world that we live in that more children no longer fit the identity box. More and more families have become a large specture of the rainbow. I think the most troubling part about our country is our desire to want to belong to a certain ethnicity rather than belonging to the United States of America. I thought that was what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dream.....

Daniel
I disagree, I am biracial and I dont identify myself as black. I am just ME!!!!!!!!!!! Well said Grace, you go girl....

Grace Gibson's comments reflect a person who understands the multi-cultural tapestry of today's America and embraces true integration rather than separation.

Should a muti-cultural Barack Obama be elected President, I would suggest he find a position for the articulate, intelligent and grounded Ms. Gibson.

After watching last night's feature "The Black Man," the recurring theme seemed to be a lack of role models for black men to embrace.

Unfortunately, it seemed that for every positive example the show displayed, it was balanced out with a negative view of a black man.

The show had 120 minutes that might have been better utilized outlining the successes of Robert L. Johnson, Colin Powell and Clarence Thomas; surely all people could learn a thing or two.

The media asked if the American public was ready for a black President; after meeting Rev. Wright and after hearing Jesse Jackson, the appropriate question might be: is the black community ready to reach it's potential?

I completely understood this beautiful young woman's point of view. However, the reality is that if you have a drop of 'black blood' you are considered black by society. Unless you are able to 'pass.' I do believe that perception shapes reality and until the perceptions of those who make up this country and this world begin to reflect this young woman's perception, the harsh reality is that you can't choose a race, it has already been predetermined.

Very impressive ideals from one who has had many advantages i.e., receiving the best education by having the opportunity to attended the private schools, living in a beautiful and safe neighborhood, having both parents within your life, opportunities to travel has allowed you to broaden you perspectives, etc. All of which, you certainly deserve because, your mother has paid her dues. However, you are any example of what every parent wants their child to be. I certainly agree with what you wrote. However, it is always to easy to have a positive outlook if you have not been a victim of racism. Not to say you haven't! I just think it's hard to sell this to those who are doing the right thing everyday and are unable to get the job they want, individuals who get passed over for promotions, having been prevented from making a purchase because you came into the store just before closing and you are accused of writing a bad check, being stopped by the police and your date questioned, "are you being held against your will?" simple because she is not black. The question I would like answered is, "Why does the color of my skin intimidate White America? I also understand the pschology of those groups who are impotent in their own selfworth and confidence who find the need degrade and oppress others in order to feel good about themselves. Because I do not want to fall prey, I armor myself everyday before I walk out of the house by checking off my list by making sure I have such weapons of defence as, self confidence, alertness, cautiion, and eyes and ears open at all times! Throughtout the day, I am guarded until I reach my residence at the end of the day. It is unfortunate that I have to live my life this way.

Absolutely true. My children are bi-racial and proud of it. I have to relate a cute story that literally shaped the way I raised my bi-racial children.

Over 20 years ago when my son was a baby, I was at the grocery store and the teenager that was bagging groceries offered to help me take them to my car.

As we were walking out, he asked me if my baby was mixed. The question kind of surprised me, and I just said 'yes'. He got a big smile on his face and said "That's why he's so cute .... just like me!"

As we walked to the car, he proudly told me his life story about how his parents met and how lucky he is to have two cultures, and other people who aren't mixed are so boring...

That "teenager" is probably 40 years old by now, and he will never know the impact he made on one of his customers. After that conversation, I knew that I had to raise my children the same way his parents had raised him.

Pride and self-esteem begins in the home and when a child has that, he can handle whatever he has to face in the outside world.

All these years later, I still think about that kid. I really should have given him a tip

I have 4 children, 2 are fair in complexion and 2 dark, when my eldest went to high school for the first time in Louisiana she was told she is not allowed to talk to dark skin black or whites .

I immediatley call the school and advise the principal and my daughter we are one people one nation and have one destiny( to be the best that we can be and to love other as we love ourselves)

Neither am I, I'm and American. If we stop using terms like "Black congressional caucus" and "Black entertainment TV" and other such nonsense, perhaps we will all come togther. Stop dividing YOURSELVES.

Grace, well said. I read a few of the comments to your posts and there seems to be a wide variety of positions ranging from either extreme. We are suffering from those extremes because many of us are focused on them. The more sensible, reasonable and common-sensed positions don't exist at the extremes. Were common sense more common, many of our ills, race not withstanding, wouldn't exist. I really appreciate your fervor and level headed view on this issue. Your parents have done a great job.

My wife and I are parents of 6 bi-racial children. I hate referring to my children as 'bi-racial' but for the sake of this comment I'll...never mind! My wife and I are of Mexican American and mixed black heritage, respectively. My hope for my children is that they continue down the track of becoming whole and confident individuals without any confusion concerning who they are. I tell them that 'what they are' is defined by 'who they are'. I can't imagine raising a family of confused children. My kids are constantly asked "what are you?" which irritates me. Trouble is, they usually get that question from the young black students more often than from any other race of people. We have taught them not to be framed by what others think, whether others think or not. Our children are defined by their understanding of WHO they are and not the way they look. Our children are also fortified by our unwavering love and support which makes a huge difference.

My children have also suffered from threats of violence like girls threatening to cut my daughter's hair at school. Very young children (second and third graders) trying to use dark brown markers or black markers on my daughters to color them. Also being threatened with physical violence. Sometimes they are not Mexican enough and others times they are not black enough. I tell them they are more than enough and to remain true to who they are. You are correct Grace, you all are melting pots and walking symbols of love. Keep your head up because you can be an example for my girls!!!

This argument is tedious and I understand that for some, necessary. The more we focus on who we are as individuals, the less we allow ourselves to be framed by our complexion. I believe that and I live it.

Again, loved the post!

I married into the black community in 1979 and have 11 children(his=7,mine=1,ours=3); 26 grand/great children and was accepted warmly by my inlaws. Things weren't always so easy with my family. I can remember my dad saying, "well you know there may be some family gatherings you may not be invited to". This from a man who had taught me that ALL people were equal! There never was a family gathering that my family wasn't invited to participate in on my side. I still remember the hullabaloo that my mother raised when my black music teacher brought me home from Saturday music lessons in 6th grade, that teacher's name was Cyril Paul, a famous musician, She was afraid I was going to grow up and marry a "black man". Well mom, I did! I found my "soul" mate, and the love I found has seen me through the rest of my days. I lost this wonderful, loving man to alcoholism when our 3 were in 1st and 2nd grade. But now I have a wonderful blended family and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I tried to impart a pride in themselves as "special", an entrepenurial spirit to find their own way in the world, to get their education, to reach for the stars and that they can/could be anything they wanted to be. They've had their struggles, but what person doesn't! I'm only able to make it back to Minnesota every 2 years now but to see all the "children" , close as a family,working together, keeping in touch and helping each other through their struggles would make their father proud. 6 blended families, 5 different mothers, it took some doing, but it can be done. There was enough love to go around. Where there's a will, there is a way and never lose sight of the prize at the end!

Bless you, Grace! I am so pleased to know that there continues, in yet another generation, to be those of us who know what "mixed" truly means. I am multi-racial/ethnic (black, white, native american born of an American father and French mother).

So many of the comments I have seen posted in other sections of this blog (as well as the general portrayal in this documentary series) regarding bi-racial people have been so disappointing and downright infuriating.

I, like you, don't consider myself white or black because I am both. In my 40 years, I have experienced racism from both white and black (for simply being part black and for not being black "enough") and had I chosen to identify with one or the other, I certainly would have developed into a confused soul.

My parents raised me to be a decent, productive human being–always acknowledging all of my “parts”–recognizing that my color/ethnicity is not what makes me whole.

I only wish that those of us who share these beliefs could outnumber those that continue trying to place us into homogeneous categories and those that choose to live in those "boxes."

This garbage is pure CNN Racism at its best. When are we going to have Hispanic in America, Asian in America, White in America, Islamic in America, Indian (Dot-not-Feather) in America, Cherokee in America and the list goes on. Ask yourself one simple question. . . What is CNN's agenda behind this "story"? I'm sure there is an end point which CNN desires.

Here, here!

Ms. Whitfield and her husband have raised a very bright and well rounded daughter. My hats off to them...and to Grace!

Not only extremely intelligent and insightful, but wonderfully well-written for a 16-year-old. Grace has a very bright future.

I so agree. American is not a race. It is a nationality. I am half Italian and 1/4 austrian 1/4 swedish. But born in USA. People label me white. We need to just dump all the "labels". I listen all the time to the labeling and I just want to scream. I hear people say Jewish-American and think, isn't Jewish a religion?

How you live your life will define who you are, not your color or national origin.

My brother and I are white. We each married people of other races/ethnicities. All of our children and step children are of various mixed back grounds. Each and every one of them checks off all the applicable boxes in the many forms we are forced to fill out. White, White Hispanic or White Latino (neither of which is actually fitting for South Americans, btw), Black, Native American and Asian. They are nothing less than the sum of all their ancestors. We don't ask them to choose. We value each and all. Too bad society is so slow to catch up. Brava, young lady! You are well named.

I wholeheartedly agree with everything said. My family is composed of asians, hispanics, black and white folks. They are the best of the best. We are family! That's all that counts!

I think that very well sums it up. I only wish more people in America could stop focusing on their complexions in the mirror and start focusing on our common challenges in the world. Biases will only change when attitudes change. That starts with the individual. As individual attitudes change, so will society's collective attitude change. Lead, and the world will follow.

Enough! Why do you have to highlight one race over another..why can't we be americans? Why does it have to still be a Black and White thing.... Will you ever do a story about the difficulties that a White man has america today.... as a white man you have to compete with laws that make things un-"equal". We are americans and that is the way it should be treated instead of a black and white issue....

Well put, well said.

It's amazing how so much racial tension comes from people who are older, when the young peole are really moved/moving past the issue of race and are just being people.

Very well said. I am the mother of a biracial son and have another child on the way. I can only pray in my lifetime more people think like this young lady. Society's eyes however, are what they are, but with people like her and the way I'm raising my son, hopefully that will change.

Shouldn't race be considered by the family involved and leave the rest of us out of it? These are their choices. I thought the piece was fine. Why should it fit into a nice little box that expresses all viewers expectations. It is A viewpoint and a very interesting one.

I loved what you had to say about your mixed heritage. It is exactly how I feel about myself and how i was raised by my parents (African American and Caucasian). I am proud to be biracial and would not want to have it any other way.

"There is only one race - the human race" - someday the citizens of this world will realize and truly believe that.

Well said – but I have one question: if Tiger Woods's mother is Thai, why is he called black? If Obama's mother was white, why is he black? Does the non-black community ever have a say?

When my niece was 7 years old, a woman told her what a pretty girl she was. My niece answered, "that's because my daddy's white and my mommy's black." She thinks her two races make her beautiful, and I'm proud of that, and proud of her. Thanks for writing this, Grace!

very nicely written, and much needed in our society. Thank you for sharing!

Out of the mouth of babes. Its a great point but I'm afraid it won't come to fruition if society continues to adapt ignorance. We need to embrace the positive more and not the negative

Grace,
Such an eloquent and positive young lady. As the parent of 2 bi-racial children one son and a daughter I try to give them positive images of all races. My son who is 8 told me he told his classmates I am white and black and I am the best of both. It is difficult enough for children of all races to be categorized and singled out for what ever reason. I want my daughter to have a strong positive image of who she is and my son is engaged whenever Barak Obama speaks. It is time for all of us to accept people for who they are regardless of race. As a black woman who was raised in an integrated community I have had my share of racism. It does not define me, nor have I allowed it to stop me from doing anything I want. I hope and pray that my children will be a successful part of the melting pot where we all come together as human beings. Still, decades after Martin Luther King's dream speak, we cannot come together as people to help one another. I am saddened by those of all races who refuse to look beyond the skin surface you may just be the most remarkable person you may ever meet. But you will never know because your hate will always keep you from being truly free. Thank you Grace, and thanks to your parents who are making sure you have a clear direction. May your future be very bright.

Beautifully said Grace Whitfield! Lynn you should pat yourself on the back for raising such a lovely, intelligent daughter. I am the mother of a 6 year old mixed race child and I am printing your statement out to read to her when the time comes for questions. Thank you for putting your take on the special out there!

There ARE many of us in this world you ARE able to look past race, who DON'T have a "check-box mentally", and who want to be heard. The problem is that there are a minority of people in this world (on both sides of the racial divide) who won't allow us to get past this because they continue to throw the issue of race into our collective faces. This current CNN programming is just a minor illustration of the point.

And as far as being a living symbol of racial harmony - unfortunately Grace the real legacy of miscegenation in America were people of "mixed race" who were produced by rape and oppression.

Please acquaint yourself with the history of multi-racial relationships in this country. They have not always been positive and harmonious!!!!

Surely your African-American mom told you about all this - right?

Race is a problem in our country and we can't devote enough time in seeking to understand one another from whatever race, religion or background we may come from.

That being said, much of what I have seen in CNN's articles and documentaries has an overriding theme of guilting white america for the difficulties of black america. There may very well be some merit to some of the arguments that have been made. Without question racism exists, however guilting one population for the difficulties of another has the opposite impact from what is intended. I don't want to be told I'm a racist simply because I'm white, that is the exact mentaility we are trying to get away from. We have to find another mechanism to make things better, guilt is not the answer.

Thank God! This Black in America series and segment have screamed to me of tokenism and opportunism. And I have found the reporting to be eerily creepy in the ways photos have been posted on the front page, (low quality, taken looking like mug shots).

As a bi-racial person, I felt completely excluded from this conversation, and when mentioned, it seemed as if people like me were still the same fear you saw in Dixon's Birth of America.

I appreciate this article, and I wish people understood what it means to be bi-racial. Maybe they would stop asking Obama if he is "too white" or "too black" which are questions predicated in the inability of people to know or understand at all that he's neither, he's both.

The vast majority of blacks in America are of "mixed race," of some sort or another. Hence, our different hues.

So, she is no different than any other of us.

Race, is a social/political construct, not a biological one.

Being black has nothing to do with the color of your parents.

As an Afro-Caribbean woman who just married a white man, I agree with Grace's statements. The short segment about interracial marriages and biracial segment had a negative tone and was not at all what I was expecting. When my husband and I have kids we're going to raise them to appreciate both of their cultures– we're not going to raise them as one OR the other.It's not about focusing on picking one race or heritage over the other as much as it is about being proud of both as they will benefit from both.

That segment of the show could just as well have been left out, it was so superficially done.

It might also help in losing the stereotype if people would stop refering to themselves as "African-American" and just be an American. Most who use this term are not from Africa. Others don't refer to themselves as "Irish-American" or "Chinese-American" so why is it always "African-American"? Just curious.

After reading Betina commnet, it reminds me of a friend who when asked her race, she answered "HUMAN".

WELL SAID!! Grace Gibson has a great head on her shoulders. Her parents did a beautiful job raising her!

I believe that most Americans of African decent have some form of miscegenation in their bloodline. It is unfortunate that skin color is an issue in this country. We are so divided in our communities based on this concept. The grim reality of this country is that you are black. You are judge on how you look and not on your heritage. My great grand father was white. I am black.

Unfortunately, race does play an important in genetics and science. While, generally, a check box is not the best method to define individuals (because that is what we indeed are) it IS helpful in identifying persons who may need to be followed differently in a medical setting. A white male at 40 might not need to worry about prostate cancer (the second most lethal cancer among men in the US) however, a black male (albeit in the same shape and health as the previous man) might seriously consider beginning checkups as this particular disease is has been found to affect black males earlier, and sometimes more aggressively.

We should not be limited to a box; however, we must also not forget our genetic components as they are very real.

Grace, your essay was as eloquent and well written as your mother is an actress/mother (kudos Lynn!). Bravo to you for watching and absorbing the information for what it is. Your documentary on being blended, too, shall be told. I don't believe it should stop here. There is much to learn about all of us on this planet that we share. My only snicker is to the remark that we "will become" blended....child, we already are! That's the unfortunate reason why we must understand this series...we are one, but we create a divisiveness that oppresses all ethnic/cultural groups. That is what must end. Bravo CNN!

I enjoyed reading this article, excellent job! I think other people in high positions in this country could learn so much from people like Grace! Pay attention!

Darling, your point is well taken and it would be wonderful if the whole world saw it that way, but the reality that we live in, people are just not going to view it that way. I am not saying it will never happen, but it will probably be generations on top of generations before people view it the way you have written about. Honey, this has been going on since the bible days and unfortunately it probably will not be fixed until we hang up these bodies and meet in heaven, but there is nothing wrong with continuing to hope.

I would hope that everyone would agree that it is time to let ALL PEOPLE speak for themselves. How little and belittling it is to have to define one's self in order to accommodate another's ignorance. Grace, you've done your mother, your father, and yourself proud in presenting a well-reasoned and well-lived position. Thank you.

Ms. Whitfield, as much as I've always admired your acting work, my respect for you as a mother has surpassed even that standard. Thank you, too.

Grace, we totally understand your point but face it.....your birth certificate says black, not mixed race.

what Grace said is wonderful and would work in a perfect world but we live in america and in america one drop of black blood makes you black.
Not to mention that american blacks are all mixed. we may not be able to look right at our white part but we are all mixed with mostly european blood.
so until we have a perfect world we will always be just black in society.

Thanks Geri for your totally selfish comment. It's all about you I guess. Can't you for one moment give this young lady some credit for a well written article? I guess Grace doesn't have any struggles.

I understand being proud of heritage and thankful to those that came before or made us what we may have become, but I think it is important to always look at the individual. If the person is a blend of two or to many to count races is less important than what that person is now.
There are no people without contributing factors of one form or another from multiple cultures, races, or enviorment. This is what makes for the best possible human, and yes the worst also, but one should never assume a person is anything without knowing that person.

It is amazing and refreshing to read a piece like this and realize that the "next generation" truly has the answers to issues that our parents could not understand. I am encouraged that change is truly taking place and it is for the better. It is in pieces like this where the following lyrics reflect reality – " I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way."

Kudos to the Gibson / Whitfield family! Job well done!

Grace is wise beyond her years. As a multi-racial American, I too agree that I am neither black nor white. However, I do understand it takes time to learn how to live in a world that wants to categorize you. But they will learn. I certainly had ups and downs as a child, but I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world to be multi-racial. The number thing I learned from both my black and white families is this- we're all the same.

Bi-racial children should not have to say whether they are black or white, but one thing to think about, bi-racial children have been considered black for many years. There are still many families that does not except a child being mixed. Yes, in this day in age it is ok to be grateful for being black and white, but Grace also comes from a family that is very wealthy. She has nothing to fear, except what color car to pick out. Think of those children who is teased because of the color of their skin. You ask my children what color they are they will tell you black and white, but I do think it is important for them to know their history and whether they like it or not society will consider them black.

As a young man of mixed racial background of anglo-saxon (my caucasian ancestors trace back to the Mayflower) and Chinese ancestry, I do appreciate a wider recognition of "mixed" background as I define and explore my own racial identity. Mixed race discussions today are beginning to go beyond the traditional caucasian and African-American identification. Nevertheless, I can still identify with many of the issues that come up when looking at the issue from that typical perspective. I also recognize the reasons for the African American community's ownership of Barack Obama's racial identity, but he is a man of mixed race and I am proud to share that identity. Regardless of whether or not his mixed identity gets wider recognition, I think a Barack Obama Presidency would certainly advance the dialogue surrounding mixed race and increase the awareness and acceptance of this identity for people of multiple racial backgrounds.

Lynn Whitfield has raised an awesome young lady in Grace, she will go far. As white parents, we work every day to ensure that our children are not concerned with color or speech, but sensitive and supportive to the many cultures that comprise this connected world they are inheriting.

I have always loved Ms. Whitfield, but now I have a new respect for her after reading Grace's comments. I commend her for providing a lifestyle for her child that would enable her to communicate such passionate thoughts and emotions as articulately as she did. It is good to see that some families with biracial children have resolved some of the questions and concerns that other families are still plagued with. I am proud of Grace for expressing her beliefs so confidently and passionately. I agree with her mother- I do believe a young activist is on the horizon. Much love and respect to both ladies! Novelist, Jewel Taylor.

Geri, What do mean by "program was not made with you in mind. It was made for us"? Grace Gibson is black... Her daughter is bi–racial. The article talks about bi-racial issues as well. You need to read the article more thouroughly before embarassing yourself and the rest of "us" with your uninformed, divisive statements.

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Well, Grace Gibson, obviously the program was not made with you in mind. It was made for us, the ones who have to go through the daily struggles of being Black In America.

Grace,
Very well said, you have the best of both worlds!

It is indeed heartwarming that a young lady has so much foresight about life than many of us who are years older. Grace struck on th right note when she stressed on the importance of self-esteem and self-confidence. It is the lacking of these two important atributes that result in the need to identify as being white, black , etc. We all have the same needs and aspirations in life regardless of color. The less we identify ourselves as white, black , etc. the more "barriers" will break.

I think Grace is an obviously intelligent girl. And yes, there is some work to do disolving the differences between the races and those who may have issues being born from two different races. Although she is reared by two sides of the spectrum of color, the segment was on "BLACK IN AMERICA". The bi-racial history (talking black and white) is not as long running or yet as deep as African American and Caucasian American. This MUST be dealt with FIRST

.

Grace, finally someone with the good sense to say what really matters, being an American. Color is only a small fraction of what we are, who we are and what we can be, only small minds and cruel intentions separate some one from enjoying a life full of love, pride and a future full of possibilities. you make me proud to be an American! Keep that attitude and you will never be disappointed. I'm sure your parents are basking in the glow of pride for what they and God have created in you.

I agree with Grace Gibson, the parents of bi-racial children did focus too much on racial identity. For me those days are past or very much need to be. I always tick "other" when a form ask me to identify myself racially. Whose business is it anyway? If you can't see, or know me, don't try to label me.

What a well articulated comment by a sixteen year old!! That just goes to show the positive side – she has not fallen under some of the negative things that were talked about on the documentaries.

I am a white mother of two beautiful mixed race boys (their father is from Africa) and this comment is testimony to what I hope my boys with think and believe when they are the same age. I do worry all the time that society will only place them in the "black" category – the good and the bad that comes with that label. I want them to have the freedom to be whoever they are and not be placed into a certain category – and your comment just makes me believe that if my husband and I give them the right tools they will be whoever they are and will love both races and cultures that they are mixed from. I really hope that we along with society can change certain things to become a more open, accepting and successful world.

I agree with Grace. I'm tired of having to answer to forms where you are either caucasian, black, hispanic, etc. They say that this is done to give opportunities to minorities, but I want to obtain something based on my accomplishments, not on my race, religion, etc. I am who I am, regardless of my race, religion, gender, etc. I was given a name when I was born and that is how I want to be identified. If we want to stop racism in this or any other country, we have to stop classifying people, like Hitler did.

Why do we have to identify with any race, religion, region or looks? Why can't we be identified for what we are as a person, without being associated with any of the above classes of stereotypes? I think it is because we are not patient and want to figure everything out quickly, so that we can feel better. As little as we all know about anything, despite the pretentions and wild assumptions, this impatience is the root cause of all this confusion.

What an amazingly coherent and articulate piece of writing from one so young! Kudos to Grace and her parents.

She has articulated many of my own feelings about Obama's candidacy and message remarkably well. Racial discrimination needs to end in this country, and the only way to end it is to bring it to the surface and face it. We've hidden it too well for too many years, while giving lip-service to the subject.

BTW, I'm a 65-year-old white woman who was raised in the Jim Crow south but didn't listen to the messages I heard from my environment. I've always preferred to think for myself.

You can be "gray", insofar as it's anybody's business what your race is.

I would like to commend this young woman for her comments. Also I would like to point out that the Black in America series is not just for "Blacks" in America. This series is providing information for all people, as it should.
As the parent to three multi-cultural children (I am white and my husband is African American), I feel strongly about the issue that Ms. Gibson raises. I do not say to my children that they must identify with their white side or their black side. My husband and I have raised them to be strong individuals. In the future if they choose to identify with one over the other, that is their choice. This issue appears to be of bigger concern to everyone else and not the kids at all. I cannot tell you how many times I have had one of my daughters come home from school and say that the kids are asking them if they are white or black. Why does it matter, it does not make them who they are! As for now, we are a multi-cultural family.

Further, on that note I personally do not care for the term "mixed" or bi-racial. We are all of the Human Race, and we need to start to care for each other as citizens of America.

One day growing up on a farm in Iowa, My father and I were doing the proverbial "leaning on the fence" and reviewing his stock of animals. I asked him why he would always breed from two different kinds of the same animal instead of raising purebred stock. His answer was, "Because the hybrids are stronger, healthier in general, and, therefore, more productive."

He went on say that many of the founding fathers were farmers as well and maybe they thought the same for the human animal. Based on what he said, my niece, who is German, African American, Cherokee, Dakota Souix (my father's mother is rumored to be hald Dakota Souix), Irish, and French is probably purebred American.

They say we are having difficulty rediscovering our identity. To me, its
simple: we are the world rolled into one.

Good job, Grace! You are black, you are white, you are biracial... and, unrelated to all of the above, you are a really good writer! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and affirmations. I hope you continue to explore avenues for your writing and public commentary. Take a tip from an older woman, though - if you do pursue writing, don't do it as a personal blog, do something where you get paid for it!

Grace, we never asked anyone to choose white folks did. Who said 1% black blood makes you black. It sure wasn't us.
No human should have to be ashamed of who she or he is. If they're bi, tri or multi racial the important thing is who they are as people.
I have bi racial family members and it doesnt mean any thing to me they are family no matter where there parents are born.
Humans really need to come to grips with the race thing because it has really gotten old. If it had not been for people of all races you would still be living in caves. In short read a book and learn of all contribution to the health and welfare of this country, i'm sure alot of you will be surprised.

Society will categorize you, so long as the categories remain, but the old categories of white and non-white are challenged by the increasing numbers and social power of people who do not fit neatly into the boxes, and particularly so at the present moment by the possibility that the next President could be biracial. Current popular interest in this topic of discussion is part of the process by which society re-considers and re-defines (in its various consciousnesses) what, if anything, the concept of race means for the futrue.

Bottom lines:
1. A huge shortage in desirable Black men has forced Black women to resort to dating and marrying out of their race.
2. Society can sense that the historical relationship between Black men and white women is pathological. White females are obsessed with Black men. Thus stirring up the wrath of white men.

BTW, once Black men have been with white females, many Black women look at Black men as damaged goods.

What has Lynn taught this kid? Obviously not very much. Of course she is mixed and neither black or white. However, the fact is that the majority of the people in this country will see her as being black. Since that is the case she will be treated accordingly.

Wow! 16 years old? Grace is not white or black or bi racial...she is amazing She is the future of this country...the largest melting pot in the world. How proud her mother and father should be of this young woman they have raised so well. Race is not an issue in life...it is a needed identity genetically at times and for the census takers. Does anyone esle really care?

Outstanding statement by Grace! My all-white family is friends with a mixed couple. We don't think of their children as white, black, or mixed, because we don't think of their parents as black and white. All of them are individuals, and we appreciate them for who they are.

I think it is wonderful that Grace has the perspective that she does. I can absolutely relate (my boys are third generation mixed children). However not everyone (myself, not so much my boys) are often forced to choose. Growing up my mother and father's sides of the family did not approve of one another and all too many on my mother's side did not approve of her husband and children. As a child I remember those instances and they very much contributed to a conflicted sense of identity.

Despite that I have always relished my mixed heritage because it allows me to relate to multiple sides (and sometimes none at all). I enjoy very much being part of this great melting pot and slowly sliding away from some of our darker history in this country.

Amen! I totally agree....I despise the "check box" mentality of our society. My daughter is black and white. Period. She shouldn't have to choose one or the other. I am white/Irish and her dad is black/Ethiopian. She embraces both cultures, her heritages and ethnicities. She is very proud to be of mixed race.

THANK YOU!! Finally somebody who gets it! I am the mother of 3 beautiful bi-racial children, and I tell my oldest as I will tell the 2 younger ones, that they are bi-cultural. They should be proud to represent two heritages. It seems that people who are prejudice seem to forget that God made us after his own image. If you have issues with any person of any race you are saying to God that he made a mistake, and He does not make mistakes. I am sick of people who claim to love God, turn around and hate someone for their color. These are the same people who go to church, say they love God but then question His workmanship. I am so proud of my children and I am teaching them to be strong, intelligent, compassionate people who's soul purpose is to make a difference in this world. I congragulate Barack Obama and I am so happy that my children finally have someone to look up to, because as I told my son if he can do it then certainly when you are grown you can do it too!!

I'm am a parent of a biracial child and I was insulted by the ignorance of the biracial parent trying to conform her children to either be black or white. And to state that black and white biracial children are more excepted by the blacks than whites is a stupid statement. It is she who has not excepted that her children are biracial. Everyone needs to look around...look! Biracial children of all colors and shades of beauty are the next generation. This is when we will no longer be judged by color, nationality, or race.

I have to agree with Wil. An awful lot of this "division" is caused by 'yourselves'. We actually have a NAMED month for only Blacks.........."Black History Month". If we had a NAMED month for Whites......"White History Month", we whites would be in BIG trouble! We have all BLACK schools, but God forbid we'd have all WHITE.

Yes, Grace has written a beautiful piece, based on what she's experienced. Be white and be insulted constantly by blacks with a 'false sense of entitlement' and see how THAT feels!

I'd LOVE for all people to be one..........but as someone else said.........that'll never happen in MY lifetime........and probably not for MANY, MANY to come!

My daughter is first generation African-American...her father is from Cameroon and I am a WASP from Boston. I've always described her skin color as like a mocha frappucino from Starbucks and she giggles when I say that. I've lived in Africa and noticed how people associate Africans as black. Were I born in Ghana, I would not be referred to as Ghanain, but as American. If a Ghanain is born in the US, he or she can be called American, regardless of skin color. I try to teach my daughter that whether her skin color is brown, mocha, or anything in between, she is who she is and to be proud of her heritage as being both from Africa and America. Even those who describe themselves as African American can't be sure of that direct lineage, as Skip Gates' study on DNA shows. The color of one's skin describes what a person looks like, not who they are.

You go, girl!!!

I, too, am tired of the labels and categorizing of people into pigeon-holed compartments, one of which is race. Is it really still important in our society to proclaim "the first African-American to be..." whatever. I understand this was necessary 40 or 50 years ago, with America still coming to grips with Jim Crow and Civil rights. Now, however, it is just a division that doesn't need to be there.

As Sidney Poitier's character in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" stated to his father ..."You see yourself as a colored man ... and I see myself as a man". This is where we should be and thank goodness great kids like Grace are willing to lead the way.

unfortunately lynn and her daughter are confused.....genetics proves that when one parent is black, the offspring are black....accept this fact and move on. you never hear white people declaring with a false sense of pride that they are half black!!! and lets get one thing straight. racism and prejudice are two different things. Racism is based on power. Since black people have no power, they cannot be racist. they can be prejudiced however.

My wife is East Indian and I am European-American (I would say white, but since this country likes its highens, I thought I'd play along).

We just had a beautiful mixed child.

For those who intend to demean him with YOUR prejudices, I will fight you with every ounce of my being.

For those who dont play the race card and realize RACE MEANS NOTHING, I applaud you and hope we can show the rest of the racists on all sides that WE love all races and have literally walked the walk, not just talked the talk of racial harmony.

Well said Grace. I support your position. Children should be allowed to be what they are and not be forced to make a choice.

Sounds like someone needs a ride from the waaambulance....(Geri).
How negative and angry can one person be? Stop being part of the victim mindset and rise above-

I think that this young lady expressed her feeling about how she identifies herself very well. I don't think that every bi racial American feels that same way. Some feel that they need to identify with one race or the other, does that make them wrong? I don't think so. It's all about the individual. Maybe in the future, Americans will stop trying to force everybody into a certain category and let us all be the individuals that we were born to be.

I am part of global family. We represent every possible color of human skin. I absolutely love that about my family. We are who we are. It is shows like BLACK IN AMERICA that seem to stir up racism. I just don't get it. America, get educated, stop labeling the entire world, and start celebrating being HUMAN.

Well said..I agree with this young lady 100%. I am the mother of mixed children. If you ask them wait their race is they'll say mixed. Very proudly, I might add.

I'm inspired by Grace's statement. I hope that one day we'll live in a country when a mixed race child can be who they are and not just another black child but today that's not the case. There will have to be a huge renewing of the mind that needs to take place amongst ALL races.

Thought provoking and well stated. To Geri, who assumes that the program was not created with mixed race people in mind, we are exactly the kind of people the program was meant for. It doesn't matter what identity we create for ourselves, it is the PERCEPTION of those around us that builds the psychological forces of oppression that ensue. We are faces of color, we are related, you and I. When we realize that oppression is interlocking and our destinies woven into one, only then can we resist the forces which seek to box us into definitions which we obsess over. "Black" and "Mixed", "White", "Pacific Islander", even "Hispanic/ Non'White", all of these terms are perpetuated by seperatist forces which seek to keep us focused on arbitrary and meaningless definitions when we SHOULD be focusing our energies on unifying and crumbling the foundation of the status quo. You and I, Geri, we are the same kind of people. That's why its called "consciousness", because we are still sleeping. WAKE UP.

"An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WOW great insight, as a grandfather of mixed race grandchildren I did not realize what my true feelings were until I was presented with my first grandson, at first I was your common white male from Mississippi and thought this was the worst thing in the world that could happen, after spending a few hours I came to realize that I was truley blessed and that color just does not matter.
I now am the PROUD grandfather of three mixed race grand children whom I must say are my favorite little people to be around.

Your daughter is beautiful, strong and activist-proud. She's a treasure, and you are a lucky mother.

As a white male, who has lived in an Asian country for six years, I can tell you that the more that single race people (and who is really of a single race) interact with the views express by people of color, blended or whole, the more they will lose sight of a singular way of being. The more multi-faceted we can become, the greater the world can be.

Very well written, especially for a 16 year old. I wish there were more strong and educated children like her around.

I like where you are heading with this, however, the reality is something different. Being biracial in this country is not a 'struggle'. I do believe that a biracial child (of X.black decent – meaning anything + black) is 'given' to blacks. It is not by choice. NO one called to ask you what 'you' wanted to be considered; they told you what they see you as. I know that it is frustrating... but the point of the show was changing perceptions. I can tell you this... a mixed x.black person is perceived a lot more postively than an all black person. These are the sad truths by which we live today. It is admirable that you feel this way... but the reality is you are what you are. You are inherently sucked into abyss of blackness by being 'of' the blackness. It is quite amazing that we have so many great biracial x.black people that are denied that component (half) of them that matters also. We are a nation of perceivers.... you are perceived as being black.

Live your life as an American first. If we stop focusing on categories, maybe one day this will all go away... maybe. The biracial people want to create a new one... no need. Just get in where you fit in...

Weather you are black or white the only race you belong to is the human race.

you are so right, but unfortunately, our world is not fair. what you say is what should be, but reality over thousands of years shows the human race to pick the other way. the older you get, the more rage you will feel at the gap between what should be, and what there is.
on a happier note- we can try to change our own close world. classmates, family, boss etc. and Yes You Can!

I am a 30 year old white Australian who lives in America. I am so relieved and excited that this comment from the lovely young woman shows that a new enlightened generation of citizens recognizes that color does not define you as a person.

Everyone should be proud of who they are for who they are and be proud of whatever ethnic heritage they come from. Yay for the evolution of the human mind and spirit! We are finally getting somewhere! And what a bloody good writer she is!

Grace spoke so well about she feels and her place in society today. What a good upbringing you have and a strong mom to back you up and teach you the right way to live. I watched both programs and came away with some good and bad feelings. We still have a very long to go. Thanks go to CNN and Soledad for presenting and being a part in a terrific story. I hope millions had a chance or will get the chance see the program if it is aired again.
Positive TV, that's hard to find in today's society!

...but aren't we all just one race...?

i don't know about ANY of you.
but i'm human.

The focus on race is only meant to keep our society divided. I think we should focus on our cultural roots rather than racial roots. The new categories should be what we choose for ourselves – African American, European African American, Indian American, Asian European American, European American, or Hispanic American.

We should be able to identify our ethnic background without referring to race because Americans have many ethnicities that are blended more and more each day. Race in and of itself is not a way to define a person – it leaves out the essence of a person, the cultural background that makes all of us unique.

Americans should no longer be forced to identify themselves by race and be allowed the freedom to choose which ethnicity is preferred.

Why do they really want to continue pushing people to define themselves by racial characteristics alone anyway? It doesn't serve any higher purpose.

Rock on proud american!

What a great article and how nice to finally have a mixed person so eloquently speaking for the rest of us mixed folks. Too many times I've read articles by authors who aren't biracial trying to explain my identity and my experience and most of the time they have no idea what they are talking about. I don't care what "society" says I am. I'm mixed and I'm proud of that.

Very well spoken. I am biracial myself, and I couldn't agree more with Grace. Finally someone bi-racial speaking out. I was raised by my paternal grandparents (black) and they never once made me fill like I needed to choose a race. They have always encouraged me to embrace my both races & cultures. I am very, very blessed to have them.

I understand you position and respect such...don't be fooled. If your mother were not whom she is, just get arrested like most "beautiful" dark and proud people of AFRICAN desent...you'll understand then the way that most of "us" do...sad to say!

We say that children these days are apathetic and not fighting for a cause–I'm happy that this young woman has taken something to heart and is doing something about it. There are obviously many sides to an issue and I think if we fostered more debate and understanding in this country, then we'd have more exposure to the views listed here (all of which I have read) and that everyone can share their experience and from the extremes find a common ground. There is so much going on in this world, and I think we would find more answers than questions if everyone would just listen.

I am truly happy to read this coming from a 16 year old. I pray my daughter and son are surrounded by the same type of wonderful people in your life. Kudos to Grace and Lynn.

What a positive well written piece. I really enjoyed reading this.

BRAVO!!!!

It's really more about how you act and who you associates with. Someone like Obama is half white and half black, but he goes to a 'Black Power' church. So he labeled himself black before anyone does. Especially when he called his white grand mother who raised him 'typical white woman' and the racist pastor 'like my uncle'.

Carol I know you thought that was a cute story but that could be taken the wrong way. Just because you are mixed does not make cute or special in any way. Its nice to have self confidence but when it is to the detriment of others it could be perceived as something negative. I think the show touched on this within the black community with so-called light skinned blacks with so-called good hair and dark skinned blacks with so-called bad hair. We should not be perpetuating these things. By the way, it does not matter what you consider yourself. You are black and that is just the way it is. You should know your history by now.

As most Americans they are all mixed. So why should race be an issue on any box. Very well said for a 16 year old. See how many fill in house hold income?? oh touchy subject there.

These are heart warming stories and I am sure that they help heal old wombs, but one cannot help but at least mention the "darkside" of interracial relationships. That is the role of the need the need to better oneself economically and socially may be at the root of some of these relationships and therefore may represent a mild pathological component to the race debate. For those chosen few who are completely "color blind" I say God bless them, however for individuals like Halle Barry and even Lynn, (attempting to fine success in hollywood) I sometimes question there intentions when they choose a partner...complex subject.

This is a great story, and she is right that she be proud to be both races. I think that she hit the nail on the head when she said it was not an either or issue.

I come from a mixed background as well, I am English, German, Irish, Native American, and African American. I look like your average white guy, but some of my features like my eyes look more Native American. I am proud of all of my heritage, and I think everyone should take pride in theirs as well.

I think this a great series, and I think it is making people talk frankly about the topic in constructive ways.

I am the parent of two beautiful Bi-Racial Children. If we all would look around at these two children along with the millions of other ones, we would realize that this is the next generation. I to am frustrated when they have to make a choice of white or African American. They are both and shouldn't have to choose. I have taught my children to embrace both cultures because how lucky could you be to have 2 cultures instead of one. Ms. Whitfield has done a beautiful job in raising her PROUD daughter. Good for you and may you all be Blessed!!!

God bless you Grace!!!
Well said. I have always encouraged my children, when asked to check a box, that they should pick 'other' and then write that they are of the human race. That should answer any question.

Where does so much wisdom come from someone of your age?
You must have very special parents.

While I can appreciate the thoughts of young Grace and I do understand her strong will to embrace both her black and white roots (I am the Grandmother of three biracial beautiful grandsons) I would like to comment on her statement about a Biracial Man running for President....Yes Barrack rings in a loud change for America but my question is, "Is America listening?...Why do I ask this question? Because when Barrack is mentioned in the media he is described as a "BLACK MAN"...I have yet to hear anyone in the Media or any of the so called News commentators refer to Barrack as a Biracial Presidential Candidate...yes, it is said in passing when they want to make a point about where he "comes from" but it is never said to described who he really is...he is always personified as "Black"....in the Hollywood world, they may be more accepting but in the world where I live my grandsons (by black and white alike) are never mentioned as biracial...they are mentioned as "little black boys"......hmm, harmony is good but there are those who are still forced to "check the box"......

Grace Gibson,

I do not know you but I am very proud of you. Obviously, your mother is too.

Rachel
Is it because of your complexion why you are classifying yourself has biracial. What if the child is of biracial parents but has a darker skin tone.
Just like how society classified gender as male or female, there is not a third gender if the person is a combination of both sexes.

How would you classified that biracial couple with the twins that one is of white complexion and the other a darker complexion.

So we need to clarify when is it we are black ,white or biracial. Is it because of skin tone or biology

What a touching response to an age old diversity. I am a woman in my 40's, a woman of color ( white is a color ). My children are of a different ethnicity. I have raised them with the knowledge that they will be known not by what color they are, but in how they treat their fellow man. My 3 children had their share of exclusion during their elementary school years, and in spite of that they have grown into well rounded adults who have empathy for all people. I knew I had accomplished what I had tried to do in raising them, which was not to look at their skin color but to be strong in who they were, when my youngest stood in front of his class in 6th grade and stated that he wasn't Hispanic or White , but instead he was Irish.

It is my belief that society today would not even be having a discussion on "color", if each generation would take a look at the harm that is done to mankind when people try to divide "them" from "us". Who is to say which race is "them" and which is "us". We are who we choose to be. Let's choose to be all inclusive of all people.

Many mixed children aren't comfortable embracing both sides of their heritage. I have a cousin who, about 10 years ago in 4th grade, completely ignored her Lebanese half and talked only about her Scandinavian ancestors . . .even with part of her family still living in the middle east.

I thought Lynn's point is perfect. Being the guardian and Uncle of a biracial nephew she hits the point perfect. I hope I have given my nephew the same confidence that Lynn has to embrace both of his cultures with equal pride.

What I don't undestand is why hasn't Obama? He seems to only embrass his blackness and has pushed his white heritage aside even though they were the ones who supported him and enabled him to go to the elite middle and high schools as well as Yale. I am very disappointed that Barack forgotten who he really is. Maybe if he does become president he will not be known as the first afro-american president but the first biracial president.

To Wil, who say Black this and Black that divides us...

Please remember that this division was forced on Blacks in America and not the other way around.

I am mixed (black father & white mother happily married 30+ years). My parents never forced me to identify nor did they care what color my friends were and we attended a church that was pretty balanced racially. I have always corrected people when I have been referred to as being one or the other letting them know I am bi-racial. Despite my caramel complexion I am constantly told that I am more white than black because I speak and dress proper. It offends me to hear that because that's still sterotyping however I consider my style to be that of my own. I am a leader not a follower. I don't look down on blacks or whites but I do look down on the division that exists between them and have always considered my race to be a symbol of unity. I love that the bi-racial population is increasing and hope that some day it can help mend the problems that have plagued america's past.

I've believed for years that we need to stop pushing people into categories; at the same time, people should be plenty ready to put themselves into the category they feel they fit best.
It's very difficult for some people. My daughter's two best friends were African American, but had been adopted by a white couple. They had a hard time deciding who they were. Both girls have adjusted over the years & have become comfortable with themselves.

Lest we forget – it wasn't that long ago that 'biracial' or similar terms included anyone with a 'mixed' heritage – many of society's adjustments to those people, over time, should apply here. The difference, as noted any number of times, is the perceived need to identify with/as one heritage or another.

My 'baby' brother is Japanese-American, and he joined our family when he was 9 weeks old, not all that long after the end of WWII. The animosity from some family members, let alone some friends,was heartbreaking. This was a baby, for heaven's sake, and he was (and is) my brother! Yet these people harbored anger and even hate for this infant because of some of his genes!

We are so slow to learn, so slow to adapt.. but Larry grew to manhood as a PERSON, and now his sons and first grandson are following the same path – aware of but not dominated by their genetic diversity.

We can only hope that with time, all children blessed with that far healthier and diverse gene pool will recognize it as the gift it is: quite possibly the single most important contributor to our adaptability as a species.

Beautifully written, beautifully stated. Thank you for sharing this.

Amanda, I couldn't agree with you more! The negative comment by Geri earlier definitely shows that people are STILL missing the point of UNITY daily! Grace IS Black in America and ALSO White in America, so she has every right to watch a program that has something to do with one of her two heritages.

Grace, keep those positive, constructive thoughts out there! We need more people like you out there, especially in Washington, D.C.!

I belong to another race by categorization, but I always belong to the race of "Uman being." If we fall prey for prejdiced leaders, business men, artists, etc..., we will promote hate and discrimination. Anyway, I belong to the "Human race!"

I fully agree with Ms. Gibson's comments. What makes me angry is why in the country, those who are bi-racial are forced to chose. I know many people who are proudly Irish-Italian, French-Russian, Agentinian-Bulgarian and they never chose which one they are. They come from two different cultures and heritages and are proud of both.
The racial hypocrasy of this country is overwhleming and only with people like Ms. Gibson can we work to end it.

What a wonderful outlook!! There will always be those who are prejudiced against various ethnicities (mixed or otherwise) and genders. Again, hearkening back to MLK, I judge people by their actions, by how they treat and guide their children, by how they show empathy for their fellow man and by how they take the initiative to make their own lives better and more productive.

I greatly appreciate the intelligence that you have shown, Grace. It is wonderful to see that at 16 you have such insight. I agree that mixed raced children, should be taught to appreciate their cultures and ethnicity. However, I also believe that a child that has a black parent should be taught about how others in the world view them. I don't believe that you have to explain to a child about the racism that they could possibility experience because of the color of their skin. While every mixed race child should accept, identify, and know their heritage, one also has to know that others will see you for what they want to see you as and you have to know that people are not as open about race as you would think.

i hate segments like this. As a race we have wanted to be treated equal, but this just sets us back. You know what its like to be black in america? The same as being mexican, chinesse, or even white. This stuff bugs me.

Well said by both mother and daughter ! I applaud LYNN for a job well done instilling pride and self confidence in her 16 yr old daughter. She is wise beyond her age.

Excellent article. There is only one race: The human race! May God bless us all.

Good for you, grace! I'm also multi-racial and am tired of people trying to catagorize me as black or white. Whenever anyone asks me – I just tell them I'm American, and think we should all look at ourselves as Americans, no matter what the skin color. I grew up in this country, and it is my ethnicity, just like a person who has Mayan and Spanish Blood is a Mexican.

It's time we replaced our outdated views of race relations. Viewing mixed people or anyone with one drop of african blood as "black" was based on the outdated laws of slaveholders and segregationists. Continuing to think that way denies us of our ability to take pride in all our ancestors.

Well said Grace! I hope that one day all Americans can see themselves as Americans with no wedges in place between ethnic or racial groups.

I belong to another race by categorization, but I always belong to the race of "Uman beings." If we fall prey for prejdiced leaders, business men, artists, etc..., we will promote hate and discrimination. Anyway, I belong to the "Human race!"

The only reason that mixed black and white folks in America are required to identify themselves as black is due to the historical "one-drop rule" in the US. The Dred Scott decision, which legalized Jim Crow, is a good example of this.

That "rule" has had a significant cultural impact. Most other countries are not that stringent, except of course for South Africa under apartheid, where everyone had to be classified as something in order to assign/deny rights. (No coincidence there.) Slavery, of course, is the American elephant in the room–if slaveowners could not acknowledge the children they bred with slaves (and make no mistake, anyone who is offended by that last verb, many owners did that specifically for breeding purposes), then they could not be "biracial": they were black; they were property, they were 3/5 of a person. Period. If you want to enforce Jim Crow or apartheid efficiently (please note I am being sarcastic here!), no one can be allowed to cross lines or ask for special treatment; the system would break down and oppression would end.

If there is a movement towards multiracialism and education about how EVERYONE in the world is of mixed heritage in some way (even if it's just Irish-Italian or Catholic-Protestant), then there will be no need for rigid classifications for those of us to who do not fit into "little boxes". At the end of the day, we are indviduals; we are not made out of ticky-tacky and we do not come out all the same. (Thanks, Malvina Reynolds!)

I recently had DNA testing performed and it came back that I had African Ancestry. I'm white but one of my great-great-grandmothers was said to be Black Dutch which is a term used by non-whites to allow them to vote and own land. Am I white or am I black. I say neither. In fact I use the term afro-european on forms now. One writer above said it quite well about stopping catagorizing by race. It only divides us not bringing us together.

As a mother of a bi-racial young lady, I am SO proud of you Grace. You're message was beautifully spoken and important! While I am a single mother with minimal involvement from her father, I have raised my daughter to embrace the many things that make her who she is. When she was younger, she would ask if she were black or white. I would simply reply, both. I wish more of the parent's in this situation would do so. The sooner the children can come to terms with and embrace all that embodies them, the better off this country will be.

Geri
you remind me of a guy I knew, he wouldn't let anyone forget for a second that he was different, but always wondered why he was treated differently. You can't have your cake and eat it too. As long as you feel like you're not a member of a group, how can you expect others to respond any differently?

BRAVO!
Race should not ever be an excuse to fail, do harm or a reason to discriminate - in any way. Those who want to perpetuate the motto "it's a black thing, so we'll say what we want" only perpetuate segregation.
Good for this writer for speaking up!

Grace, I loved your thoughts. I definitely agree with you that people like you and me (white, native american, black, ??) and Senator Obama are going to become more and more common in the future. If our culture (not just black or white culture, but US culture in general) can ever grasp the idea the mixed race people can't be squeezed into one category or another, maybe it will also finally comprehend just how artificial those categories are to begin with.

We've let race define us for so long, it seems we don't even know how to understand ourselves or others without using the lens of race. I guess the reason some people get so upset over mixed-race individuals is because they can't get a clear picture of who we are through that lens. They have to step away from that point of view, even if only for a moment, and I think the vision they see then is too new and frightening for them to accept yet.

I am so tired of the excuse that "Society" will do this, and do that. Who is Society? Isn't that all of us? "Society" only does those unfair things because we as individuals allow it, and just go along with the crowd we call "Society."

Grace, what an amazing statement. You are obviously a very smart, observant, and thoughtful young woman. When I kept hearing the press, my in-laws, and others call Obama 'BLACk', I kept thinking- hmm. He is just as much WHITE as he is BLACK. Why are we calling him 'the first african american presumptive nominee'? Why was he called the 'First african-american president of the harvard law review'? I think the best point you made in your statement above is that bi-racial people often try to identify with one race or another to make those around them more comfortable- and that's a shame. Like you, I hope that we can make this country a place where i am not a 'white girl' and you are not a 'black, white, or bi-racial girl'- but just a GIRL. I don't want or need any other qualifiers.

Damn Straight! I am half-Mexican and half-white. I identify with both. When I see government forms that want me to choose one, I write in American.

I am mother-in-law to my multiracial son-in-law (black, white, native american) and I applaud what Grace said, and in an ideal world I agree with it 100%. Unfortunately, society makes those of mix race choose. It is sad. It is unfair. It is wrong. A person should be able to identify themselves and not have society suppose it has any right in placing that identity upon them. My son-in-law has chosen the more "white" road. I hate even typing that.. We had a discussion a year or so ago about his having to make that choice. His sister has chosen the more "black" road. They both are absolutely wonderful, loving, incredibly talented and intelligent people. They both are looked down upon by their respective white and black relatives (not their parents as their parents are terrific people).

Barack Obama, Grace is right, is such a beacon for children/adults of mixed race. it is okay to embrace it all...

I hope that in the not too distant future I have grandchildren. They will love who they are and know that they are very blessed to have so much richness in their heritage. I hope that this world stops making people choose sides and just lets them be who they are, period.

Grace, your parents have raised a very wise young woman and are, I am sure, very, very proud of you. This white woman celebrates you! You go girl!

Amazingly well-said. As a parent of an almost 16 year-old, I am very impressed!

It would be my hope that one day we would take pride in being Americans...period. Not 'hyphenated' Americans, just Americans. I am not a 'Scottish-American' just because in my family my great-great-grandfather came from there, nor am I a 'Greek-American' because my great-grandfather came from there.

It's the 'hyphens' that divide us. We are Americans – we should continue to work through our difficulties, continue to focus on our similarities, take pride in our heritages but more importantly, take pride in being Americans!

Thank you for writing and posting this intelligent blog.

CNN needs to do a Biracial in America report. Seriously!

I am 51. I am neither black nor white. I am mixed. I am a woman and I identify more with that then anything. My children are mixed. My ex wants them to know they ARE BLACK. He drills it into them like it is a curse. We are mixed. Too dark for white and too white for black. Neither accepting us. We are our own people. We need to accept ourselves and stop worrying about "fitting in" with a racial group. It is like not being enough Italian, not chinese enough, not enough jewish. My grandfather was a wonderful man born in 1901. He was mixed, black, Indian and white. He simply told us to be proud of ourselves and never do anything to bring shame. Ironically, he had bright blue eyes. Do you know how many "white" people will say today in 2008, black people can't have blue eyes? They are mixed but they are not black because the eyes are bright blue, that is a white characteristic. I have a child with each color of eye: 1 green, 1 blue, 1 brown and the grandkids have hazel.
Accept who you are. I AM A PERSON. I AM ME. I accept me and that is it. I am happy with me. No one will go before me to show me the way. It is a road I must carve out for myself. Obama will not change my life. Bush will not change my life. If I need change, I have to do it myself. The "community" can't do that for me. People need to stop worrying about race and worry about fixing themselves. Put down the guns and stop the anger. One person stopping their anger and stopping violence in themselves can stop the need for "anger control" that does not work. Accept yourself and learn to be happy with yourself.

First thing is the Blacks should stop addressing themself as Black or African Americans. The Whites never say White American. Is either you are an American or not. Once you are born in the states then you are an American.

Been born in a biracial relationship is not a course. We are all human being and we should see one another as having red blood in us.

We keep bringing divisions when our ideas are still as in 40's. We should teach our kids about equality and our leaders have got lot of contributions to make.

It only needs to start with one person. Thank goodness she is 16 and has many years ahead of her. Her mother should be proud, I know I would be.

Bravo!!

Good job, Grace. I wholeheartedly agree with your message.

I think the best part of this is the fact that we are seeing such thoughtful and sophisticated commentary from a 16 year old. Not knocking young folks at all, I'm just pretty sure I didn't have my act together as well when I was Grace's age!

As a Republican, my support for Obama is first and foremost based on my firm belief that he's the best person for the job in terms of talent and judgment, but the fact that he is a personification of the potential for America doesn't hurt one bit. Not to put too much on his shoulders, but it young people here and across the world see him as proof that "yes, they can", I don't think you can overstate the importance of that fact.

Let's face it, there's a lot of symbolic import in the position of President of the US. Reagan was good for the US in the sense that he made folks feel like it was ok to be proud again, and hopeful. Obama, to borrow from Grace's generation, is taking it to the next level. Sigh, old white dudes should not try to be hip.

"Geri July 25th, 2008 8:59 am ET

Well, Grace Gibson, obviously the program was not made with you in mind. It was made for us, the ones who have to go through the daily struggles of being Black In America."

Geri, you are wrong. The program was about what it means to "Be Black in America" and those affected by it. It is not "all about (the collective) you."

Those who are having issues need to take steps to improve their self-esteem and their children's too and stop letting other people define who you are, this includes the so-called "popular" entertainment industry and take corrective measures. Start learning how to edify yourselves.

I can emphasize with Grace, being a true hyphenated American (my mother is English and my father is American) who is a Military/Civil service Brat. In the United States, I proudly call myself a Air Force Brat and when I go to England, I am a Mersey Girl. I am also a Third Culture Kid, having lived in a foreign country for two years in the mid-sixties.

If only Obama considered himself "both" instead of black, white America might feel like he would represent us all.

Impressive commentary for 16 years of age. Outstanding. Unfortunately, what it actually represents is not racially relevant. The intelligence and self-worth projected in this is a reflection of healthy, hard working parents and a likely priviledged upbringing. Which I'm very happy for you.

The psychological health and economic viability of any given individual or group of persons is what determines one's acheivements in life. Not race, not "culture" (unless it's one that values education, hard work and reason).

If a child is born into either an unhealthy or unprepared household of poverty (or both), then the only place to look is to for answers is the childbearer's narcissistic needs to "have a child". This perpetuates more "poverty" just so they can "feel" good about themselves, yet turn to friends/neighbors (taxpayers) for their existence.

Grace is a monument to Ms. Whitfield and her husband's moral and ethical values....yet tshe is the extreme exception – rather than what should be the rule.

Regardless of how mixed children feel..if you have one drop of black blood then you are considered black period! Get over it..it's not that serious!!!

We're all mixed genetically (except for a few small groups on isolated islands). It's just that some of us know the details better than others.

Our cultural associations must be personal decisions – there is no truly logical way to categorize people.

If that letter had come from a regular bi-racial girl living down the street from me, it may have been more credible.

Sorry Grace, no disrespect intented....but it really is a DIFFERENT WORLD you live in.

That segment on inter-racial relations represented the norm. You may be the exception to that norm... I'm sure we can all come up with one or two exceptions to any kind of norm. That doesnt mean it has to be part of the show...

If that were the case, Soledad could have also had a segment entitled, 'the former skinhead who fell in love and married a black lady"..... Now THAT would have been really interesting.

I think it is ridiculous that this girl has such an opinion,according to her the world will be nothing but a bunch of muts and that is insane.I personally would like to see all races succeed with out having to be inter-racial.I do not want my great great grandchildren to be mutts,but Americans.white.black or other,but Americans first.

To Cheryl:
I really enjoyed reading your post, I feel where you are coming from. I think it sad that a teacher "told" him he was African american because that is for him to decide what he chooses to be classified as. It is sad that you are trying to explain to your son (as a white mother) what it means to be black and I think this problem is rampant in our communities where the male isn't there enough. Continue to be the mother you are and show him both sides of the spectrum.

On another note- I'm not biracial, but I can only imagine how it must feel for some that find it hard to identify with one race or another.

Grace,
Thanks for having the knowledge and courage for just even writing the blog.
America has a ways to go before we are "One" nation under God, but we have made some progress. I think everyone needs to just stop, listen to each other to try and better understand one another. Take time to strike up a conversation with someone of the opposite race or a bi-racial person and actually ask them what it is like to be white, black, hispanic or mixed. EDUCATION of each other is key.

I adore the sentiment, but, unfortunately, in our world today you are asked which race you are. It's on applications for jobs, college, etc.

Most people have a little of something else in them. I choose to describe myself as black because that's what people have seen me as my whole life. Even though I have some white and native american blood in me (like the misceginated culture we live in).

Historically, society has always defined a person who had a drop of black in them as a black person. That's why there are two worlds. This is the way it has been for years and just over the last 2 decades has tried to change that.

Bi-racial children should accept their heritages. That means that they need to accept the kinky hair that they have. Or the natural tan. But, unfortunately, society puts you in category's, so pick one.

I think all of you missed the point! That special was intended for Ghetto America. Just because ur bi-racial, it doesnt make you special. And this is coming from a biracial guy. I thought the letter was ridic. People should find better things to do with their time. Cheers.

I am Gray!!! It is interesting when people state that you should pick one or the other. But too much in this society it is chosen for you. You should determine what is best for you and how you feel about something, not let others tell you.

When I was in elementary school I was filling out a form for a state test that asked for me to pick a “Race.” At the time the choices were Black, White, Asian, and Hispanic and stated to “Pick One.” There was no “other.” I asked the person conducting the test if I could pick two boxes, because I was half black and half white. She innocently suggested that I pick one, so I asked her “OK, should I pick my father over my mother or vice versa?” She smiled and stated your right pick two. For a long time (I am 40 now) I have referred to myself as Gray (Black & White mixed). I am proud of my Black Father and White Mother and the sacrafices they both made to raise my brother & I.

Ben,

I think we can not assume that Grace has not been a victim of racism in her lifetime just because of her status. Racism and racist thoughts and ideology still exist in all walks of life. We forgot that the wealthy people of yesterday created the idea of race in America. They still thrive on the fears and ideals of it today.

America is going through changes that aren't unfamiliar to those who come from India. As much as it may not seem so, once upon a time, India, too, had a black and white issue. The remnants of those issues last till today, in the form of the caste system, and the clear distinction in the complexion of Indians. I am Indian – I am mixed – I am brown. But it didn't start that way centuries ago.

In my society in India, my family is significantly lighter complexioned than everyone else. However, Indian society has come to a point where on a day to day basis, everyone is as they are – Indian – not back or white. On occasion, complexion does come up in discussion, and it's usually from genuine curiosity. Routinely in South India, from where my family hails, my mom, brothers or I get asked if we're from Afghanistan or Kashmir, due to our features and complexion. It leads to good conversation, and everyone learns a lot more about their fellow Indians.

America today is dealing with the kids of mixed race marriages – who are neither white nor black – but brown. These brown kids are no different from me or like many other Indians, only, are from a much more recent mixture, and they're American.

I theorize that in 500 years or sooner, America, in black and white, will be far more brown like India than you can imagine, with far more beautiful people all around. I look forward to such an age.

After reading the responses, at some point one feels encourage but then again it is easy to see the entrenched prejudices on BOTH sides.

If American only had the opportunity to learn from our South American neigbors about racial integration, we could really make strides ahead.

It is so apparent that most Americans cannot think outside of the "box", such a shame. If it is true that we are not judged by the Creator based on our skin color, why must we continually put so much emphasis on this characteristic?

I believe we as a country will only move forward when our Christian leaders stand up untited regardless of color and tell it like it is; when prejudice is prejudice and to also remind people not to require the sons to pay for the sins of their fathers.

People need to start caring a WHOLE lot less about what "society" dictates. They're both. The past is the past, I won't say forget about it, but learn from it and move on already – for ALL races. Who really gives a u-know-what what the color of someone's skin is? The only thing it is – is wrapping paper. Beacuse your great-great-great-whatever was a slave, slave-owner, terrorist, murderer, whatever – it doesn't mean that you should bear the guilt, anger, hatred or anything else that they embodied – be your own person & move on!!! They're BOTH and should be proud of it!!! They're some of the most beautiful people in the world!

Never judge a person by their color. Remember, we all bleed the same color so that makes us all equal.

About time I read more people like me. People who are biracial, who thinks segregating us to one ethnicity is a ignorant step backwards.

I am both Asian, and Caucasian.

I'm not Asian-American, ethnic-American, I'm just an American.

As a blue-eyed blonde, I never personally felt the effects of racism until I had two Caucasion children - one with blue eyes and light skin and one with dark skin and eyes. Believe it or not, the darker-skinned child seemed to have to prove himself to people in a way the lighter-skinned child did not.

Ms. Whittfield should be proud of this young lady. As a school teacher I wish more young people shared Ms. Gibson's ideas and passion.

Keep up the great work!

There are many biracial children in this world and they should be proud of the content of their character and embrace whatever racial or ethnic backround they have.
Its like a child who is italian and Irish. They are probably beautiful with brown eyes and blonde hair or just the opposite.

Grace Gibson has the progressive and positive attitude that we all should be comfortable with and embrace.

My niece is white and she grew up with many children in school , who were Hispanic and German, Jamaican and Irish , etc these children commonly called themselves mixed . The kids never had a second thought about it. To them is was ethnic backround , interesting for a moment but then on to playing and laughing. We should all take a clue from that simplicity.

Grace is living up to her given name.

Grace Gibson,

Kudos to you sister! But, the fact of the matter is society in & of itself is to blame for this misguided notion, just like, I hate that certain people of color are considered minority! What's up with that! & who thought of majority/minority anyway! SOCIETY!
I'm glad to be living in a time that any man of color is running for President of the U.S. I thought I'd never live in all my 40-something yrs. to see this happen.
One step for mankind!

One Love,

Can anyone tell me were there any solutions to all of these "problems" that we faced in "our" community were presented? Don't you think that if we stop feeling sorry for ourselves and start progressing and moving forward and realize that no one owes us anything...they'll be doing these "specials" 40 years from now. When you accept the names that people call you..you'll start believeing them. Stop accepting them and move forward.

Grace you are a breath of fresh air and a very well-spoken young lady. As the parent of 3 beautiful and successful biracial young men, may I say your opinion was refreshing and true to my own experience. Raise them with love and family and they will embrace the whole of their humanity and culture. No one should have to choose a culture just because the obvious shows on the outside.

It would be very interesting to see a follow-up piece on CNN, with a full and fair representation of the story.

I am so sick and tired of hearing about race! And what it is like for people who are not white to live and how hard it is. We as a nation need to get over this issue of race. We are american, this ignorance needs to stop not in certian communities but ALL. I dont' go around calling myself a german, hungarian american...so why do people have to ID with one or the other. Nobody should get special treatment or benefits because of the color of their skin NOBODY! As for you who say mixed races don't know what it is like to go through the daily "struggles" of being black...or being labeled as accting white or talking white i say bull! don't let yourself be brought down or pigoned into them...DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Get a better education, job etc. Just because someone gets an education, or SPEAKS PROPER ENGLISH does not make them less of their race...i applaud them for taking the initiaitve to be a better person and not have the woe is me attitude. You need to be the change you are looking for, otherwise you are just contributing to the stereotype.

@ Geri that was the most inane comment I've ever read. Grace is bi-racial and because she's not choosing one side over the other but embracing both you are judging her as less than black? She is black and she is white – she's America. It's attitude like yours that continues to breed racism.

BRAVA! I hope many people read the words of this well-spoken, self-aware young woman. The words of Miss Gibson could teach the leaders and the general public of our country a great deal about something that desperately needs to be learned.

What Grace has written is so beautiful and admirable. My fiance and I are pregnant with our first child- a son who will be Portuguese/white and black. We regularly discuss how we want him to be raised to never be ashamed of either race and to embrace the beauty in each, to always know his history and where both sides of his family have come from and what they've been through. He should not be looked down at or viewed as disadvantaged because he fits in the "other" category but he can enjoy the best of both worlds and be doubly proud to be a symbol of love which sees no color.

I completely and wholeheartedly agree with Grace's passionate statement about being biracial in America (only 16 years old! Amazing!) As a fellow "blended" American, I can say that the only 'confusion' I ever felt growing up in the 70's and 80's was when other people felt the need to categorize me as either/or. My parents did a beautiful job in letting us know that we were whole people, not just 'parts' because of who we come from. Keep up the good work, and please, please please keep righting. I have never, in 33 years, read something that was so accurate in portraying what it is TRULY like to be 'mixed' in America!!!

Well put. If only others would see it the same we probably wouldn't even be discussing it.

wow! nothing to add! why doesn't she has a TV show to talk about this things? She could be the new Oprah. I'll tape her everyday. I think kids at school should have a new course: "Personality". Teach them to be different, to not follow the so called "leader of the pack". To be themselves. To ignore color stereotypes. To ignore stupid criticism (somebody is not going to like something about you at any given time), doesn't matter what you do).

While I applaud Grace's essay and agree that in an ideal world what she says should be the norm, I also believe I see where Geri is coming from in her comments. The fact remains that there are many challenges to being black in America today that bi-racial people may have to face as well. Those challenges and stories of people who have both succumbed to and succeeded against those challenges was what this series was all about.

This commentary was well written and I believe all of Ms. Gibsons' points are valid. However, I have both slave and slave owner blood running through my vains. My mixed heritaged didn't come from some made up Hollywood love story (Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings). It was as simple as a white man taking advantage of female slaves. End of story. For those of us who happen to be older than 16 the hurt that arises from the knowledge of the atrocities committed againt relatives, the splintering of families (e.g. whole families owning half siblings who have no human or civil rights) is unbarable. My light skin and blond hair was not created out of love but human struggle and survival. My point is we have come a long way with respect to inter-racial relationships/marriages but not far enough. Love is love no matter what color you are but the pain from the history of slavery, the fight for civil rights (which wasn't long ago) is so great it's hard to move forward. I don't belive you should have to choose what race you are but clearly this country will make the choice for you.

Someone should fix the typo in Ms. Whitfield's comment: "Blank in America" should be "Black in America"

I also believe Grace's comments are very good and true. I also agree with Marcia about blending. My heritage is hard to nail down, Irish, English, Dutch, German and American Indian, so for all practicable purpose I'm white. My Irish family name doesn't have anything to do with being Irish having been raised as American. All of my heritage came here before my documented family tree. My wife is Asian and we raised our daughters to be proud of both heritage and look at other for what's inside, not appearance. Both of our daughters suffered from some prejiduce for being "mixed" race when they were younger. The man our oldest daughter is marrying just happens to be black. He meets "dads" criteria of honest, hard-working and makes his own way relying on his ability, not any other issue. My Amer-Asian daughter was raised in a bi-cultural home mixing both Asian and American cultures to what worked for us. Her children will be raised with tri-cultural heritage (for lack of a better term). And they should be better for it learning more cultures and being of more cultures. Society is already blended, just no one wants to admit it and live like it. Why must we be of something.

I think Grace's comments are wonderful and insightful. Having said that, we live in a world that defines who we are by race. Forms we need to fill out for school, surveys constantly asked our racial identity. I realize that more and more people are finding love in many different people, black, white, asian, etc. and their children are considered biracial by their families, but unfortunately not by the rest of the world. I'm proud to say we have several bi-racial children in our family and we are just as proud of them as the single race children. Maybe one day, race won't matter, but the character of the person.

People can manipulate & justify bad things to good in their own minds, we see it every day. Look at the Homos, they call themselves gays. If what they are was not so bad why try to change the way the disease is perceived. Being a homo is nothing to be happy about. If it wasn't for this girls famous family things would be differant for her as well.

What an interesting discussion! My children proudly identify themselves ethnically as Swedish, Scot, African, English, and a little bit of Italian. When they were very young, our family was beige, dark brown, and medium brown–no one was 'black' or 'white'. And yet, it is only in last two years that most forms–for school and everything else–have allowed them to accurately 'code' their background. And–despite efforts to keep them on 'neutral' ground–schools and other agencies are quick to identify them as 'African-American'. Both of my children go to a predominantly white, upper middle-class suburban high school where their friends routinely tell them how "white" they are–as if they should be something else. Fortunately, both are well-grounded, and find it somewhat ironic. And, both clearly understand that how society defines them has very little to do with how they define themselves...just like Grace.

"What ARE you?" Us mixed-race kids are used to getting rude questions about our heritage. Not fitting neatly anywhere makes us comfortable everywhere and forces us to define ourselves rather than depending on already-constructed assumptions. We can't afford to be afraid of what we are not because that option is simply not available. Instead, we take strength from everything that we ARE.

And soon, we'll have our first mixed-race president.

Society categorizes all of us. Too dark, too short, too fat, too skinny, too butch, too femm. Very few of us meet the ideal that society dictates. We can choose to embrace that ideal and break our hearts trying to emulate it, or we can step forward like this young lady and say I don't care what you think, this is who I am. Sadly society has worked really hard to stigmatize – if you are young, black and male you must be headed for a life of crime; young, black and female you are going to be an unwed mother/welfare queen. If you are bi-racial, you had better pick which side you want to be on.

No one should ever have to "pass" for anything. Yet we as a society continue to uphold that piece of folklore. Society will not change until we as individuals change, speak out, accept and look past something so surface as skin color. I have been guilty of this, I probably will commit this sin again. It is hard to overcome a lifetime of cultural programming. Yet I see so much hope in this young woman, in many of the young people who were portrayed in this series. Be who you are, be the best you can be at it. The world will only be better for it.

I applaud her statements. The ideal of not choosing a side is great, but like TD Jakes said in the program, we have to face reality. The reality is in a racist society it the difference in your physical makeup is judged not your racial makeup. If your skin is brown, if you have features in common with black people you are black in the eyes of some in this society and vice versa. Racism is not personal, it is full of ill feelings, uneducated prejudices, and unbiased ideas about a group of people based on how the other group looks and racism goes both ways. I have seen racist people accept someone that goes against their distorted idea of a norm for a group but still shun the entire group as bad as a whole. I can say I am not black because my great-grandmother was Native American, my great great-great-grandmother was white, my great-great-great-great-grandfather was a white slave owner, but people wouldn’t hear a word I say and continue to see my black skin. It's not about choosing sides. If you look black, you can't wake up tomorrow and be looked upon as neutral. Even if you don't claim a race (by the way black is not a race), you are still subject to some of the issues that face the group society identifies you with. You could look like what some people may think is a Muslim and be labeled a Muslim. Society loves labeling and is having a hard time trying to plug mixed people into one group and I enjoy watching them struggle with it because it shouldn’t be an issue. So I say continue to not choose sides, but know that if society labels you, nothing you say can change it. I read a lot of posts that sound good, noble, and great, but what action will change the hearts and minds of society at large. That is the discussion I would like to see in a neutral and non-biased forum – the show should be “A Divided America”. It has probably been done. At any rate, how do we inflict a positive change on ideas of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and any other line that divides us? Is it possible? If it is possible how do we do it?

wow a celebrity i bet she has it rough ...
not...the only color i see is green.

Grace...first of all you are a beautiful and brilliant young lady. As the mother of a biracial daughter, I echo your thoughts about identification. My daughter is 21 and was never subjected to prejudice because of her heritage. However, over time it seems she has outwardly adopted African American as her racial identity even though her father is of German descent; I think she chose a race because it simplifies her life and that's how other people see her. But in her heart I know she embraces both backgrounds. She attends college on the East Coast and recently said due to her color and hair texture most Spanish speaking people think she is Latina and immediately speak to her in Spanish. Everything about our world is becoming global and fused, so it's interesting that people still want to impose a specific heritage on a person solely based on his or her outward appearance. Senator Obama made an interesting observation, according to a newspaper I read. He said, "I am biracial, but when I try to flag a taxicab the driver sees black."

Brilliantly stated. Written by a 16-year old with more eloquence and insight than is usually found in writers twice her age. I'm proud to share a country with her.

This young lady says it perfectly! My daughter is a 15-yr-old biracial young woman, and had some of these same comments after watching the segment. She proudly does not fit in any one "box" and is comfortable in her own skin, just as Grace says! Although people do try to "label" others as one race, it really comes down to the individual's mindset, and as Grace said- you CAN be both black and white.

Look out world, this young lady has it put together! Can we vote for her yet? Seriously, the depth in which she explored her feelings is highly unusual for such a young age. Her mother should be rightfully very proud!

I love the article, my husband was married to a white woman, has two beautiful children. We are all Gods children and American.

At a ladies' lunch, I sat next to a well-known writer of "mixed" parentage. This woman identifies only with her Black heritage; refers to herself as a Black person, writes only about Black issues, and means them only for her Black readers (her words). I am of Scandinavian descent, blond, blue-eyed, with extremely pale skin (I never go out in the sun). Yet as our arms rested next to each other on the table, I noticed that this woman had paler skin than me! I commented on that and asked why she never wrote or spoke of her White parentage. She ignored the question.

Congratulations Gerri! You are the winner of the "Closed Minded Thinker" award! Winning by a landslide. The whole Black in America piece was to expose ALL people to what its like being a black person today. Its especially important for someone of a mixed background, so they can learn more about a large part of who they are, and what cultures they come from. You totally missed the point... very sad. Hopefully you don't have many other forums to post your ignorance on.

Grace, thank you for your wise words, pride and common sense. I am a proud woman who has mixed racial and religious background; I represent many cultures and stories in one body. One of my friends jokingly tells me that I have Mutli-Nationality Syndrome, which truly defines my blended life. We are special and unique humans, and for that I am eternally grateful.

My wife and I adopted our Daughter as an infant. She is biracial(tan in color), and as she grewup(she is now 12 years old) she would always say that she is white, not black.

I remember telling her "you're both" and more importantly, "you are a child of God who made you the way you are, "special" in his eyes and in ours."

Society may place her in a category, who hasn't been placed by Society? But my wife and I never have and never will.

To read this young woman's post, you would think that biracial is some new ethnic group. African Americans come in a wide variety of hues so biracial has been with us for quite some time. However, cultural norms tended force a choice.

The only thing that is relatively new, is the willingness of an increasing number of people to identify themselves as biracial. I strongly suspect that most people identifying themselves as biracial didn't come of age in the turbulent 1960s where there was a serious attempt to have African Americans of all hues see themselves as one people. This biracial classification will be a setback to those efforts.

Yes TESOP, Society does indeed put people into catagories. But please do not forget that "you too" are part of that society, and that "you too" put people into catagories. So when you make the accusation that "society" does this – do not infer that it means "other people" (as though you are pointing your finger outward).

Grace is naive....When people see her they see either a young black woman, maybe spanish or maybe some other minority but they don't see her as white. I agree with what Raymond wrote, lighter skinned people have an easier time being accepted by whites.

Grace seems very intelligent but lets face it, the only challenge she has had to face is what to wear the morning. Let's hear from a 16 year who comes from a middle class or lower middle class family and who attends a public school and lives in the real world.

Those who would take exception to what this young woman has so eloquently stated should turn their own lens inward and begin to deal with their racial prejudices and stereotypes.

The world continues to move forward. Time to get on the bus and leave the past where it belongs, in the grave.

Welcome to the human race.

Ben,

I have been refused entrance in a store at closing time. I have been pulled over by state troopers. I have also been removed from my "date's" car and was questioned if I were being held against my will- (we were both white) I have been ignored at bars, I have gotten lousy service at restaurants, my white husband had his head smashed against a brick wall by a cop (for nor reason) He was even stopped while trying to pick up his kids from his first marriage, because he didn't look like he belonged in the neighborhood. He had a ten year old car, looked out of place with all the beemers and jaguars. The cops followed him and asked his ex-wife for her id to make sure she really lived there. These things happen to everybody. There are stupid people out there. Sometimes it is racial, sometimes it is just stupidity.

I am not black (at least I don't believe I am), but I do relate to this topic. Recently I had to fill out a form for a gov't job; It asked if I was White, with no Hispanic origin, Asian with no Hispanic origin or hispanic. My mother is half Mexican and half Chinese, my father is White. As I sat and pondered the questions, I then notice "Please mark one".... So, I ended up marking Native American, I did this simply because there was no space marked "other" and I was born in America, so I figured I was a native. Nike shoes come in all kinds of colors and styles, and are still called Nikes..... As Americans, we come in all kinds of sizes and colors, why can't we just be Americans?

To Geri at 10:47 am ET: Get over it!! You are one angry person. What "daily struggle" are you speaking of? The struggle brought on by a lack of education? (12 years are free here in the US) Or is it the struggle of being untrained, and living in a poor neighborhood (choices made not to pursue higher education)? Do tell, what struggle?? I am Jamaican of a medium-dark almond color, and I will admit that I DO NOT have a daily struggle being me. I get grief from Black Americans for speaking proper English "talking like a white girl" though.

You obviously failed to re-read Ms. Whitfield's very bright daughter's piece. Or you may simply have issues with her as a fair skinned "Black" girl. Your very terse comment reaveals a whole lot!!

As a totally white-bread ga-ma to four absolutely beautiful multi-racial girls, African-American, Caucasian, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and as I high school teacher, I can only applaud the illumination, self-assuredness, and maturity of sixteen-year-old Grace Gibson. I would LOVE to have you as a student. Don't let anyone tell you that "society will categorize you anyway." I don't think you would allow that. I was raised in a household filled with bigotry and mean-spiritedness. It takes a lot of stamina to overcome how one is brought up. But it requires far less energy to accept people for who they are. Every day that I walk into a classroom, I see people like Grace. If you want to know why anyone would be a teacher, Grace is a prime example. The rewards I receive as a teacher far outweigh the speedbumps of the job. I can't wait for the day when all four of my babies play together on the beach, a mini United Nations building sand castles and chasing waves. That is a perfect world.

Thank you Carol for your story. As a white woman pregnant with my first child, fathered by a black man, he and I have already had many conversations on once he's born, my side of the family will struggle with acknowldging his darker skin, his family will struggle with his skin being too light (although we won't know that until he arrives) and we still come back to agreeing that we will give him love and teach him how lucky he is to be him....no matter how light or dark he may be!

As a parent of two beautiful and wonderfully unique multiracial children, I'm often taken aback by the comments of others. My older son has a darker complexion and my younger son is more fair. Yes, they have the same mother and father. This is basic genetics, and it should not be surprising to anyone who paid at least a little attention in middle school science class. Yet the ignorant questions and remarks about their parentage persist. I think it is high time for an addendum or two on this topic in our etiquette books.

I agree and applaude her comments. I am a mixed race man and have been rasied to be proud of both my heritages.

What about children of a white parent and a hispanic parent, or a white parent and an asian parent, a black parent and a hispantic parent, an asian parent and a black parent, a middle-eastern parent and a white parent? And I can go on and on. I think all the parsing of a person into this race or that race is fatuous. It is rediculous to be thinking to your self, "Look at Jane. Her mother is a white hick from Florida, and her father is a dark-skinned Hawaiian. Which makes Jane half white and half Hawaiian." I prefer to think, "Look at Jane. What a beautiful young woman. She has a gorgious smile and beautiful shinny brown hair and is a lot of fun to be with because she is witty and intelligent."

We can choose how we want to approach people. Do we want the main factor in our interaction with them to be based on their racial heritage, or on who they are. Unfortunatelyy, who they are will be a product of race to the extent that you can not go beyond their race when you interact with them.

No, TESAP of Savannah, WE are Society, and change can start with those of us who see PEOPLE, not color. It's time we stopped sitting by and letting "Society" dictate our thoughts, time we took charge of our own views, and realized that this is a very small planet and we are ALL valuable, and none of us should be categorized by colour, it's irrelevant. Well done, Grace, you are indeed a melting pot, and beautiful inside and out!

Right on! I am Hispanic, which means European, Mediterranian, and native South American Indian. My son is half black and half "brown", so he is multi-cultural. You are right about how others feel they need to place biracial or multi-cultural children in a box. People would do that to me, saying that I was just Hispanic, not understanding I was also white. We cannot deny children the pride in each race/culture.

It's not like centuries ago where biracial white and black children were told they weren't white and they were a reminder of injustice against black women. We need to teach our children how to be part of each of their cultures. This is not only the obligation of parents, but of society. I would be hurt if my son only identifies with being black because there is so much more to him than just one beautiful culture.

Well said, Grace. Your words speak of a maturity beyond your young years and you speak volumes by your words!! Barack Obama has always disappointed me by saying that he is a Black man instead of a Blended or Biracial man. I was hoping that he would be a role model by saying that he was blended instead of black all the time. He has brought out his white heritage, but speaks about it very little unless race is brought up. He needs to admit that he is "Blended" , not just "Black" more often. I have a blended nephew who has been struggling with his identiy and he has had a very difficult time with it. Father was French and Jamacian and mother is Irish/mix. To me he is a handsome young man. But he said the other day that even Obama does not classify himself as blended, he identifies himself as Black, so what kind of role model is he for mixed children when he cannot but rarely admit he has a white mother? Especially when these children don't want to be classified as just one side?

I hope we all come to see the light on this issue.

While I agree completely with Grace's point of view, the show deals with the complications of being "Black in America". I think the show should have shown more positive aspects, however, that is not reality. Reality is, you're placed in a box from the moment you are born. In this case, black or white, not black AND white. I am certain you are very proud of both your backgrounds, however, I am sure there are an equal number of people who are not so proud. One of the people being interviewed said it best, "When you're born of mixed race, it's kinda like 50/50. You're accepted by 50% of the people from one race and 50% of the people from another race". You're never truly, according to society, fully accepted as being black AND white. It's either or. I made a decision to marry and procreate with a black women (I am a black man) because I know how hard it is just being plain, old "Black in America".

This is so right on the money! I too am Both and I have always check other on any application that I had to fill out. Maybe we need maybe we need to stop the black Vs White thing and just be called American's

you would figure after 150 years of freedom the blacks would have more than just king jr.,all they do is cry racism all the time instead of moving on and being productive citizens,all they want to be are gangsters.

we are human, I am american, I am mixed with native american, french, scotts Irish, now this is the truth, who is pure race, that day is gone. I am myself, happy,proud of my life. thats it

Well thought and written by young Ms. Gibson.. However, in this world we live in – and I mean the entire globe – she will be forever viewed as Black, African-American, or "lady of color"...

Hey – she is beautiful, articulate, intelligent and has a beautiful mom. Enjoy what God has blessed you with, and move on... I think worrying about what is "black, African-American, blended, bi-racial, etc., is trivial during these times.

America has problems / issues that are much more important than one's bi-racial culture: Gasoline prices, two wars, Iran threat, economy, housing foreclosures, our failing education system, etc..

CNN – since it's entry in the all news market – has been my favorite television station, but I think this is really a non-news item. Nothing personal against Ms. Gibson or Lynn Whitfield, I always enjoy seeing her on screen.

I watched several segments of the "Black in America" series, and Soledad did a wonderful job...

But there are real issues that are much more important now..

BTW – yes I am African American and bi-racial, but I have always proudly considered myself to be African American...

Grace Whitfield is right one can be of both races. One can have many ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds. People in the past had to indentify with a group for support. Today, being human is enough. Sadly, for this to be universal everyone must think this way and for people to do so they must be in a strong position economically, socially, and physically. In the future will be all mixed- then only the insane will refer themselfs as a monocolor label.

At 16, I never had that much of a grasp on life and "the bigger picture". It was pretty much me me me. Her mother must be beaming with pride.

I think this is a very well put together opinion from a 16 year old. Way to go. I am not black, but I do have many friends who are, and they were always taken aback when I never brought it up. If we could convince more people in this country that we are all AMERICANS, not black, white, European, Asian, African, whatever, things would be, I don't know, way easier. Parents need to raise their children to see people and not skin color, or religion or any of that. It is a very idealistic view, I understand that, but the only way to get there is for the generation having children now, my generation, those of us in their 20s and 30s to raise their children "right" People are people, end of story. Grace, thank you for voicing your opinion so well and so openly.

I thought we all belonged to one race: the HUMAN race?

In my humble opinion I believe that there are those in society that would rather wallow in the negative. That's all they know or that's the sickness that they choose to hold close to them. Yes, there are those who are still going to discriminate against you no matter what. So use your brain, ignore them, and move on. This country has come a long way since the 60's and prior to that. Anyone can make it if they choose to persevere. Barack Obama is a great example of that.

Some need to get over themselves and stop playing the victim. It gets really old and impedes progress.

One more thing. Get rid of affirmative action based programs and you won't have to be judged categorically as much anymore.

Ms Gibson's response was right on target. I am raising a bi racial daughter in Memphis, TN. The program showed only the negative. The key to raising any child is to make them feel good about who they are. My daughter is 6 and just starting to think about her differences from the people around her. But when she mentions that her skin is different from her cousins, I remind her that we are all different. Different eyes, ears noses and hair. But that is what makes us all special is that there is no one in the world just like us.

I want my child to be a well educated, well rounded, productive member of society. I believe that most parents want the same for their children no matter what race they are.

Yes, very impressive but unfortunately this is and will be always an ongoing question that has no answer. Why? Because we all always care about things that will end up dividing us.

Wil makes the comment, "... If we stop using terms like “Black congressional caucus” and “Black entertainment TV” and other such nonsense, perhaps we will all come togther. Stop dividing YOURSELVES." I can no longer hold my peace!

I am thinking about the countless number of sitcoms, sopa operas, television dramas, documentaries, etc. that have no African Americans in them at all!! If the words Black Congressional Caucus bother you, are you equally bothered by the fact that in the 10+ years that shows like Friends, Seinfeld, and Roseanne, (to name a few) were on the air, you can count on 10 fingers the number of Blacks on those shows combined? We defintely can't count on these networks to cater specifically to our interest, so TV One and BET have taken on the task. But when its done in our interests, it's called division.

What would happen if there was a program about being white in America? Such a shame...This double standard we have. All "AMERICANS" have issues to deal with. Why is Obama imbracing being black and ignoring his white side, unless it is politically usefull. I understand he was raised by his "White" grandmother.

I have a wonderful little girl who is biracial. I tell her she is both black and white because her mom is black and her dad, my husband is white. She likes Hanna Montana and Raven Simone.

Wow. What a perfectly eloquent beautiful statement. Well said. I cannot belive this young lady is only 16. Wow.

BUT, Grace you MUST remember when white people see you they see your exterior only. And I must admit you sound a bit like the old folks in my family with the "She can pass" attitude. You are a rich girl, you will always have friends and may always be accepted. But that doesn't mean if you are poor and biracial that you will blend in as well. Green is the new color. I am a 60 year old Black women from Louisiana and we are all blended in Louisiana and have been for generations. Some of us so light it's even hard for them to tell, but the one drop clause they placed on us still applies. That blend did not help us get into better schools are better paying jobs. We were just called COLORED. I hope we are all blended by the time my grands are grown, but the folks will find somethings else to hate. That's what they do best. And NO I am not better because I am Green!

Demo in Lafayette LA

I watched the program and I thought it was a very good program. I didn't see anything negative about it at all. The program was not just talking about bi-racial issues, it talked about being Black in America. What we go through and what we have to accomplish. Now no matter how you look at, if you are bi-racial with black, then you are considered black according to society. Please let us not focus on just one issue of the program, look at the entire picture.

Upon reading the first few lines, I had to admit that this young woman lives in a fantasy world. She lives a very privileged, sheltered life and is not amond the "commoners". You will always either be black or white. You seem to be afraid to admit that you are black. You should be proud to be black. There is no such thing as being both. That is the real world the rest of us live in. If I were bi-racial, I would know that I woulld always be considered black and be proud of it. What's wrong with being a proud black African American? You perpetuate the very thing you say you don't want to exist. You deny you're black because you really want to be white so you call yourself "both". Being bi-racial in this world is still discriminated against. You're in denial. You mention Obama. He is living in a fantasy world. Hollywood should hire him. He's clueless to reality.

The old saying "Out of the mouth of babes"...Young lady, as a fellow American, I am proud of you.

I was really floored when I read such an eloquent response from a teenager regarding race. It makes you wonder whats wrong with the 'adults' in this world that are ignorant and harbor hatred. I am a mother of a bi-racial child and I too am teaching him to embrace both as well as teaching him all of her heritages

African American, Native American, German, Irish, and Scottish on my side

African American, Native American and Australlian on his father side

Anyone in this worl that thinks they are better then someone else based on race is a moron. There are no "pure" races left, we are all of mixed heritages and we are all Gods children.

Kudos to Lynn for raising an amazing, mature,beautiful (inside & out) well adjusted daughter

Kudos to Grace for being such an amazing human being

This woman deserves a standing ovation! I's not about color, it's about people! The black vs white is in the past and we all know it wasn't right then nor should be now! I'm a caucasion male 58 years old and I have seen and heard enough hate to last me a life time. To me it's not a matter of resolving differences because there shouldn't be any to begin with. Be happy to be alive!

I think this was an intelligent, well-worded opinion. I am disappointed with Geri's comments that this program is only made for those who identify themselves as black. I thought the point of CNN's "Black in America" was to promote discussion cross-culturally and cross-racially. Saying that something is just for "us" and not for "them" halts productive discussion and self segregates. I do enjoy the discussion and insight others have to offer.

Well done! young Grace, as you all can see, division is power and not nessersarly good for all. We should all take a serious look at how our young veiw life because "this will be the future"! Unity for Humanity!

I come from a background that encompasses many racial and socio-econonic groups. It occurred to me when I was a child, when I already had more than enough troubles in life, that it would be easy to hang the blame on this reason or that. I saw so many people doing it. I also saw that it got them nowhere. As I grew and matured, I learned that I could, if I so chose, bite the tempting cheeze of political specialists who made their living by catering to, and actually in causing, anger and feelings of self pity. Then I saw the nuclear type destruction caused by throwing money on the smoldering embers of Watts, as Johnson milked the legacy of a fallen leader to not only guide us into Vietnam, but into the ironically named "Great Society". My hope rests with Obama, who has not played to the themes of woe, but instead to those of personal strength and triumph. He is ready, as I see him, to defeat the evils of both black and white self thought. I am ready to follow him.

I am not surprized that Ms. Whitfield's daughter would turn out to be so strong. I believe it is the result of good parenting. I have a bi-racial niece, a black nephew, and a white nephew (all siblings): Mom is White, one dad white, one dad black. The children grew up in a poor inner-city neighborhood with parents that dabbled in drugs and were pitiful role models. All three children attended a predominantly black elementary school. White nephew was picked on by black classmates because he was white, and bi-racial niece and nephew were picked on by classmates because their mom was white (white nephew was the only white child in the whole school). All three are non-productive adults now (and all three have children out-of-wedlock) and not sure of their place in the world. One daddy drove these kids around when they were little with a lumper sticker on his car that read:" I don't need to be dead to donate my organ" and he practiced that.

I appreciate Grace's perception of what being in America means to her. Yet Being "Black " in America is what Soledad's documentary is all about.

While I'm glad you are having the "Blended" perceptive on things, my two nieces are coping with being "Black" in America . One of my nieces have a White mother and Black father (my brother). My brother is a dark skinned African American and my niece's mother is from White (Irish descent). Due to my brother's darker skin tone, my niece ended up with a nice brown skin tone. Therefore, when people look at her, they don't see a mixed child, they see a black child and thus she can attest to what it means to be 'BLACK' in America.

The second niece has an african american mother (my sister) and a hispanic father. While my sister's skin hue is very dark, the hispanic father is considered (white/hispanic). This niece ended up with hue of her father, thus can "pass" to be hispanic or white. When anyone sees her with my sister, they immediately think it's "not" her child. My niece is now confused ,at 6 years old as to why people "ALWAYS" ask her if that is really her mother. The niece has to identify as African American since her mother has been classified as African American.

While both of my nieces are beautiful "blended" children, unfortunately, they will have to be subjected to being 'BLACK' in America; either by the color of one of their skin ,or by the color of the parent's skin. Either way, the experince will be there.

We keep it real in the "Black" family, we tell our nieces that they are both beautiful black young ladies and no matter where they go in life, be the best at whatever they do and know–THEY ARE ALWAYS LOVED!

Sometimes "blended" children are often treated differently based on their places in society. If the parents are of a wealthy or well known status, I'm sure it may not be readily noticed.

It would be a great idea for Soledad to add a segment of "Being Black in America" from a Biracial Child's perspective in her documentar. Then we can see the disparities among biracial children of wealth and poverty.

Just keeping it real.

Please don't allow yourselves , be you black , b-racial , yellow , red or white to be catagorized or judged by racists , whatever color they may be , and they do come in every color. We must rise above them & continue to worship the dignity that exists in all live . Unfortunately perverse religons feed poison to there adherents & teach that THEY are above , or better than other religions , therefore not teaching " every man & woman is created equal" It's time that people realize they have been mistaught & poisoned into having very misguided views of how life really works.For some it's a much harder road than for others , but don't let THEM drag you down into the hole that their in. Keep seeking truth & living with dignity & know that evolution will eventually produce a much more enlightened Golbal Citizenry. I would however re-examine where your faith is being placed . If your religion separates you from one single other human being , it may be time for a change. {for the record , I myself have been a practicing Buddhist for the past 31 years]

I think series like this are stupid in the first place. It further divides us! I am neither a black woman, white woman, or any other race. And I am married to neither a black man, white man, or any other race. Our children will be bi-racial in physical terms because mine and my husband's skin have different colors, however we choose not to claim a race at all. I am a woman of God, my husband is a man of God, and THIS is what IDENTIFIES us. This is the "arena" of acceptance we've chosen to live in and it's a place that isn't a "white church" or "black church" but just a church of unity.

STUPID series like this and stubborn people like Jesse Jackson and that other "reverand" is what helps PROMOTE division. I've always been taught that if you want to STARVE something, STOP feeding it!

We ALL have difficulties living in America. We've all had tough lives, suffered, cried, felt rejection and discrimination, and some have had it worse than others and most certainly someone had it worse than you...so get over yourself and just LIVE.

How brilliant – at 16 years old, you are more worldly-wise and sensible than most of the people trying to run our country! Great insight and obviously a wonderful product of two beautiful people who see beyond barriers. They have raised you well and you will become a perfect adult with great potential because you are not stymied by the parameters put around most of us.

My grand daughters are also 'mixed'! but don't realise it. They were raised by a Spanish gentleman from Spain and a mother from England but have no problem dealing with who they are and are proud of both their heritages. There are no parameters in their lives and I am delighted to hear that there are none in your short life.

You will go far...thank you for a really inspiring article.

I've noticed that the majority, if not all, of the guest columnists that CNN has featured under the topic of "Black In America" are in the arts and or major media. I'm sure we all know that the experiences of those who work in these fields are not readily comparable to the experiences of those in other lines of work and walks of life. They are members of a specialized microcosm of America, and therefore should not be taken as an accurate representative sampling of the American black experience.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!! You are brilliant and I am so happy to hear your voice. I am the white mother of 2 bi-racial children. I have become very upset to hear bi-racial celebrities claim they are black leaving out a very important part of who they are. We shouldn't have to choose our race when filling out an application for work or any other entity. It shouldn't matter what you claim your color of skin to be. My skin quite frankly is peachy pink but that is not on any application i have filled out. I am going to allow my daughters to grow up knowing they don't have to choose a race, that they are in fact both and above that they are intelligent, funny, beautiful and fabulous!! Which doesn't come in any one color, but in a multitude of colors.

Just wanted to say how beauftiful your outlook is and how it touches my heart that you had the desire and drive to articulate your feelings. What an amazing young woman you are; your parents must be very proud.

All the hype, the build up the emails back and forth reminding one another to tune in to CNN's Black in America. Gathering our children by the television to watch what we thought would be an enlightening program on Black in America my husband and I were incredibly disappointed.

Perhaps we've explored all of the negative nuances of being Black in America ad nausuem. If you're Black in America you already know the negatives. Nearly every Black family in America has the success stories and the failures within our circles. We know the stats, we understand the absentee father issues, we are familiar with the disproportionate numbers of our people rotting in jails.

We are a remarkable, reslilient, beautiful, effervescent people. Our accomplishments to this society and our worth has not been applauded enough. Back in the 80's the Cosby show was such a phenom because it allowed America to see a side of Black people devoid of crippling poverty, crime and ignorance. The Cosby family was an exact replica of the majority of my black friends' upbringing.

I want to see some time devoted to the goodness of our race, the magnitude of accomplishments obtained in the face of crushing negativity. The sounds of Black folk. Not the ignorance that has become some of Hip Hop now, but the Jazz, the Soul, the music that has enhanced America. I want to see more of our cultural influence on this world. The swagger of Black people that is unique to us. Our profound sense of fashion. The myriad shades of our beauty, and yes, we are fabulously beautiful (think tanning salons, butt implants and collagen injections).

Each time I catch a glimpse of Michelle and Barack Obama I am proud. They represent to me our very best and guess what, we're not that scary or ignorant or unpleasant to look at. We can speak without rhyming, articulate thoughts, hold our own with dignity and pride. We don't need handouts and pity. We need to hunker down and help our own. Immediately! If you've made it out and enjoy the fruits of your labor then reach back. Help a Black person less fortunate than yourself.

RISE BLACK FOLK! RISE!!!

That's what being Black in America is to me.

Renee Thomas

I am a white middle aged woman married to a black man and I have mixed children. I always made it a point to write out on school papers "bi-racial" when asking race and i let my children know 100% they are mixed black and white, not one or the other. i tell them they are special because they are two races instead of just one. To talk to them about their race in a positvie light and not negative will only help boost their self-esteem and confidence that they will need in this hard world. when someone makes fun of them and it is usually a black child "informing" them that they are not completely black then i just let them know the child that made fun of them is the one with the problem, not them. there is nothing wrong with being bi-racial.

I am somewhat confused. Throughout history the cultures have merged even though it was through force, nevertheless, there have been mixed races since slavery and many Black Americans are products of the rapes and even the voluntary unions of various races so where is this new term "biracial" coming from. Now that it is accepted and is prevelant I guess it's ok to discuss it in the open forum.

My wife's family is from Louisiana and many of her relatives could pass for white and they are eighty year plus in age so this concept of "biracial" is nothing new.

Why don't we concentrate on the real issue " if you are not lilly white then we must have a discussion about the nationality of a particular group" in order to decide how we are to respect or disrespect that group. If doesn't matter if you are biracial, have 30% white blood or 100% Africian, the manner that you are treated is in the eyes of the beholder and that is the simply reality of it all.

If I like you and accept you I will respect you and treat you accordially and If I don't accept you I will show it, so what does color have to do with it? Hatefred is the real enemy and until we deal with that and introduce a lost concept "love for one another" the whole discussion is irrelevant.

By the way, don't forget the other old concept, "do unto others and you would have them do unto you", just something to think about!

Johnathan

again, well said. As a Latina American (Puerto Rican decent) who has just given birth to a beautiful girl whose father is a black man IN AMERICA, but born in Haiti and raised in the great USA, I, too, feel too much stress is put on labeling people. My husband and I were just talking about the blogs spinning from Soledad's special. It is hard enough to FIND a great person to be your soul mate to begin with, much less putting restrictions on staying within your race. A great husband no matter what nationality is better than a husband of the same race who smokes, drinks and beats on you, or worse!!!
I am a fan of Lynn Whitfield, and I am glad she has raised such an intelligent and well-rounded young lady. You go!!! Much success in your future days.

As someone who has had the opportunity to meet and interact with Lynn Whitfield and am proud to have her has my homegirl from Louisiana, I am not surprise to read and appreciate this point of view her daughter, Grace. What's clear to me is the apple does not fall from the tree, so what if the apples are both red and green. They are still good fruit. Hats off to parents who teach, instill values, common sense and love in their household. We are not a dieing breed. Great job Grace!!!

I consider myself a black male. I have dark brown beautiful skin. I do not personal date or have any interest in dating white women. I have a diverse ethnic and racial heritage, including white European through Rape and then again through incest. Some members of my family have chosen to separate themselves from the identity of "BLACK". The reality may well be that they have a different experience than I in America and on this planet because of their lighter complexion. If CNN does an episode on "MIXED or BLANK or YELLOW or RED in America" I will watch as intently as I have Black in America. I will say that if you are "lucky" enough to enter into "unrestricted race free agency" and choose the Race you want to belong then why would you choose to be BLACK. I know some who do but as we all can see from this response from Lynn Whitfield being black is a condition that can be cured with "a little WHITE you know what" or is something many of "US" can escape from. I would assert that the folks who identify themselves as mixed MIXED should find there voice from within the mixed community. There is little need to confuse the issue. The show was about being BLACK. I am BLACK and my reality is that of a BLACK man in America.

All African-Americans are "mixed", our history as slaves dictates it. All black americans have white ancestry, and I imagine many white americans have black ancestry. I can point to the Indian and white heritage that my family has, but I have never thought that made me anything but black american. Which I am proud to be, with all the history that comes with it. Also, I respect the choices of others to call themselves whatever they like – so I wish Grace well and respect her right not to pick one or the other. What I do not respect is using her mother's fame to have her opinion published, rather than joining the discussion in comments, like everyone else.

What I don't understand about all of this is why the moniker of "African American" is used so much. Where the people that use that name for themselves and others born in Africa and moved to America?
I am white, but have Irish roots, does that make me Irish American? If being called "black" is offensive to everyone, so is being called "white". It goes both ways everyone.

Well said. I have three children who are all mixed race. They are ages 17, 21 and 22. They were raised in a very diverse community and have friends and family of many different races, cultures and religious backgrounds. There was no pressure on them to identify with any particular race and they feel proud that they can enjoy and participate in the culture of many races.

Oprah asked Tiger: What race do you consider yourself to be?

Tiger to Oprah: The Human Race

Afro America is black and white. Within the community WE are a people who are biracial, multiracial, and if still possible, monoracial. The beautiful thing about African Americans is that we are ALL a people of many strands of blood from all over the world. Some of us just happen to have a white or yellow parent etc.

Why are some singled out as being different and OTHER just because of the race of one parent within the African American community. This is the greater racism! You want to apply the one drop rule to the majority of African Americans–like white people of yesterday– but not yourselves. HOW IS THIS NOT RACISM!!!

Propped up by liberals who have not taken the time to understand the various and handsomely diverse bloodlines within the African American community, you are praised for claiming all your blood while other African American are forced to deny their blood and told not to claim it simply because a parent is not white etc.

Racism is Racism! This is just another example of how down low it can be within a ignorant politically correct atomosphere that has done more to encourage it rather than challenged it.

Shame on you. Shame on CNN. Shame on Soladad O'Brian for NOT getting the story right about our shared biracial and multiracial blood making US ALL more the representative melting pot of this country.

I agree with Grace and other views. We are all Americans but racism is alive and well in this country. We all come from different walks of life. I think the racism wound has never been healed but covered up with a band aid. I'm proud to be Black, one should be proud to be White or Hispanic, Asian, or mixed. In real life, some discrimination is so obvious its shameful. You have to address the issues, correct the problems, be positive and focus on the positives. I have been told we make a big fuss over nothing, to quick to scream racism. I think some blacks try to make whites feel guilty for the past. That's totally wrong. Racism from any race is wrong.

My brother and sister are mixed (black and white). We have different fathers. They are very light complex, can pass for white. I'm brown complex. Here's my story. We came from a poor family. We are all middle class now. We have never been in trouble with the law. We have obtained our bachelor and master degrees. In school, my brother would select white, he thought it was funny. One day, a white teacher told him that he was mixed and should select black. The same for my sister from a black teacher. The reason was that any black blood in you makes you black. This is not all people, just a few.

When we go into stores together, we would seperate. I would be followed by store employees, but my brother and sister never had a problem when we were together. We are in our late 20s and early 30s. The housing market has major faults. My brother married a white person (who is nice and wonderful). She's a stay at home mom. My brother makes $75,000 yr. His credit score was in the low 600s. There were two major mortgage companies that we applied for during the same month for the same loan in 2003. I'm an engineer, makes $90,000. My wife (who is black) is an analyst makes $85,000. My credit score was 690. My wife was 800. We had no debt, no college loans, money in the bank. My brother and his wife received the loan months before i did. Me and my wife went through hell trying to secure the loan, we finally went through anothe company and file a complaint against those companies. At least the president of both companies offerred apologies to us. It was so many examples.

Me and my wife both served in the military, contribute to society in a very positive way but my brother and sister faced much less discrimination because the color of there skin. Now, we all talk and laugh about those instances.

I congratulate this young lady for not allowing herself to be "loaded-up" and held down by SOCIETY'S baggage. Not to be critical of CNN, but I found that this whole series projected blacks as weak and incapable, you know "poor, pitiful negros". The problems discussed not only impact blacks in america but all americans. Each of us, regardsless of race, has an ability to overcome the obstacles we face in life and the power to positively impact the world we live in. The whole concept of making generalizations about people based upon race/completion is often times inaccurate and most definitely "tired" and outdated!

Honestly speaking, this conversation about being black in America is getting really boring. I don't know about you but the theme is repetitive. This conversation – an offshoot of the black in America is as well. Her idealism is inspiring but really...haven't we heard this before. Now, what would really interest me is a story of being White in America. How about it CNN? Mexican American?? Indian?? Asian??? Better yet, an in-depth look at why the later two are going back to their native country's and building there instead of staying here in America and building America. My last suggestion would be very telling of our society. Who is leaving and Why?? That would be more interesting than this. No matter what people might think – this story and others like it has been told frequently. Let's move on to other communities.

People like Geri and Williams are part of the problem... always NEGATIVE. Nothing is going to change when you live with anger. It doesn't matter what color you are. Anger is anger. Just because Grace writes well you think she has been pampered her whole life, that she hasn't "seen" the things you've seen. How in the world would you know if she has been called "Oreo" or whether she has been judged or not? Of course she's been judged, WE HAVE ALL BEEN JUDGED, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Oreo...

Your life is the way it is because it is what YOU made it. Not what someone else did to you. Stop blaming other people, stop living in the past and most importantly stop judging.

Thank you Grace for all you said. It is the person, not their skin tone that should be our focus.

My neice is biracial, but if I have to identify her, I say "That is my neice." Nothing else is important. My daughter and neice attended high school together and when some of the staff found out they were related, they were surprised, responding "I thought you were just good friends." Well, they were right, the girls are good friends AND they are cousins and had never done anything to hide their relationship. Then I would make the girls laugh by asking the other person "Can't you see the resemblance, they both have naturally curly hair."

It is obvious Grace that you have parents who raised you with the best of values and priorities for yourself and to look at your fellow man. And with the blessing of the Lord, you truly live up to your name. Thank you.

Very stated! Young Whitfield and her thought process is the future of and for America. It's time to think forward and not back. Not saying that we should forget our past, but more so embrase our present and what the future entails. Everyone knows the saying, "Forgive yet not forget". Let's start practicing that today.

Congrats to Grace you are so right. Its time to kill the one drop rule, et c. I am triracial Native American, European, & African American. We celebrate all our ancestors in my generation. The generation before us didn't even let on we had African American ancestors. They hid the photographs leaving that little bomb for us until after they were gone. Imagine going through your family papers & finding you really weren't who you thought you were. It wasn't a shock, just disappointment with the knowledge that they were trying to do what they considered best for their children by hiding in plain sight. I found out my light skinned lovely Granny was passing & gave up her dark skinned daughter, a beautiful child from her pictures, so that she & my dad would never be found out. I can't imagine how that was to her but I never want other families to give up children & cut themselves off from their families just to make a better life for themselves & the lighter skinned child. Its not worth it. I wish today I could sit down with my Dad & Granny & tell them that I would rather have had an aunt & more family & it wouldn't matter at all if they were purple or polka dotted. I wish they would take the race designation off all papers & ids. Too many families have lost themselves & their past because of it. I live in a small Southern city in a racially mixed neighborhood. Thirty years ago this wouldn't have been possible. Things are getting better but still not good enough. I too wish CNN would do something on those of us of mixed race.

I don't check the boxes and write in Human under "race". If we don't stop trying to qualify each and every individual as belonging to this group or that based on color, ethnic group, religion, sexual preference, vegetable eater or meat eater, we are never, never going to seek, much less find, the humanity in each of us.

I thought Lynn’s point is perfect. Being the guardian and Uncle of a biracial nephew she hits the point perfect. I hope I have given my nephew the same confidence that Lynn has to embrace both of his cultures with equal pride. What I don’t undestand is why hasn’t Obama? He seems to only embrass his blackness and has pushed his white heritage aside even though they were the ones who supported him and enabled him to go to the elite middle and high schools as well as Yale. I am very disappointed that Barack has forgotten who he really is. Maybe if he does become president he will not be known as the first afro-american president but the first biracial president.

Grace is truly fitting of her name. Her message of individuality should serve as a voice for all of us of different culture, color, religion or class We live in a time that heralds progressive thinking, is full of awesome invention and inspiring education and yet still clings to many archaic judgmental standards.
Grace, like so many of her generation, reminds us that we should should look beyond the labels and into the people themselves. Each of us, from so many diverse backgrounds, are proud of all of our heritages- and should be. But we need not diminish anyone else in the process. It is a slow process to eduacate an entire society about the diversity of the people of our world. And an even slower process for the majorities to accept and adapt to the diversities. Bu hopefully, through messages like the ones heard on this series, a small dent will be made toward the progress of all who do not fit the typical stereotype of what it is to be black in America.

Well-written and well said, however, we are not societies within ourselves. We are individuals within a society. We are all mixed raced, the question is how are you ultimately perceived by others and through that prism, how are you treated, how are you recognized and ultimately how are you respected as an individual by others. Discussions of race are very complex; it all comes down to those "Blink" moments you are categorized by what one sees and if your skin is dark enough it doesn't matter that your Mother or Father is decended from Royalty and has the bluest blood around or that you are a quarter Asian and a percentage Scottish-Irish. What will get a rational reasonable person past any bias they may have is the opportunity to see the character and spirit of the person behind the skin color. As a proud African-American, I don't have the option to proclaim any other thing that what I am a spiritual being who is having a human experience that happens to be in the body that is colored black. One of my proudest moments as a parent was when I overheard the conversation my daughter, who was six at the time was having with one of her friends the same age. The little girl asked my daughter if she would rather have her hair, which was smooth and silky being that she was the product of White father and Asian Mother. My daughter's response was no, she was perfectly happy with her own hair. A small statement to make but it made me feel that my husband and I were doing a good job about her valuing who she has and all that that entails, skin color, not always manageable hair and features that are uniquely black. It is very good to be at a point that we do have children of mixed race and the more interaccial couples we have the more progressive we show we are, however, there is still a history behind the how, what is and what is to become and it would be naive to write all of that away. The human story is a long and complex one and each step we take forward in a positive direction is a tribute to those who came before.

I am a 43 year old multi-racial woman (African-American, Native American and East German) who has always embraced the dimensions of my heritage! Sadly, Americans more than most other cultures have a need to define race.....I live in Kansas City and the proverbial question I invariably encounter when meeting people is, "What are you?". Interestingly enough, that question is usually posed to me by women (both Black and White).

As multi-racials/bi-racials, we represent what the world could be if race weren't used as such a defining measure....

My mother is Mexican and father black.
I look white.
All my life I have had problems identfying with who I am and that has caused me much pain.
I look totally white and when I tell people my background they don't believe me. What do you do. I don't have to try and pass for white, I just show up, if you know what I mean. It was hell in school. And on top of all that I am a gay person.
I wish I could tell my story to a larger audience maybe my life stroy could help young people like me.
Alex

AMAZING!

Beautiful thoughts from a beautiful and intelligent young woman. I wish more people shared your very enlightened point of view. Out of the mouths of babes – so to speak.

I am the product of an international bi-racial blending and have been happy to identify myself as OTHER for most of my life. When other is not an option, I am equally as happy to check both I understand the "Great Racial Divide", I see it everyday. However, I strive to be the best individual that I can be – not the best white or black person and not the best male or female person – simply the best person. I refuse to get drawn into discussions that are meant to draw conflict – situations are what you make them. I am married to a gentleman from Poland and our children are a mix of a mix, brilliant and out-going. I am raising them to be free thinking and loving of any and all peoples – culturally expanding their horizons at every turn. With knowledge comes power. The power to rise above and excel no matter what path in life you choose.

Well said, but. You are obviously educated and have had access to things a lot of so called minorities have not. This factor alone changes everything. I am mixed and faced quite a bit of racism growing up just because people living in my area had not been subjected to very many people of different races. By the sounds of it you did not. This is usually because of money. I do agree with everything you said about Obama. He embodies what we hope America can be.

For those who watched the program; I dont think it precended anything new, same old stuff we hear every day, unmarried black women, run away dads, black on black violence, crime, jails, drugs, and of course same accusations "racism' , whites are responsible for all the above. I think racism contributes a very small part in African americans failure or success.

As a black person i advice my fellow brothers and sisters to take responsibilty and stop grieving about spilled water, those who were enslaved are no longer here,they did their part, they suffered on our behalf. Stop the blame game, people have been arriving in this great country without nothing, some come here as rufegees from war tone countries where thery faced more difficulties than us e.g murder of family members by militias etc. It doesn't take them long to learn a new language enroll in college and achieve their dreams. They dont let the past occupy their minds or whine about the past. You have to stop that mind set that the white man is to blame for all our own mistakes! If you are looking for reasons to blame others, you will always find them. i think the program divides america more, its unfortunate its coming when we have a potential presidential candidate of African/European decency poised to make history, he is American not black or white, Americans we need to stop this color coding it doesn't help to unify us!

As a parent of a bi racial child I do agree with Grace. I do not see my daughter as white or black I see her as both. I am proud that we have come such a long way that being with my husband and living a good life is possible. I do understand there are struggles especially with the topic at hand...being Black in America. One that I hope my daughter will appreciate as she gets older. Thank you.

The segment on bi-racialism was very brief; not that important as the real atrocities that affect the black race. The 'melting pot' notion is just an idea. I am black and want to see the black race multiply more rapidly; but productively. I am American also, but I love my black heritage and do not want to see it disappear simply because someone of mixed race wants to feel good about being 'mixed.'

I think this was an amazing statement. Way to go!!!!! I also think mixed races are some of the most beautiful people in the world.
You don't have to be just black or just white. You are a human being and that is what should be checked off in the box. A Human Being who should never let the color of their skin or their parents stand in the way of this world. It's what you are inside that matters.

Grace,

I was blessed with what you have wriiten. I have a two year boy who is bi-racial as well. My focus is for his father & I too show him unconditional love and for him to be proud and well informed of his two race. As long as I as a parent is doing those things for my son, then he will never have an identity crisis. I am glad to see that you are living what I pray and hope my son will become.

I work for a very well known company that gathers information based on the demographics of househlods in South Florida were you would find many differnt cultures but specifically when you find interracial groups like in the Hispanic group you do see a lot picking white as there racial group or some other race but rarely do they pick black this especially with Dominicans, PR,Trinidad, Guyana, ans even some Jamaicans. I think it because in Souht Florida there is so many interracial couples with difernt cultures that it does not even matter to them how they classify themselves like the rest of the US. Sometimes they even look if there is a hispanic race class so they dony have have to identify with the others but theres not.

All well and good, and I agree that we should all be proud of our heritage. I find it ironic that Ms. Gibson says a person with one white parent and one black parent should be proud of both. I guarantee 100% that if a white person says they are proud of being white they will be labeled a racist. A black person or a multi-racial person who says they are proud of their heritage will be labeled a strong, confident person.

It is disappointing that it is OK to be proud of your heritage unless you're white, in which case you are a racist, and also that the media insists on labeling multi-racial people as black/African-American, Hispanic, or Asian.

Mixed-race can mean more than black-and-white. My grandmother, born in 1898, was an illigitimate "half-breed," and her white half was from her mother, not her father. Because no one talked about such things, let alone took pride in their mixed cultures and heritages, I have no idea which southwestern Native American tribal blood flows in my veins.

But I do remember a venomous diatribe written in a pueblo tribe newsletter left in a Taos, NM motel room. The hatred toward whites that spewed forth stunned me. So did the picketing of a Native American woman at a pioneer gathering in Oregon City when wagons rolled in for the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail. She took one look at my blue eyes and white skin, and she totally missed the Indian bones that frame my body and face. From that day forward I have chosen to celebrate the heritage of my Anasazi ancestors – whoever they were – and my white ancestors because I cannot miss the modern prejudices practiced on all sides of many racial fences.

Sad, because I wish I knew who 1/8th of my people are.

Is African-American a race or is it a culture? I have white friends born in South Africa.. How would they be described? Did all black people come from Africa? I am part Lithuanian and part Russian yet born in New York and raised in the midwest. Arent we ALL part of the melting pot? There is a divide in any country. Ireland, Korea etc...

I agree with everthing that Gracie said on her blog. I am going to keep this simple.... yes we live in a world where everyone is judge by thier skin color unfortunately, but black people endure the most obstacles. As for biracial couples and children I feel that no matter what society is going to look at you differently because you have chosen to date outside of your race and also the children will be affected by your choices. I didn't really understand the mother on this segement because I believe that there is really no white or black way to raise a child and that all you need is to love them and make them confident with who they are as a person and human being. Although you might not want to reduce this issue to a check box, I am here to tell you that you don't have to because the Government will. Simply if you have a black parent no matter how light you are you are Black. So here's to be Black in America!

Wil at 12:53, I cannot agree more. I am a white woman and have singlehandedly raised a daughter who is now on her way to college. She looks through skin. I am so proud that she's able to look at people for who they are not their skin color. She has, on occassion, asked me about things that are labeled specifically "black". Your example mentioning BET is just one that deserves attention. It strikes me that there are some that are perpetuating the stereotyping within themselves. Can you imagine a White Entertainment TV station. There would be outrage in every direction. It's time everyone realizes that skin is just that....something to hide our insides And isn't that what we all should be looking at anyway?

Hm-m-m! I am in the baby boomer generation (born in the early 50's for you kids reading this blog) and live in the midwest section of the United States and I have a problem with all the hoopla that is being made over "am I black or am I white". Does it really matter to you deep down the color of your outside skin? Why? Does being "black" skinned make you smarter than anyone else? Does being "white" skinned make you a more important person? We have a friend that is society called "black" and his wife is society called "white" – so...but they are just people – good, caring and loved people....they have a wonderful daughter that is the most beautiful, lovely little girl in the world – her name is Grace. She fell down at my house the other day and skinned her knee – guess what--the blood that flowed from her knee was red – OMG! Amazing isn't it – let your thoughts be of "light" skinned americans and "dark" skinned americans – no more black and white. We all (I mean EVERYONE) bleeds red blood-let's go with that and get on with life together. Have a good day and I will get down off my bandstand now. Thanks for reading. God Bless

I am the white daughter of a black man. My biological parents are both white, but my mother married a black man and it is him I called Daddy. As a person with white skin, I do not have to face the daily aspects of rasicm so deeply in-bedded in this country, but as a child walking in the world hand in hand with my father, I most certainly felt it. I remember once, my father and I were spending a sunny afternoon on the Staten Island Ferry when I noticed that we were being followed by a man who was watching every move we made. I finally looked up at the man and said "What's wrong, don't you like my Daddy?". I was 4 years old and I could feel the man's hatred. That is only the beginning of the stories I can share about the treatment we received when we were together – some of the others are much worse. As a child, every time I went out in public with my father I felt the oppressing and violent attitude that people of color face every day. I grew up watching how racism impacted the life of my own father, and how it made his life different than what he wanted it to be because he believed he was less than. Racism effects us all – black, white, everything inbetween and especially the children that come into this world open to simply being loved. In my opinion, racism is the single greatest disease this planet faces and until we cure it...everything else will suffer. I applaud Miss Grace, for being part of the cure.

I have very fair skin and blue eyes but my dad is black and my mom white. Most of the time people do not know I am of mixed race. I struggle to identify with black or white. Because I am so white, black people don’t accept me as much, and the same goes for white people because I look different. This is wonderful to see because it gives me an opportunity to see others who struggle to identify with either race. Thanks for a wonderful piece!

Kathy
Denver, CO

I am a 40 yr old gay white Jewish man, Who was raised in diverse communities all my life. So maybe I live in a bubble but I never got racism. I definately have been surprised and/or confused when a new cultural tradition came my way that differed with my own. and while I have on a whole been treated well in this country. I have received comments and occasional abuse for being gay from people of just about every race. I am NOT trying to add the gay 2 cents to this discussion. Yet, it seems there are Americans who wants respect for themselves while using the same negative treatments toward other people who are not them. It makes it harder to come to the table to fix things. Why wait til Obama is elected to change things. Who says we can't do this now? But, again I may live in a bubble. But I do believe more change will come since a lot has been done in the 40 yrs. I'll just keep my eyes open and be patient.

I salute you for your stand! You sound like someone I would like to know! I am white, but I think of myself first and foremost as an individual human being and a citizen of this country, and I cannot think of anything more important to teach our children - in this country and around the world - than who we are as individuals is far more important than our race or the race of either of our parents.

Thank you for your wise words! The ideal situation would be for SOCIETY

I am the mother of 7 biracial children ages 13-23 yrs old. My children are at the point where they are defining themselves. They are doing that by combining what we as parents gave them and who they feel they were meant to be. You may want them to fit in a box, but they don't have the time to answer why they don't choose one color over the other. Maybe society sees them one way, but they are creating a new society. They know that this planet we live on is filled full of people with differences. They know that they are one of the many great flavors. They are proud and we are blessed.

It's great to embrace all of you however, society sees it differently. There are millions of americans who are mixed with another race but if you look more of one race you're considered to be that race. That's evident by Tiger Woods, Halle Berry, Shemar Moore, Mariah Carey, and numerous others. Because they look black they are considered to be black.

Unfortunately we live in a society that likes to catogorize and generalize everyone. Everything that we do in life requires us to put ourselves in a catagory. Until this world starts looking as people as people versus requiring us to indicate on a sheet of paper what our nationality is, we will continue to be asked of such.

I am a mother of a biracial child and I always assumed that he would identify more with the black side of his family, since he spends more time with my side of the family. His father assumes he will identify more as a greek american. Another reason is that as a society we are asked to identify ourselves by race, I have been told many times I am trying to be white because I speak a certain way or like a certain type of music. After reading Grace's response to the CNN special last night I will do my best to make sure my son is proud of who he is and not help put him in a bubble of identifing with one race or the other. I will make sure he is a productive, loving part of society. This is what is really important.

Geri-

I believe that you are basing your judgement not on the content of the piece, but on the color of the author's skin.

Doesn't that make you a racist?

This is for Carol. You just gave that tip. You raised your child with the message of Pride and Love that got passed on to you by that young teenage grocery store clerk. You are continuing to pass that message on. That is the way you pay that kid that tip.

Grace

I love what you wrote and agree with you. I am a mother of 4 wonderful bi-racial children with my 5th on the way. After watching this program I looked at my daughter and asked her what she identified with and she looked at me confused. From day one we have taught our children that they were not just white and not just black. They are special because they are both. When you ask my children what color they are they will tell you black and white. So to ask them to identify with one race is to tell them to deny who they are.

I would be offended if my children saw them selfs as just white or just black. Times have changed and bi-racial children are everywhere so my kids are the only bi-racial children they see. They have become a race of their own now.

I have seen allot of programs that talk with old bi-racial individuals and they talk about the struggles they had and how they weren't accept in the white community or the black commutiy or sometimes both. Today bi-racial children have become the norm.

I was angered by the mother who said her husband and her couldn't agree how to raise their kids. She didn't know whether to raise them as black or as white. Why is that an issue raise them as both.

I thought this article was excellant. I am a single white mother of a bi-racial son. I have to say the most frustrating thing I have had to deal with is the school. They make you fill out the form and choose what your child is: white or black. I hesitated checking either box and when I asked if I could leave it blank they said no because they need it for their "count". I was very upset at this because he was only 4 at the time. Am I to label him one race at 4 and then he decides later what he want s to be considered? That hardly seemed fair, it is his choice and I will not make it for him. I do believe they need to change things like this and give more options!!!

I have a great nephew and great niece that are bi-racial. I love them as much as I love my own children. To me color of a persons skin makes no difference, but I do worry about their self concept and how other people treat them. I tell them that there is good and bad in all races of people.

Some estimates indicate that 80% of African Americans have European ancestry. Most of us are "biracial" and therefore have been defined as "black" in America. I know some people whose parents are both black who look more "mixed" or European than people who I know who have a black and a white parent. Historically, when biracial children were born between a black woman and a white man, as was usually the case, those offsprings were catorized as black. Why does it seem that now that so many biracial children are being born to white women and black men (and some times with absent black men) and these white women and their white families are having the responsibility of raising these children, all of a sudden there is this need to call these offsprings something other than black?

Thank you for your wise words. The ideal situation would be for SOCIETY to stop putting people into categories. Can't we just all get along and accept each other? After all, we are ALL God's children.

I have to agree with Ben and say that while your speech was impressive and what we'd want to see in an ideal world, you are an exception. As a dark skin black women I was born with one strike already against me meanwhile you were born privledged. You have every advantage available to you (successful parents who are able to shelter you and provide you with the best possible education, a beautiful and safe neighborhood to live and grow up in, a stable household with both parents actively involved in your life, opportunities to travel and broaden you horizon, etc.). I think you'd be singing a different tune if you had to deal with the everyday issues people such as myself face (police brutality, discrimination, etc.). If anything you're looked at as being "special". You have the best of both worlds. Men will want to date you and place you up on a pedestal just because you're mixed and have "good hair" and a fair complexion. So lucky you. What about the rest of us who have to face a tougher, harshier reality?

As a biracial man, I am pleased to see there be more discussion of both biracial and black experiences. I guess as a result of not feeling fully integrated by either whites or blacks that I have always felt a desire for all people to connect through a sense of shared humanity. I am both, but it doesn't make me any less black, or any less white and I reject the thought that this program is for or can only be appreciated if you are fully black or labeled as black. This show is for everybody to learn and grow and have there ideas of what's going on challenged and discussed so that we can finally really begin to get beyond the shackles of ignorance that have bound us all.

When it's apparent that one is black, one will be perceived and treated as African American, regardless of having a Caucasian parent, because people love to pigeonhole. My life has been different because I appear completely white, but have a parent who is Asian and Latin, so people have always felt free, if they were that ignorant, to put down those minorities to my face if they didn't know my background (or sometimes, when they did). I wonder, and actually, assume, that happens to people who are ostensibly black, but mixed. I agree with Grace–why choose? If you're mixed, embrace it all, and as my dad always told me, don't worry what people saw who aren't paying your rent.

All be of one race? If God had wanted all of one race he would have made us that way. Lets hope this never happens. So nice having all the ones God created.

What a bright, articulate young woman! Very well said, Grace! My husband feel very strongly that our beautiful son is *both* our races, not either/or or 'half this and half that.' Thank you for speaking up on behalf of so many families and people who are often overlooked.

I am so proud to read this blog!! Amen and praises to you little lady! I am Mexican American and I had a wonderful son with an African American, and I make sure to remind my son about BOTH of his beautiful races and to be proud of being biracial. Whenever we fill out questionnaires about m son's background i always check Latino and B;ack. Because that is what he is. Forget about trying to please the whole world!!!

I am a 69 year old white man who was raised in the segregated society of the south. I've live in the southern US all my life. If I can overcome racial prejudices, I believe anyone can.
This article is well written and drives home some conclusions that I came to years ago. The mixing of the races will be the solution to the racial problems in this country. I wish I could live to see the day when there will be no such thing as a checkbox for "Race" on any form or in anyone's mind.
The color of someone's skin is no more important than the color of his eyes.

I agree ...why should one be forced to choose one or the other when you "belong" to either race. I am a product of a bi-racial marriage. My mother is white and my father is asian. I was raised to be honest, caring, friendly, fair, etc to every single person that I encounter, regardless of nationality. It wasn't until perhaps Jr. High when someone brought up race ...and I was totally oblivious to that concept. I have had relationships w/ women of virtually every race ...White, Black, Brown, Native American, Asian, etc ...My wife happens to be Mexican.

Our children are White, Asian, and Hispanic ....what box should they check?

I can't comment on this specific racial mix, but I am white and Chinese. The problem is I am a 5' 9" blond-haired, blue-eyed female who most closely resembles the heritage of my mother's Scandinavian roots. This means people often look at me and say "Chinese? You're not Chinese!" Throughout my life, and maybe because I don't physically resemble the other side of me, I have sought out an understanding of the oriental world. For me, it's all or nothing, because I refuse to allow people to disrespect a huge part of me, even when they say things like, Well, your eyes aren't slanted."

Grace, because of the fact her parents are wealthy and famous, does not deal with the day to day of being of mixed race in America, she is able to side step all of the problems. She is also a bi-racial woman, who is more easily excepted as a model of beauty (see any rap, R&B video or look at Halle Berry). Growing up a biracial male, I was always made aware of the fact that I was not part of either ethnic group. I don't look white, and I don't look black and I was reminded by both parties of this though physical and verbal assults. from blacks I was told that I thought I was better than them, when I did not. Whites told me I wanted to be them, also untrue. The truth was I am just a person and want to be myself, but society likes to place you in a box for it's own benifit.

I find it interesting that those of African heritage in England don't call themselves Black Englishmen. They are just Englishmen.

I'm only the 3rd generation born here and I was taught early on I'm an AMERICAN first. I'm proud of my heritage and of the culture I'm a part of. Everyone should be proud of where they are from.

We need to learn from history and grow from the lessons it has shown us. If we continue to divide ourselves and label ourselves and others we will never break the hate.

I find all the positive comments here to be refreshing.

Anyone who says that because someone is educated or well off removes them from the black community is crazy. Anyone who says that whites don't get passed over by a minority is blind. Everyone is suffering in this time and the reason isn't race or sex. More people today feel they are entitled to whatever they want. In today’s age we ALL have to work hard for what we want.

I was raised to see people not color. We all bleed, we're all the same in the end. Only individuals can make changes. We choose to move on and remember or to remain in ignorance.

Obviously this person lives in a sheltered world. I am mixed. My mother is white and my father is black – Polish, English, Irish, Mohawk of the Iriquois Nation, Apache and African if you really want to know. I used to choose black. But after having so many black people tell me I am not black, I have chosen to live in a Puerto Rican neighborhood. They only care that I look like them, sound like them when I talk, and am active with the children and teenagers in the neighborhood.

Maybe if my parents were wealthy, creative people well removed from the nitty gritty I would agree with this idealized view. But for now, I am me. I am NOT black. Nor am I white. I am bi-racial. The same view on one hand, but very much different because I realize that perception is 90% of reality and NO ONE sees black or white when they look at me.

Heck, I have had people express astonishment at the fact that I can speak English and here I am an attorney at a major law firm with three degrees!

Wow, I am sure this group will not like what I am about to say, but so goes life. I am really happy that you all are a proud to be of mixed heritage, thuth be told we all are, but for those of us whose ethnicity are more discernably defined, I am proud of that. I love being African American and I love that there is no doubt, I do not straighten my hair nor do I bleach my skin. nor do It look forward to the day when all children are blended, then wha?. Are you all really so naive as to believe that all our ills will be solved when skin color is no longer a factor, that foolishness will only be transferred to some other discernable or imagined factor. The goal we should strive for is to learn to embrace and accept our differences as apart of what makes us a whole people/the human race. I love the fact that African Americans brought the world Jazz, and attending hispanic festivals and learning to Salsa and do the meringue, eating Salt fish and cabbage with my Jamaican friends on a Sat. evening, teaching my Syrian neighbor english as she worked on her AA degree. A blended homogenous world no thanks, I'll work on this one.

I am multi racial and loving it. Both my grandmothers are white, French and Cuban, and both my grandfathers are black, African. The idea that somebody who is biracial is black is just base on ignorance. I can not be black, nor can I be white, therefore, I am none of the above. Both of my parents are multi racial, I am not an African American, for my family is not from the United States, in our home country, that was acknowledge, multi-racial people are known as Creole and Mulattoes.

My grandparents although they where different races, black and white, enjoy a life time of marriage and companionship. Their children and grandchildren was understand to be of multiracial. Lets please stop categorize mix, and multi racial people as being black, because they are NOT.

My daughter is of mixed race and we make sure she understands both of her heritages. We believe that is very important for her as she grows up and mature. She is currently 7 years old.

I wish the presidential candidate Obama would do the same. He seems to be riding the wave of only one of family's background and to do it for political reasons just makes it much worse. I have trouble trusting his ethics and judgement because of this.

The thing that bothers me about people of mixed heritage identifying only as black is the the very idea that anyone with any African bood at all is black is one that originated with the Jim Crow segregation system. The "One drop rule' as it was called made sure that if there was mixing of the races that all of the black genes would remain on the black side of the color line, thus keeping the white race pure. It's time for all people who are mixed to stand up and refuse to be put in a box by the ideas that brought us seperate bathrooms and drinking fountians. Don't allow the legacy of Jim Crow decide your identity for you.

Thank you Grace for your honesty and insight. I am the white father of a biracial teenage daughter. Her mother and I try to expose her to the good parts of both her parents' heritage. We have always allowed and encouraged her to be her own person and to think for herself. As you mentioned, being biracial, gives her a unique perspective on the world. One that is sorely needed during these times. We have taught her to embrace who she is simply as the product of two parents who love each other unconditionally. I'm sure she doesn't consider herself as either, but as both. It's a conversation that hasn't come up. As a parent, I am glad she is living in a time when there are plenty of biracial role models for her to look up to and be proud of. Still amazes me how the inextricable histories of hatred between black and white people in this country can produce such a beautiful and kind spirited future generation. There is hope after all.

This thing we call "society" – the hybrid of community – is like a computer which understands nothing outside of its programming language. Hence human beings are resigned to 'pigeon holed characters' lifeless idols.

I am somwhat confused. Throughout history the cultures have merged even though it was through force, nevertheless, there have been mixed races since slavery and many Black Americans are products of the rapes and even the voluntary unions of various races so where is this new term "biracial" coming from. Now that it is accepted and is prevelant I guess it's ok to discuss it in the open forum.

My wife's family is from Louisiana and many of her relatives could pass for white and they are eighty years plus in age so this concept of "biracial" is nothing new.

Why don't we concentrate on the real issue " if you are not lilly white then we must have a discussion about the nationality of a particular group" in order to decide how we are to respect or disrespect that group. It doesn't matter if you are biracial, have 30% white blood or 100% Africian, the manner that you are treated is in the eyes of the beholder and that is the simply reality of it all.

If I like you and accept you I will respect you and treat you accordially and If I don't accept you I will show it, so what does color have to do with it? Hatefred is the real enemy and until we deal with that and introduce a lost concept "love for one another" the whole discussion is irrelevant.

By the way, don't forget the other old concept, "do unto others and you would have them do unto you", just something to think about!

Johnathan

These comments should apply to all multiracial people – Black/White, Indian/White, White/Asian, Asian/Black, and all kinds of combinations possible. I am not a specialist but I have a feeling that very, very few nowadays could claim they have "pure blood". And even if they do, what does it really mean? Don’t they ever disagree with anyone else on something?
It is time to accept our differences on color, race, religion, opinions, etc and accept ourselves as human beings. Yes, we have differences. Thanks! What a boring world would be if we were all the same! Let's face our differences constructively. Let's work together to accept them, find compromises, respect each other. Let's quiet the ones that want to make our differences what set us apart as they are in reality what make us the same – humans! Lives, marriages, friendships, … could be saved if we could only see how much we are all alike. Yes, it takes work but it is worth.
Bravo, Grace!

This is a very well-written intelligent statement and I am so thankful to hear it. As a mother-to-be with a biracial child in my womb, I have been going through some doubts and anxieties about how my children will identify themselves. After reading your thoughts, I feel confident that with our love and support as parents, my child can grow up to identify themselves as just what they are, biracial. I know it's not going to be easy, but raising a child of any background is anything but easy. Thank you for putting your thoughts out there!!

Well said, Grace! I was kind of surprised that Soledad O'Brien, being biracial herself, wouldn't have put a more positive spin on biracial couples. Maybe she was trying extra hard to be objective.

I am a 42 year old white women who has 3 grown children they happen to be black and white. They have never mentioned in there lives how hard it is to be of mixed race, nor have they ever used it for an excuse for anything negative in there lives. I want to know why do people make such a big deal out of race?

Well Said!

Me being of mixed race as well.

Mom is Japanese & Chinese
Dad was African American, Cherokee, German, French & German.
They were happily married until Dad passed on 22 years ago.

So I look like Latino, HA! Yes it's true, me being the baby and the shortest & darkest of 5 children.

This production was well over due, since no one aside from the minority community wants to discuss this well needed conversation.

On a added note, me again, being of mixed race, and gay. My partner of 2 years, is white(Danish/Welsh), let me tell you my mom was not happy about that either..... not the gay part, but the difference between my partner & me.....rather the color of his skin.

Thanks CNN!
Jerry

I do appreciate what Grace conveyed. Geri has no right telling Grace that the documentary did not have her in mind. If it didn't, they wouldn't have focused on being biracial in this country as being a sub issue under the umbrella of the struggles of being black in this country. Biracial children, I can imagine, are torn because they can identify with white and black people as they are made up of both. I think it's a very prevalent issue. It definitely needed to be addressed because biracial children may be just that, but they are condemned in this country just because they LOOK black. That's all that matters to ignorant people in this country. They don't care if you are half-black, 1/4 black, or maybe 1% black, if you look black, you get discriminated against just as much as every other obvious-looking black person in this country. Even moreover biracial children are discriminated by BOTH white and black people for being too black-looking or not being black enough looking, respectively. And I won't even get started on how we are all mutts anyway since we all got other races in our blood apart from the race we check on all our standardized tests.

I actually thought that the entire series focused on the negatives, both in terms of black and blendeds. Unfortunately, in America, anything Black that is positive is considered an "exception" rather than the normal reality.

I work and pray for a time when we can all just "be," but I fear that we will always be judged through the prism of negativity (whether the behavior feeds into the negatively or seems to be contrary to the negativity).

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the series, but it only confirmed my belief that as Black Americans, we need to stop focusing on getting non-Blacks to understand us, because their understanding will always be viewed through the prism of negativity.

How about just saying I am human? Thus, regardless of race, creed etc just say "I am human am entitled to dignity and respect"

At the end of the day is the content of my character and not the race creed etc. that defines who i am.

I think somebody said that once, but we humans tend to forget (I know it was MLK)

I certainly identify with Grace. I, too, am of mixed racial heritage. My mother is half Dominican/half Dutch and my father is Chinese. Growing up I never knew what to put down as my race. Now, I'm proud to put down "other." Some may view that as derogatory but I view it as something special since I don't fit nice and neatly in the other groups. I'm different and I love it!

Well said Grace.

Thank you, Grace, for your compassionate and intelligent statement. In Hawaii we have a term, 'hapa,' for those who comprise more than one race or ethnic background. Barack Obama is 'hapa,' as are you, and as are most of my wonderful grandchildren. 'Hapa' is considered a good thing, and we celebrate the beauty and gifts of our hapa children. Let us continue to tear down the walls that divide us from one another, and build bridges of understanding and love. Again, mahalo (thank you) for speaking out with such eloquence!

Great comments ! I am a mother of three handsome multiracial men and I can so relate to "I am not Black or White". During the 90's, in high school paperwork, my middle son refused to categorize himself as one or the other, in the category Other Race: __________ my son always wrote in "the Human Race".

This article really sheds light on a lot of issues mixed children have. As a mother and Aunt of a mixed child i would like to say Thank You!

I am the father of 4 bi-racial children and think what she wrote is very touching but being a white man and knowing my race, that will never happen. My wife and I believe that we have to raise our kids black because they will face adversity in the future. If anyone thinks that the(white) world has changed so much to were they accept all races you have another thing coming. The only that has changed in the last 50 years is that people hide there racism very well because you can actually get a slap on the wrist now. So if your a parent of mixed children you have to emphasize the black race because society will, and it may be to late to educate your child at that point. Finally, all baby's are born with a clean slat, do you want society to write there future or do you want to supply the pen(knowledge) so they could write there own.

I was duly impressed by this 16 year old young lady that writes so eloquently, is so unjaded, and highly optimistic. Her issues are valid though, america needs to wake up. However, I do realise that for a 16 year old she probably has not encountered the racism (blatant or subversive) that goes on in this country, THAT would make her more guarded with her commentary. I hope she never encounters it, I hope she only lives through anecdotes and the malignant truths of others. Unfortunately the real world USA is not so rosy and DOES define, pigeon hole, and marginalise people based on the hue of their skin.

As a very privileged black man (rich educated parents, excellent education etc) I came out of a top ranked college thinking the world was my oyster, that I could do anything. I dwelled in this ivory tower where I thought my friends (white, black, brown, yellow, whatever!) and I were going to rule the world one day. Alas the real world has it's share of petty, insecure, self absorbed, bigots and they are usually the bosses and decision makers. Some do an amazing job of masking their true colors. The honest truth is that privileged or not, it is VERY difficult to be black in this country. Black men especially are constantly being marginalised and undermined. So let's not pretend.....WE ARE NOT THERE....We are not even close to being there. However it is better than before.....phew.......thank god for that! .

She must be an only child. Skin-tones vary within families.
It would be quite humorous to see her standing near a dark sibling making that statement "blended". This is strictly about complexion, hair texture and education.

Society will categorize you whether you agree or not.

America is a nation with people from all over the world . Although at present majoriry of population are white 65% other natinality ,colour ,race,religion,ethnicity are coming in this country and joining this american culture, society ,education and job .Lot of children are being born as American including mine and other close relatives . Some of them are in love or getting married ,raising families although they are of different race,religion or ethnicity. These young generation do not really care what others are saying .Of course we are all same Human being <HOMOSEPIENS, But it is most disturbing when children born from one white and another black parent - some of them US S

Grace your comments were well written and thought provoking. I am biracial as well but mine is not of the European culture. I am Native American (Luiseno) and African American. With that being said I personally consider myself A black woman that had a Native American mother. I grew up in the Black community, when people see me they see a black woman although I am often asked.."what are you mixed with?" I do believe you can be ethnically of one race or many and culturally of another. You are the future. You are the promise of where we are headed. You are correct, with Obama running as the first "black" president we should all view his cultural and ethnic diversity a plus. But many will only see a black man. But if you continue to be active and militant in your views we one day will be a well blended society ethnically and culturally. I do hope that your views are embraced so that one day we can do away with the checked box. In the meantime we still have to be aware of the challenges of the black family, as well as the challenges of all people. I guess we can only pick the battles we are most passionate about. May you win the war!

I am going to say what no one else will say here. Black people know and understand this..but I will share with everyone. The dirty little secret in the Arican American community is that we have a sad history of not wanting to be perceived as black...not wanting to be too dark skinned, not wanting to have hair that is too kinky. Those were not considered standard elements of beauty and we hated ourselves for it...and worse we hated each other. Even Oprah tells a story of having to sleep on the porch while her lighter skinned cousin slept in the house. There are many stories like this. Every black person as seen evidence of preferential treatment to lighter skinned blacks even in their own families. But then a movement came in the 70s where we could finally rejoice in being black...the blacker the better. It was a happy uplifting time for blacks. Our collective self image got better. In the 90s, we focused on the motherland..Africa...and we continued to feel good about what being black means...the black skin, the kinky hair..it was no longer so ugly.

So here is the deal, when biracial children make the decision to not be considered "black" it strikes to the core of something that many people outside of the African American community cannot understand. It is not the intention I am sure...but as the saying goes "it is what it is".

In the end, there is no such thing as "race". It may be trite to say this, but it is genetically and scientifically true: we are all one race, the human race.

Thank you, Grace, for having the grace to speak the truth. Do not shy away from your beliefs simply because some people, Black or White or whatever, think that you are being naive. You are right, and they are wrong.

One day, America will finally deal with this whole "race" thing and discard it on the trash heap of history, where it belongs.

You know,
I am very sorry but I was very, very, dissapointed in the 'Black In America' segment and I am not the only one. Every time something is shown about Blacks it's always something like this and I personally do not agree with all the facts that were shown about us. There are plenty of single mothers bringing up their children alone and all the children are doing great.........I FOR ONE is an example. I raised six children on my own and all but one have good jobs and one out of six ain't bad and he can operate any big rig or heavy duty equipment when he does work.

Whenever you do these segments you pick the worst places to start and I am sorry all Black people are not this way. I do not believe AIDS are more prevelent in Blacks, more of us just die because of lack of treatment as well as Cancer, Homicide, and anything else bad that is branded onto us. We as people are ALL guilty of these things but it is just not told. I just think this segment is going to make people look down on Black people even more than they do already. Why don't you have a segment on how BLACK people have invented so many things that we use today, how the buffalo soldiers did good with poor equipment to work with and ect; . I don't think these people are going to be helped by this Government by showing this because these things have been shown before and it is still the same every time.

Other people can come to this Country and get what they want breaking the law to do it. I for one hope you don't show any more of these things about Black people because there are a lot of SMART BLACK PEOPLE who don't even know they are smart because they are too busy listening to what so-called experts on them are saying instead of thinking for themselves.
Thank you
Reba

This is the most intelligent thing I've read on this subject in a long time.

She is 100% right.

Grace, you got it going on!!

One day, hopefully very soon me and the person next to me will considered ourselves equal based on the fact we're waiting at the same bus stop. Nothing more, nothing less.

I'm so glad that a young women is actually wise & mature enough to voice her opinion. Great job grace

I would just like to say that I totally agree!!! I have a daughter whom is bi-racial. She is light skinned with bright red VERY curly hair. When asked what color she is my daughter say's she is brown. Her father is African American and it does not seem that he can except the fact that she came in to this world with such a fair complexion. I try to teach her that she is her own individual and not to distinguish whom a person is by their color. I agree very SOON this world will be one big melting pot. Thank you very much Grace for expressing your thoughts I am truly trying to raise my daughter to feel the same way!!!!

Bravo to this sixteen year old "woman". Well said! I'm Latina (father Italian and mother Mexican) and my son's father is African American. We did not stay together, but I never disparaged my son's father and I wanted him to be proud of everything he is. When he was a child he asked why his skin and mine were so different, I told him that his father was black and just like when you pour milk in coffee, you get an in between color. I called it "cafe con leche". Even though he identifies more with my side, because I raised him, he was proud of his African roots and took some "Black History" classes in college. His friends were as mixed as he was. He had African American, Hispanic, Jewish, Asian friends. I agree that children of mixed raced need not be troubled by who they are. I always warned him that some people would never accept him, but I made it clear that that was not him problem or fault–it's clearly the fault and problem of those who cannot accept people who are different. I think that the more exposure this country has with people of different races, ethnic groups and religions, mainstream America will not be so affraid and resistent to anyone who's "different".

i was adopted by two american parents.I am columbian. born in south america.My parent are irish and german/swedish. my{adopted ] parents allways tried to hide my nationality.i wasnt allowed to sit in the sun when i was a teenager,my mother would make me cover my self so i wouldn't get to dark. when i asked her why she would say people will think your black. I could not braide my hair that made me look to indian. my mother told me not to smile that made me look chinese. so growing up i did not know what i was. than at eighteen my parent wanted me to find myself so the kicked me out .When i started dating and my family found out that i was dating a black man {whichby the way is the man of my life]i was told if i married him i was no longer apart of the family.Well that was 20yrs ago i have not spoken to my parents i have two wonderful kids and i tell them be proud of what you are and dont ever let anybody tell you any thing different! and i tell them you can be anything you want to be if you set your mind to it!! My duaghter asked me one day would you still love me if i married another person of color. my answer was no way i will love you and your family regradless. and thats the way we all should be!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While I respect Ms. Gibson's opinion, I disagree with it. I am what some people would consider "mixed." My mother is white, my father is
black. Fine. But I consider myself "black" as does most of the world. What people don't seem to realize is that being black is NOT about color....it's much more. My World View is shaped in part by my experiences growing up as a black girl in the United States.

And if we want to be technical about ones ethnicity...I believe that most black people in the U.S. could be labled multi-racial...even those with 2 black parents.

I don't believe that I am hurting my mother's feelings because I see myself as a black woman rather then a "mixed" woman. This is who I am and no one can change that.

In my opinion, if you don't make your race an issue it won't be an issue. I am black and mexican and I had no idea to make anything of it until the Air Force moved my family moved from California to Virginia. That was the first time I didn't attend an on base school (lots of military brats are mixed) and a lot of the children kept asking me "What are you?" I went home and asked my mom. She told me to tell them I am a human being. If more parents of children would be more like Lynn Whitfield and my mom and dad, and teach pride in WHO you are rather than WHAT you are, and if society would quit forcing our children to make a choice as if it really matters then we could stop having this ridiculous conversation.

Congratulations, Grace, on your beautiful thoughts, expressed so eloquently!
As an on-line elementary teacher I communicate with my 50 third grade students exclusively through computer e-mail, US mail, and telephone.
Since my students reside all over the great state of Idaho, I have no idea the color of my students' skin or their heritage unless a child mentions it to me, or someone sends me a photo.
What differerence does it make?
Their thoughts, ideas, plans, and goals are still just as valuable and unique no matter what the color of their skin.
And yet, since I work for a public school, at the beginning of each school year the United States government requires that I submit a report listing the racial background of each of my students.
Some of the parents declare the race of their child when they enroll with our school. However, when the parents decline to identify a race, I'm required to guess in order to complete my report. *sigh*
I'm looking to the day when the only box I can check on that racial background report will be:
HUMAN

The US Government states that if you have 1/3 of African blood in you then your African American.... it is what it is... being mixed race is the majority of Americans especially the Americans of color ... the intermingling in slavery days... yeah that peculiar institution ... embrace who you are... don't get caught up in labels ... represent yourself as a female/male American ... however, the world will always judge you by the color of your skin ... be Proud there are a ton of reason for that.

Thank you,

Obama 2008

Grace, your point of view was well said and for a 16 year old, I am impressed.

I myself am a mix of caucasion and asian which has it's own challenges. I am also a mother of 3 beautifully mixed children. I am proud to say that my parents raised me to be an American first and foremost while at the same time exposing me to the values and cultural differences that I've learned to respect of my chinese and german heritage. I only hope that I can give the same to my children and to concentrate on raising decent human beings with a strong sense self worth.

While I am not niave or unaware about racial issues – um, far from it being bi-racial AND having been a victim of racism myself – I find it sad and makes me a little angry to see comments posted that suggest that "this is how society is – and society will always put you in a box, etc.). While there may be some truth to that, society is made up of individuals. And, it starts with the individual to make a choice to change or keep the status quo of their outlook on race. Comments like these imply that the individual has "given up" and "accepted". While we are no way in utopia, can you imagine where we would be (All races in this country) if Marting Luther King Jr. threw up his hands and said "Face it, society will just always be this way!"

When are we going to get to the point of it not making a difference what race you are? I have lived over six (6) decades and the mindset of individuals are the same as they were during the civil rights struggle. When will get to the point to treat and accept people for who they are in character and spirit and not by the color of their skin. Although I have found the series to be informative and enlighten, why not spend that money trying to educate and provide adequate housing and employment for these people that the world feels are not worth the effort. Stop looking down and talking down and start lifting up and encouraging our young people.

Grace, what a wonderful response to CNN's Black In America. My children are intraracial, African American, American Indian, Korean, & Caucasian. I don't believe not once in their life time did they ever get pegged for their ethnicticity, because I never made it a big deal nor their father. We brought them up to be strong, educated, loving, caring women, and that is what is important. Not once did I even have a conversation with them about their ethnic background. I agree with the other readers who stated that, too much time is wasted on matters that do not really make a positive contribution on society. Lets worry about education, the starving Americans, the global warming or the economy, why fight over color of skin. We as humans make the issue an issue, Why can't we just appreciate each other as humans, and help each other contribute to this life we have on Earth. Why make skin color important?

Personally I see nothing wrong with interracial dating or chosing to get married to someone of a different race. However, if you're just marrying someone of a different race because you don't want your children to have nappy hair and dark skinned or because you've reached a certain status; and you feel that marrying someone white will give you status, than you have an identity crisis. White america classify Obama as being African american, when in fact he is both african and white american; therefore, making him interracial. Regardless of your nationality, just be proud of who you are. Besides, many of us; whether African american or white many of us are not fully white nor black.

Half black/half white – how about "blite" or "whack"? For those who still define people by the so-called color of their skin...

I agree with Ms. Gibson. Why should any deny his or her own parents?

Grace

It can't be stated any better, what you said should be heard around this country on a daily basis. For those of you who can't get beyond the color of our skin, her statement will make no sence to you.

Daniel
I am also biracial and I do not classify myself as "black". Before we had the opportunity to "make more than one designation" I used to leave the field completely blank, OR would try to intentionally confuse the system and bubble in BOTH responses (black and white). It would clearly depend on what mood I was in when the question was asked. This was an absolutely wonderful piece to read!

I am a white American woman and my husband is black and from St. Vincent. Just what exactly does that make our daughter. She will never fit into the boxes that our government has given us to chose from except (Other). I chose to raise my daughter to be a Christian that loves all fellow humans as God has instructed us to do. My only wish for her is to love and serve the Lord, make an honest living and not be a menace to society. But that is probably not politically correct is it! Grace I am sure your parents are very proud of you as they should be and I thank you the my daughter who is only 4 will have young women like yourself to look up to!

I have to disagree with the assertions of how socity will define you. My mother is from Turkey and my father from Alabama. Most would say I look African-American. But I refuse to be placed into a box and fall into there simple ways of thinking. I except neither race and both.
If you don't like it, then to bad. I couldn't care less.

I think the point of CNN's work was to spark discussion. They have achieved that goal. Some of you may remember a song from Vacation Bible School that goes "Jesus loved the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight..." We owe it to our fellow American citizens to treat each other with respect (Love thy neighbor). I know that racism, prejudice, ignorance, etc. will keep America from becoming perfect. That shouldn't be the goal. The goal should be to rally around each other as American citizens, rally around our Constitution (not the 21st century liberally-interpreted version) and rally around our next president... regardless of whether it's Obama or McCain.

Multiracial, biracial, blended... what is 100% black or 100% white? If you're born here, it's 100% American. Remember that show "Wife Swap?" Well, it's impossible to do "Race Swap." No white person could watch this show and then pretend to know what it's like to be black. But we all know what it's like to be American. That's the common denominator. Am I black or white, you ask? I'm a child of God... who could care less about my skin color.

One of the men they inteviewed on BIA said it is because black people were slaves is the reason the men want to father babies with many different women and don't support the children. PLEASE.....

Beautiful! I wish I had that grace and keen mind when I was 16.

"You" "Us" "Them" People who have used these words in their posting are people I stay away from. Not even worth the emotional effort of trying to elighten their thinking...Many oppress their own race and ethnicity and are the worst culprits at perpetuating racism. They just don't get it. Why is the wife in the video so hell bent on raising her children African American, when her own son said he felt white and when their father is white? What is her agenda? Open-minded enough to have married a white man, but not good enough to admit she IS raising children who are also white? Enough to damage her own marriage with this thinking? Who is she to tell her son he is not white? He, and only he has that right to be who and 'what' he wants to be!
-------–
Well, Grace Gibson, obviously the program was not made with you in mind. It was made for us, the ones who have to go through the daily struggles of being Black In America.

I am white and my ex-husband is black. Our two children our nothing short of physically beautiful and extremely bright. They are raised to be proud of both of their heritages and encouraged to be educated and productive young people. Their friends come in all colors. Neither of them are confused about their identity, they are comfortable in their skin and it reflects positively from them. I am proud of them!

am-moo

you may need to read my statement a little more carefully. I said that bi-racial people that do not consider themselves Black are fine with me. If you do not consider yourself Black that is just fine. Some biracial people do consider themselves Black. I merely said that for those of us "Black" folks in America, we need to stop giving free press to biracial people that don't want to be considered Black. In general, I don't consider biracial (50/50 mix) Black....unless the Black genes are quite dominant.

It's about time folks embrace multi-ethnicity. I hope someday society can drop the false categories, saying you are either black or white. That change would be a great step towards ending racial discrimination.
Why let the racists set the agenda?

Rodney your mention of getting rid of affirmative action based programs and Barack Obama is an oxymoron.

Would Barack Obama have gotten the education and opportunities if it were not for affirmative action based programs ?

I agree with Ms. Gibson. Why should anyone deny his or her own parentage?

Great article from young Ms. Gibson. My child will be raised to embrace her mixed heritage (black/white and American/Caribbean) and not chose 1.

I keep hearing/reading those (WIL above)who talk about why "BET". Well, people in ethnic groups have certain culture that is different from the main culture, hence the need. (it was 1984 when MTV started showing Black music vidoes). I have no problems with BET, Telumundo and Christian Broadcasting Network or the Black Caucus or Hispanic Caucus or Rock Radio Stations, R&B Radio Stations, and Caribbean Radio Stations or Chinesse Food, Italian Food and Indian Food. My comment may sound simplistic, but think about it.

I am Black. My sister (over ten years younger than me) is both Black and White.
I always told her that she is best of both cultures not matter how people try to classify her. SHE only has to classify HERSELF on a application and if it has other then that is HER OPTION.

We as a society need to define ourselves and not let others define us.

I love my sister....

It seems the group of people who have the most trouble allowing a biracial person to be proud of their two dominant cultures are African Americans. Why is that? If you are white and black and people tell you that you are black, who cares? Injustices come from both groups, not just white, like, "you are not black enough". As African Americans, we need to be okay with the fact that, not all biracial children want to be just black, they want to be both, and its their right. Things won't change if we keep our minds in the past, and while they are not perfect now, we have to keep working towards a more accepting world.

Don't look down on biracial people who want to be known as both races, otherwise, you are bigot.

I wanted to address Geri:

Geri July 25th, 2008 8:59 am ET

Well, Grace Gibson, obviously the program was not made with you in mind. It was made for us, the ones who have to go through the daily struggles of being Black In America.

**************************************************************************

People like this prefer to be negative. Instead of focusing on how to make it more about being human, more about helping our fellow man and making everyone color blind, this person prefers to make it another "pity the poor Black Man/Woman" piece.

Grace is a wonderful example of how many of us are trying to get along in today's America. Embracing the fact we are a racially blended nation and working towards a future where we are more concerned with matters other than the color of our skins.

Thank you Grace!!!! And to your parents: Thank you.

I'm 44 and wish I'd been able to speak to friends and associates in such a concise and elegant way about this subject. [ I don't do concise well ] . My mother is Afro-Cuban/ Irish-American Indian; but she calls herself African-American; And she actively bristles when I say that I'm mixed. (My father was UnknownWhite/Black Cherokee), People see the mixture in me and always ask...usually guessing if I'm hestiant to answer.
In one case I remember vividly, two co-workers I barely knew came over to me demanding that I clear up the argument over "who was right". Of course the African American co-worker was angry that I didn't declare myself African-American. I frankly do not care about the "one drop rule".....people never talk about American Indians that didn't go on the reservation being forced to identify as Black, NOR do you see much information on WHITES who choose to identify as Black so they could marry whoever they chose. Now that's a discussion that should be added. I will say for the record....I consider myself black...just not African-American....I'm black Cuban/Black American Indian and Black Irish. And every portion of my black has had its persecution.....out of that came a beautiful family that strove to work together for a better future and THAT is what is of the utmost importance! That is what makes me stand up for the underdog and do what I can to fight inequality. I'm saying it loud I'm Blended and Proud!!!!!!

As a mixed person I believe the best part about it is being stripped of a culture. You come in with no history therefore you have nothing to be proud or ashamed of. You are in turn forced to search ALL different cultures and in doing so you find your SELF not your race. But the girl has very good points and I'm sure they will continue to grow and mature as her generation leads us to a more enlightened future.

we're all mixed race, and this program is getting extremely tired. let's make excuses and pity-parties for just "blacks" where every race that has existed on this land we now call the USA has been suject to persecution. i'm sure "asian in america" or "white in america" would be inappropriate of course...since there's obviously no negative actions against to those "races". tired of excuses. tired of "but we were oppressed for centuries", tired of those "proud" minorities who skulk and hide only to bicker, backstab, curse and chastise anyone different from them.

just tired.
-rj

I agree with Grace, be proud of who you are, I a person that is black, white and hispanic. When people asked what is my race, i simple explain that I'm a other. To me this covers everything, I can be proud of being a part of everything, and loving it,.

I heartily commend this young lady’s comments. I am a mixed race person who was raised in Harlem in the 50’s and 60’s with my 4 sisters. Our parents taught us that we were of both races. I attended schools in Harlem and in sections of the city that were predominantly white. I do not ever recall anyone questioning my race, or even asking me about it (of course, those in our neighborhood knew that we were mixed). Throughout my life I have embraced both races, and I have never been all that concerned with what “society” thought I was.

Great piece!!! As a person that is of mixed race growing up in the north and moving to the south to experience the racial and social divide. I have felt very strongly that a person is not defined by their race but the beliefs and value that the individual posesses. Being a former division I athlete gave me the platform to create awareness amongst a number of different ethnic, racial and socio-economic levels. The fact of the matter as Lynn expressed so well, is that education and awareness will lead to understanding and then acceptance. Working in an industry dominated by white males I am extremely motivated on creating change and beleive that the first step is to identify the challenge and create a game plan to address that challenge.

I enjoyed your take on the subject, Grace. I will tell you as a mother of a bi-racial son, age 21 and a bi-racial daughter age 20 that my husband and I instilled in them at a very early age that they are bi-racial and have the best of both cultures. I had to fight even with ER nurses at the hospital because they would always mark my children as black on the medical forms! I would feel the same if they had written them down as white. They are what they are, bi-racial and we want them to be proud of that! I have a friend who has 2 bi-racial kids and is totally on the opposite end of the spectrum. She has told her kids they are black and never acknowledges that they have white blood also, and this woman is WHITE! I just think there are so many trials that these young adults have to face, and its good to know at least they know they came from the best and I will never be ashamed of what our love for each other has created!!!
One love...

Obviously far above that of many "adult" maturity levels. Bravo!

I am a white mom of 3 biracial children and a bonus mom to 7 Haitian young adults. My husband and I have made every effort to introduce traditions and beliefs from both our backgrounds and have taught our children to respect every individual based on their actions and not on looks, accents, type of worship or background.

Grace sounds well-rounded and is obviously looking at the big picture. I look forward to her involvement in the country's future when she finishes college.

VERY WELL SAID, Grace. I'm a black male in an interracial marriage, and the parents you described are models of the parent I want to be.

I will never forget that when I proposed to my wife and "asked her hand in marriage" to her father-in-law (something I think is old-fashioned, but I did it because my wife asked me to), the first thing out of his mouth was "Are you sure you want to do this? Won't your kids have to deal with a lot of prejudice and misunderstanding?"

My response was "There is nothing they will be given that I have not already experienced." I may not be interracial myself, but I know how it feels to be discriminated against. I ALSO understand that you don't have to be black to understand discrimination either. My wife is of Irish heritage, and I know that her people suffered a great amount of persecution by the British throughout the centuries. For that reason, it is something that binds us together and gives us the understanding that hatred in ALL FORMS is the real problem.

Once humankind can evolve to the point where we as a whole understand this, many of the problems in the world will cease –but like Tesap, I also don't believe it will happen during my lifetime. In fact, I think we will be lucky if we don't destroy this world and each other very soon.

In the meantime, I will teach my children to love themselves for who they are, cherish and value all aspects of their heritage, and treat others with dignity and respect.

Grace,
Your parents named you appropriately. I have always felt the same way as you and I am in complete agreement with everything you said. We are to embrace ourselves and all the races/nationalities that make up who we are. I am seven different nationalities and embrace each one with pride. I am confused with Barack Obama, when he says he is African American. I think to myself, yes, you are part African American and you are also part caucasian, but when you see his myspace, it says African American. Stand tall and be proud of any race/nationality you were born into, after all , we are all human beings first.

Grace has a beautiful perspective on her life. She is proud to be who she is and rightfully so.

As a white, English/Scotch-Irish baby boomer raised in Maryland and North Carolina in the 50's and 60's, I have to say that no one in my entire life has ever suggested to me that I should be proud to be white. everyone that I have ever known that made a big deal out of being proud to be white was at least somewhat racist. There assertion always seemed to be that being white was somehow superior to being of any other race. If you start with such a premise, it becomes pretty hard to have equal respect and regard for those of other races. The same applies to nationalities and cultures.

Heritage, culture, family, education and achievement are elements of our identities that we must accept and respect, but no one should demean, or disrespect another person because of their race or heritage. Grace should be very proud of her mother as a wonderful mom and a successful and dedicated acctress - just as I am very proud of my (recently deceased) mother who was a wonderful mom and a successful and dedicated third grade teacher.

Race, nationality, ethnicity, and even gender should be a long, long way down the list of the important factors that we consider when evaluating ourselves or when we evaluate others.

Perhaps the more wonderful examples of 'blended' individuals like Grace, Sen. Obama, Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter and the many, many outstanding young people of mixed heritage who are moving ahead into careers as doctors, lawyers, bankers, actors, athletes, teachers, professors and many others will all finally teach us just how little race matters. Then we can truly celebrate Dr. King's Dream.

This is turning into a soap opera. These stories keep revolving around celebrities and highly paid individuals. 99.9% of my life as a black man has not been spent around these folks. I dare say 99.9% of all black people can't relate to their lifestyles. CNN,...if you want to do a story on Black in America then you should quit focusing on celebrities, athletes,...and all those other folks you accuse black people of being too influenced by. Seems to me you're a victim of the same influence you report that we are too.

Very well said. Though my personal situation is less complex than the author, those of my children are not. I hate that I am constantly asked to reduce their persons to a check-box. They are neither white, nor black, latino or anglo, Texan or Californian. Their racial and ethnic backgrounds are too complex to ever find a box that would encompass themselves as anything other than a small part of the melting pot that will ultimately save our country from itself.

What I find interesting about this whole debate is the way identity is shaped as it pertains to biracial (actually black and whatever else) men and women. Historically, the one-drop rule applied making anyone with black in their genetic makeup classified as black. But lately it seems as though it's okay for someone to be 'bi-racial', so long as they are successful. This smacks of the same institutionalized racism that has replaced the overt racism of the past.

EXAMPLE: If TIger Woods wants to be Cablinasian, it's okay. But if Tiger Woods is Eldrick Woods the bank robber or working-class wage earner trying to get a loan, he becomes black. I can't claim to know what Tiger's life is like, but being someone who's makeup isn't 100 percent black, I know what Eldrick's is like

It appears to me that the bulk of our nations citizen have begun to believe that they, personally, have been seriously wronged either by someone or some entity controlling their life; a general feeling of being discounted or debased as a human. There are vast majorities in every cross-section of the American public which now feel that their life is out-of-their hands.

Why? Because a house divided falls. This is not random chance. This is a plan. Blueprinted by Marx. If you don't believe me. Check out a few books at your library and do some research. Don't take my word for it. It won't take long to see for yourself.

Don't get me wrong, there is a real thing called racism. It's sick and wrong. It's also doomed and dying as our nation grows, integrates and matures.

Oh yeah, while your at the Library pick up a book on the origins of Liberation Theology and it's different names for different people with different struggles on differerent continents. You might want to sit next to the bathroom though. It may literally make you physically ill when you learn what's been done to the masses of all continents.

We give social norms to much credibility and validation. "SOCIETY" says that if a person has " drop of black blood" that person is black. "SOCIETY" once considered 2 slaves to equal one vote. "SOCIETY" at one time held that blacks could not eat at the lunch counter. "SOCIETY" once held that women should not be allowed to vote. I agree with Miss Gibson in that no one should have to choose one side of his/her heritage in order to accommodate these antiquated and ridiculous notions about who is black and who is not. The problem is that we still give meaning and validation to the "one drop rule". I admire her as a beautiful, mixed-race woman who refuses to accept being categorized by some B.S. racial definition and who is proud of her heritage.

This young lady has it right. Too bad we older people don't get it. In America we are Americans. Not African-American, Mexican-American and so on. Until we get rid of the hyphens we'll never get past this stupid stuff. You go girl, if you were my daughter I'd be proud of you just as your parents are.

I agree with the statement that SOCIETY will place you in a 'box', but aren't we the people that make up this society? If we always go back to that "well, society says..." then it will NEVER change. I have a 2 year old biracial child and I never want him to feel like he has to choose between his white heritage and his black heritage, because he is equally a part of both heritages! Why not be proud of that? As long as we allow Society to dictate how we feel about ourselves and what "box" we fit into, it will always be that way. Obama is (hopefully) going to be the first biracial president and when that happens...WOW...America, watch out, because change is coming! He is going to reunite this country like no president before him! I certainly hope and pray that in the years to come, we will see a more unified America and not even more segregation amongst white/black and now bi-racial people.

usa is a country with diverse people ,culture,religion ang religion. people from all over the world are coming here in this country for education,opportunity better life .all of our childrens are going to school ,getting education,job and some of our childrens are getting married to a white girls or boys including in my own family.Lots of them are living happilly ever after. well this is their own choice of course. What is the fuss about. But it is probably most diturbing when children born from one white and one black parent - some or most of children are known as BLACK ,why is that .why they are not called WHITE . what is the big deal being White. Sen Barak is running for President of America this fall Nov,4 and might win and down the road lot peoples attitude will change too. Thanks to USA

Grace is definitely an intelligent young woman. I agree with the idea that biracial children should not be forced to identify with a particular race. I do however, feel that she has ignored the fact that currently society will categorize you one way or another regardless of how you self identify and fee. Societal views if truth be told can have serious implications. The silent racial classification of individuals affects your job opportunities, financial and legal matters as well. I don't know how many studies must be done to illustrate just how disparate the experiences are in America for Blacks. This series is great to bring those things to the forefront. It is presenting a long hard look at were we are not were we want or should be. It is great to retain the ideal/goal that as a society race should not matter. But unfortunately it still does and for those who are not afraid to admit it it goes well beyond which box your check.

Are we not a product of our generation? I am a white male. I love my grandpa more than anything but the fact is his views began forming the day he was born in 1924 and they differ from mine when it comes to race. I was not around during the generation of slavery and segregation. I would know anything about the ways our society mis-treated others if it was not for the school systems or hearing about it from my elders as a young boy. All i know is my friends' skin colors come in all diferent shades, some are as close as you can get without being blood related. We are of the same generation and as long as we respect each other from this day forward why should we dwell on what happened in the past. The past is the past, i'm not saying forget your heritage but time is on our side to change for the better as the future lies before us. We give to much exposure to those that try and keep us seperated. Some of our countries leaders (of any race) were exposed to racial issues and carry with them much heartbreak and baggage from decades before. I wonder sometimes if it is our elders who keep us from moving forward, who instill in us some form of bitterness which we could do without.

I glad a young person saw this program. I agree that they did not expand on the discussion on the interracial unions and biracial children, but it did open this discussion which is good. Lynn Whitfield's daughter has a lot to be proud of, but there are those who do experience prejudice from both blacks and white society. I believe no human being has to be pigeon hold to a category of race if they are biracial, that is your choose. But please do not put blinders on and expect to be accept and that all people will go along with your preception of you. Just remain Proud!

Job well done, Grace. I am the proud parent of two bi-racial boys(8 and 4). My husband and I don't define them as black or white, we just identify them as BEAUTIFUL gifts from God above.

I to was disapointed in the presentation of the biracial discussion episode I saw a night or two ago. I sit here a white father to a half white half black pair or ranbunctious boys. My wife and I rarely if ever discuss race with our sons. There is no universal label suitable for what they are other than "our sons".

When seperation and discrimination is the disease , you don't feed it more discrimination. Our sons are not white, they are not black, they are smart ,handsome, happy, love flowers , dogs, playing with friends, and reading books. THAT describes them both far better than any of these petty USELESS racial labels.

What race are my boys? they are the future race, and we won't burden them with all the baggage blacks and whites both seem to want to heap on them.

I completely understand what she is saying, and I applaud her. Being bi-racial should never be a choice of black and white, they are both. I feel very sad that Mr. Obama does not acknowledge the other part of his being, and for that I am very leary of him.

Great now what are we going to do say mixed-american, or blended-american? Just be American.

While I cannot relate to what it must be like to be black in America, I can tell you what it is like to be white and automatically suspect for discrimination.

Ever since I was a child in a racially mixed school I've been told everyday that I must try to treat everyone equally despite our differences. The irony is that race made no difference until everyone started saying it shouldn't make a difference. I was taught that simply because I'm white I needed to be more sensitive in my thoughts and actions toward blacks. Isn't this exactly what we are hoping to end?

Everytime we say things like "black pride" or the "first black president" or point out how a black person overcame the odds we reinstill the perception of a difference requiring our sensitivity thereby continuing the cycle of inequality. The end of racism will begin once each of us can truly stop pointing out how the color of our skin defines us (not someone else) as human beings.

when my first "blended" child was born my husband was there to witness the birth... she was very light and could not distinguish she was racially mixed.. on her birth certificate under race was entered "black",,, when we had our 2nd daughter.. my husband was at work and didn't make it to the hospital in time... our daughter was darker complexion with a head full of dark hair.. clearly bi-racial.. on her birth certificate under race was "caucasion".... clearly this nation is based on race..... i believe that ms. whitfield also has to consider her socio economic status.... the upper class "blended" people are treated differently... which tells us that " money determines how one is treated regardless of their cultural background.

Wonderful!

We are a changing world and I love to see the views of the younger generation. It's children like Grace that will change the negative in this world to a positive. I am also bi-racial and look at myself as a true american straight from the melting pot and love it.

Black/White, very interesting…
I’ve read the entire blog here, and find a few themes. Some people claim both, and others claim one or the other. Isn’t what race you identify yourself as a personal choice? The initial post brings up a good point about mixed folks (the politically correct term I guess has transitioned from mixed, to biracial, an now to blended), but I’ll choose what I identify myself as.

There are many reasons that go into why a person will identify themselves as a particular race or combination thereof. Once upon a time you didn’t have much of a choice, but now you somewhat do. There are certain government forms that you cannot select both black and white, but you can select other on certain forms.

I am one of those folks you are talking about, my mother white and my father is black. My complexion is brown, but I am black. My sister on the other hand identifies herself as both, so there you go. I have two children from a white mother, one is almost as dark as me and the other is a pretty light. I will leave it to them to decide what they identify themselves as, just as was taught to me. If a parent is to choose what race their child will be identified as, who are we to question that?

As one poster alluded to, the video as a whole was about Black America not about people of mixed race. Doesn’t Senator Obama identify himself as black?

In response to Kathryn S.
I am equally 4 races: black, white, Vietnamese, and native American, but people always see me as "black and something else." So I understand when she says that her nieces will be perceived as black, and therefore experience what it is like to be black in America. I am very light skinned, but my afro and other physical features visually identify me more as black.
I am also adopted and have white parents who never pressured me to chose a race, and made sure that I was equally exposed to all of my cultural heritages.
I don't identify as any race because people want me to chose, and I can't chose one of four. Someday I hope we can be identified by the qualities we have, not the racial background we have no control over.

It is a simple notion to all of us who are rational. We begin life so similar to each other that our differences are essentially meaningless. What we learn from our parents and other guardians or caretakers, and how we are allowed to think or not think critically determines who we become.

We are all capable of the worst and the best that humanity has to offer. We all need to stop examining the insignificant differences between each other and to celebrate the obvious similarities to each other and our shared intellects and emotions. If we do that, the world as we know it will survive and prosper. If we keep acting like morons, we and all of our hopes, dreams and ideas will die with us.

That is a great speech but it is very idealistic. Just as Obama has faced criticism from Jesse Jackson whose remarks were clearly indicative of the fact that Obama wasn't "black enough" for him. Maybe being raised wealthy, it hasn't been an issue for you but the truth of the whole matter is that society-be it directly or indirectly-force you to choose a race. Even down to the paper work you have to fill out to go to school or get a driver's license. My children are bi-racial teenagers and they face the dilema of either not being black enough for black people or white enough for white people. They are beautiful because they are mixed with black and white but they DO face adveristy almost daily.

I am the proud mother of two bi-racial sons; a 13 year-old whose looks society would catagorize as black (tan skin, brown eyes, black curley hair), while his 4 month-old brother would be catagorized as white (pale skin, crystal blue eyes, brown wavey hair). Oh what a blessing I consider it to be that as parents, my husband and I can teach both of our sons that they are not defined by the color of their skin, but by the person they are inside! Already the oldest is very aware and thankful for parents who help him embrace both sides of his cultural makeup, celebrating the uniqueness of both, and that he will never be forced to choose a side! Racism can only affect you to the point that you ALLOW it to affect you, and our family chooses not to let it affect us.

Well said Grace. I think one should be proud to say they are of two cultures rather than defining who they are by how they look like. I'm a product of biracial parents and growing up, always found it difficult when people would ask what I was. My response was always "I'm American," but sadly, they were never satisfied with just this. Why must we still label a person as one or the other, why can't we be satisfied as living in a country (that is still relatively new in comparison to other countries), that is a melting pot and will continue to go down this road. Society's viewpoints need to change.

Mark,
From all the intelligent white people on this blog

PLEASE SHUT THE UP.

You watch to much TV. Think about all the Black people in the military, black doctors and nurses, bus drivers, construction workers, police officers, firemen, school teachers and the list goes on. take all the black people out of your life who help support the society you live in and see what happens.

Do you know how many black men are fighting for your REDNECK freedom right now?

Real Whites with Common Sense and Righteousness STAND UP!

Toni,

I laughed at your comment:

"2. Society can sense that the historical relationship between Black men and white women is pathological. White females are obsessed with Black men. Thus stirring up the wrath of white men."

Really? Pathological? Seriously? Obsessed? ROFLOL

I don't know if you actually know any couples of different ethnicities (I say ethnicities because we are all one race – the human race), but I haven't met any who were pathological or obsessed. Every mixed couple I have met actually dated within their own ethnicity and then happened to meet someone they liked in another one, dated and got married.

I'm white and my husband is black. I always dated white men before. Not because I had any preference, it's just how it worked out. Then I met my husband. We started dating and became good friends and fell in love, so we got married.

I wasn't looking for a black man. I wasn't looking for a white man. I was looking for a good, kind, loving man and I found one. His skin color was irrelevent. Same with him. He wasn't looking for black woman and he wasn't looking for a white woman. He was looking for a woman who was just right for him. He didn't care what color my skin was.

Maybe someday you can look past skin color as well and just see a fellow human being who may or may not look just like you.

How sad it is that CNN has to have a program called Black In America! Every time I watch CNN-and it has been less and less of late-I hear the pundits' evaluations about the election which almost always centre on one division or another...race, age,sex, income.
The divisions in the U.S. seem to be growing every day. You (and we) need Obama!

Phil, you are one jaded individual. The psycho-drama that you are implying is, I believe, misdirected. I don't believe for a moment that Lynn Whitfield or Halle Berry sought out white men to have children with in order to improve their socio-economic or ethno-cultural outcomes. I believe that the circumstances of their lives put them into contact with these men whom they just happened to fall in love with and desired to start a family with men that are white. You attributing some nefarious reason to their attachment to these men seeks to negate the quality and nature of their relationships. Of course people choose each other based on a number of different criteria, which may be inclusive of the potential positive outcome for their prospective children, but to base their choices primarily on their mate's race is pejorative to the extreme. I apologize for you, even should you choose not to apologize for yourself.

As proud as we are of having two heritages there are those who have been forced to identify with the black side because no matter how light you are there are parts of the country that will not distinguish between you and your dark skinned brother or sister.
While I applaud all the 'mixies' whatever your make up, for standing up for who you are, you have a ways ahead of you before you can be separated from the 'color' in you. While you stand for the voice of future 'neutrality' just like mixed folk before you, the mulattos, hi-yella brothers and sisters there will be situations you may not be able to escape..ever because of what you look like. My daughters are African and Caucasian (Canadian). They are a shade lighter than I am they appear black and I will never let them go out into the world without having them know who they are or what's out there.

I think if mixed offspring looked predominantly white and not more black this would be a non-issue 'race' and situations' that come with being black , would be less of an issue

This is a discussion that is way overdue. I remember having it in college over 30 years ago. My Italian mother and Black father raised us to appreciate who we are, not what we are. We are all strong, accomplished, educated people and our rainbow family continues to grow and diversify. My granddaughter is a true American, she has a little bit of almost every race.

While I was growing up and I was not accepted by the black community because my skin was too light, I was actually asked, "Do you take milkbaths?" They wanted me to choose sides. The white community was curious, it was cool, they felt they could relate to me, but I was black enough to count as "The black friend" because my hair was so kinky.

Fortunately my parents had the answer, "Love myself, totally." I am not mixed; I am two parts that make a whole. "Define myself."I am a strong woman who is both Italian and Black. I can and will not deny either. Here are a couple of lovely stereotypes...I like my greens with parmesan cheese, and my fried chicken is not fried chicken without garlic . "Challenge myself, compete and win on my own merits." I have both an undergraduate degree and a law degree and an incredible career in Information Technology.

My parents didnt raise us with bitterness – even though they were forbidden go into stores and living quarters together when the first arrived here from Europe after WWII. They raised us to love and appreciate our ancestors, our heritage, our cultures, our citizenship. This is the gift that bi-racial children have we are so much more than our parts. There is no "mixed" in the equation.

I was so happy when the census changed to reflect us in the makeup of who the United States is; we are the past, we are the now, we are the future.

I could go on and on about this subject, but I will rap up my rant with...I am proud to be a bi-racial woman. I dont care what labels others put on me. Thanks to my incredible parents, I know who I am. As do my children and my children's children and so on. Ciao, y'all

I will never try to argue something that I do not understand.

I am 'White'....(whatever that really is, I am not certain, as my skin color tends to change due to factors ranging anywhere from exposure to the sun, illness, anger, etc..etc.....combined with the fact that my American roots go back to pre-colonial times and, thus, I have just about every mix of race in me that I can imagine.....save possibly those races completely isolated from presence on the North/South American Continents)......But, for the sake of this posting, I will label myself as White.

This being said, I do not know what it is like to be 'Black in America'.

What I DO know, or, more accurately, believe, is that division among the races in this country is something that does not need to exist.

Human Beings are not born disliking someone based upon the color of their skin.....babies of any ethnic background simply look at another baby and see...another baby. Racism is something gained either by being 'taught', or by experience.

I wish the hyphen had never been introduced as a condition of being 'American'. I have spent time in Great Britain and noticed something that we all here in the U.S. could learn from......if you are 'White', you are British...if you are 'Black', you are British....if you are purple, you are British.....in other words, if you are a citizen of Great Britain, you are just……British.

Why do we, as a collective 'Nation', insist on labeling one another, or ourselves, as African-American, Asian-American, Mexican-American, Polish-American etc..etc..etc..etc..???? This is what I truly believe to be the single most dividing factor of the peoples of our country.

Let us lose the hyphen.....let us not forget the past, but accept it as THE PAST, and move forward.....and let us all start looking at one another as citizens of the 'United' States of America and value each other as such.

Let us do these things before we are no longer 'United'.

Sounds good and interesting in itself... Problem is, coming from a 16 year old, it could simply be too "good" to be true, so I wouldn't be popping any champagne about this too prematurely, if I were you:: it could all be a very well-rehearsed "feel-good" script already "overplayed" in the Whitfield home, and just thrown out for public consumption, to hide other feelings that are nor so "beautiful" and innocuous! The girl is after all 16, and is the daughter of an actress (this is not a put-down of actresses: all I'm saying is that actresses professionally play parts for a living, and are adept at identifying with "scripts" all of which do not necessarily correspond to the real native one...!) So the possibility that this is another feel-good script should not be shocking to anyone?

A life of a bi-racial kid in a perfect world would be wonderful and problem free... But the life of one in a society that is racist, is simply not a cake-walk- far from it! Let's not even talk about the life of the mean streets. Hell, Obama is one of the most privileged bi-racial people currently living in this country, and yet look at what a hard time he is having just trying to convince people that he is a "normal" well integrated person.... Let me just refer you to the recent cover caricature of the New Yorker magazine and its many complex implications (mostly negative) which have not received even one-tenth of the sober reflection it is due...

Another case in point: Think of the well-known African-American pop star who wrote that song with the feel-good line: "It don't matter if you're black or white" and yet spent millions biologically altering his body, his color, and features to look "white." In our present society, a story like Grace's has "denial" written all over it, in spite of all the beauty it inspires

My two cents

Who?

Why does race matter? Why does the question even come up? We press this emphasis and encourage racial pride as some sort of game. Racial pride is nothing short of prejudice. Nothing should be gauged from appearance, only from character.

Black in America
White in America
Biracial in America

Why does anyone fall for this garbage? We are all Americans in America.

I too watched the "Black In America", but I am of Southeast Asian heritage. My husband is Black and so my children are of mixed races. Grace has echoed my sentiment exactly as I feel. The program made me very upset because there was this focus for mixed children to pick which race they wanted to "belong" to. My husband and I have always taught our two sons to be proud of both their mother and father's heritage. They are NEVER to choose because if they do, they will only alienate the other parent. And in Grace's words, be confused. I watch time and time again as mixed race children proclaim to be Black and in doing so somehow invalidates the other race that is embedded into their genes. Tiger Woods mother said it perfectly when people describe her son as Black. She said, "What am I chop liver!" I understand her frustration with this debate because, just like her, I don't want to check Black when I am filling out school forms for my boys. I should be able to check off Black, Thai and Cambodian.

Rosa, being mix might not be important to you, for those who are mix it is. For people to have the nerve to label us black and have a show representing black America was insulting to us of mix backgrounds, for we do not sit and blame white people for our problems, we work our behind off to get educated and live a good life, and we work our behind off trying to please people like you who could not give a damn about us, because you enjoy your pity self and your pity life....

This show was about black/ dark skin America complaining about how slavery and history is keeping them from marrying their baby father, and continuing to have bastards children, if a kid is out of wedlock, guess what its a bastard.

This show was about how Dark skin man cannot have jobs, or have they are being discriminate against in their "getho" while selling drugs. When all black people start taking responsibility and stop relying on the government for a hand out, maybe then their numbers might start decreasing.

Don't blame your action on white people, and mothers stop supporting your criminal son.

Basing ones opinion of a person by the color of skin, or any other physical attribute is as accurate as guessing how a song goes after hearing only one note.

Daniel,
White bigots certainly did deny the humanity of other races, but I believe the 3/5 ratio is a bad example:
Each state gets two Senators; the number of representatives in the House is determined by population. Slaveholding states wanted to include slaves in this equation, certainly not out of respect for them, but to get more members in the House. Northern states basically said, "hey, you can't have it both ways! You deny them freedom and the rights of citizenship, but when it's time to tally your population to increase your power in Congress, you want to pretend otherwise?" However nothing could move forward until the (admittedly obscene) "3/5" compromise was reached. If the North allowed the South to count slaves fully, they wouldn't have been acknowleging their humanity, they would have been ignoring hypocrisy.

Regarding the "scientific" fact that African genes are dominant: if you mean in the sense of cancelling out the features of other races, it takes willful blindness to come to that conclusion. As far as culture and bigotry are concerned, not every individual has the same attitude about race, nor does every generation. Believe it or not, there are people who see their friends as individual people, and don't call them "you" in the plural, with an accusing tone.

aww being mixed (asian and white) I have been asked everyweek of my life till an adult n probably every month of my as an adult "what are you?" I answer "white" mostly the response is "ok what else" every once and a while it was "no your not"
*shrug* what are you going to do. Life in america...

Beautifully crafted, thoughtfully projected, functionally touching...the world should learn from the fact that black or white, yellow or red, we 're all made essentially of common substance: flesh and blood!!!

I have been identified as a Black-Moslem-American throughout my life!

Now let me get to the point, I believe they should ban the use of terms such as Black-American, White-American, Asian-American, Jewish-American, Terrorist-American, etc... since they don't do any one any good but bring in some more grief and guilt. I mean dang, is it really that hard to figure out someone's skin color or background? Be friends with that person first, then start questioning their background if you're really curious... This should start with the media, right here, starting with CNN... Quit identifying people by their race!

Labeling someone or asking for their race is just WRONG man. Tell me what purpose does it serve besides insisting the obvious, which is the fact that we are different (i.e. background, skin color, religion, culture, etc...)? Jeeeeeeez, aren't you and your brother/sister two very different people at times too? For god's sake, your fingers who share the same hand are very different! so what? get a life!

That being said, I politely move to ask everyone to unite as Americans and start living the American dream as best as they can. Do I get any one to second this motion?

What a powerful statement. With young adults such as this young lady growing into whatever field she pursues the world will be a much better place.

Where the story about Poor white , or poor hispanic in America ? Cnn racist

I'm a 29yo multi-racial male and i have a few things i want to share.

"You don’t identify with the black race so….this is not for you" For starters this is the type of attitude that separates blacks and whites today. This program is for everyone- those who identify with the struggles and those you need a better picture painted of those struggles.

secondly, the race with which you identify is based primarily on your up bringing and where you grow up. i've grown up in the south and i'm often times viewed by older folks as black, and my parents view me as a "young black man"; however the people of my generation have always treated as if i were white, thus, i never grew to identify with being black. At this point i believe it woudl be unfair for me to identify as black because i have not equally bared the load.

I strongly feel this is the result of growing up in a "white neighborhood", listening to " white music", attending "white schools", having most, if not only, white friends and dating only white women. culturally i have always been white and that has lead to how i am viewed within society and how i view myself internally. this acts to me as evidence that your culture dictates your race and not your race your culture.

As the white mother of a bi-racial child, I have dealt with many wonderful and awkward situations concerning black women in my community. Some think it is horrible that I would adopt ,what they say, is a black child and some feel that she is blessed to be part of a white family. My daughter is aware of her birth parents being black and white but for her and for me, we see ourselves and others as different shades of brown. Yep, we're just a big ole' world of brown people.

Lori, I completely get you! Imagine those associations that exist: LA RASA, BET, UNITED NEGRO CF, Musica solo para los Latinos, etc... Imagine if there was: THE White Race United, White Entertainment TV, United WHITES College fund, Music only for WHITES? It would be Racist..just as those first listed ARE. It's all a sham to make you beleive all whites are racists and have a master plan to "keep down" those who are not.

Very well put Grace. I know your mother is very proud of you & it is so good to hear of someone who is so proud of all their heritage. I am bi-racial myself (Puerto Rican & Italian), I look more Puerto Rican & people always think Im spanish & black because my Puerto Rican genes are so dominate; my family is also a big melting pot having black, indian, polish, irish & french all fused in somewhere. I have two daughters who of course share my mixed race plus more because their father is black. My oldest is 9 (she favors me in looks but has a nice med/dark complexion w/natual curly hair that is more of my texture) & she has kids tell her that she doesnt look like her father is black but then others say she doesnt look spanish either. I tell her that as long as she's proud of her culture it doesnt matter what others think because its just ignorance talking when they things like that. My youngest is 3 ( looks more like their father with a lighter tan complexion & real kinky curly hair) & she doesnt yet understand color or that she will have to deal with peers who may question her heritage but I know that she will be just as proud of her background as we all are. Today's society needs to stop questioning race & realize we are all the same, soon the minorites will be the majorities & our future generations are going to be mixed with many beautiful races.

Daniel... you say that black genetics are dominant but my understanding is that it's the darker color genes that are dominant....example.. if one parent has blue eyes and the other has brown eyes the child is more likely to have brown eyes... You represent a good example of the problem with society as a whole... we judge people by how they look when that is just a small part of who a person is. Someone may look like they are of a particular race / ethnic background but their personality – mind, physical makeup etc. may more strongly reflect their other blood lines. It seems wrong to me to 'dismiss' or 'disown' one parent, 50% of their heritage, just because they look more like the other as Obama is apparently doing. Obama is just as much white as he is black and just as much black as he is white. Without his great, great, great, great grandmother or grandfather from northern Europe he would not be here today.

I'm a mother of two bi-racial kids. I'm Chinese & my husband is white. I was concerned about my kids being confused about their identity growing up. But guess what, they weren't and haven't been. They are just who they are–two American kids. The credit goes to both sides of the family. With strong family support and a loving home, my kids feel very secure about who they are. And they are proud of their "American" skin color.

I just asked my 11-year old son who is multi-racial. (I'm bi-racial-black and white) and my husband is white) how he answers the question: "What are you?"

He said with the handsomest grin, "Yeah, one of my friends asked me that once and I told him that I was Japanese."
I said, "But you don't have an ounce of Japanese in you, what happened after that.?"
He said, "He kept asking and I said, that's a stupid question first of all and second of all regardless of what I am, I can still whoop your butt on Guitar Hero."

Not as eloquent as Grace Gibson, but poetic to me!
My son's my hero.

I applaud the thoughts.

I applaud the parents who have raised her to have such an awesome outlook on life.

I despair that we ever truly will see the broad mass of society come to the same position.

I myself agree with Grace. I am in a mixed relationship I am italian and my wife is from panama (but looks black). We also live in the south meaning it has a whole other meaning for people of color. My children face not just neg. from the white community but the black as well. It fustrates me that in forty years of struggle with racial issues that some black folks in the south still think backwards. We should all focus on making the world a better place for our children
( be them any race or color) not weather they are only one race or the other. Maybe if we had the attitude of other countries meaning we are all citizens of this country not clic's or groups of colors who if your one thing or the other we can't care for you or about you. Maybe it will change with my children's generation (with hope) but if we keep with this backwoods thinking we soon won't be a country of great minds but a country full of idiots.

Michael, perhaps you do not have the desire nor the inclination to call yourself something other than black, if you indeed are something other than black, but please respect the desire of others to make that choice for themselves. The whole idea of racial hatred and superiority of one race over another oftentimes spurs the desire to differentiate one from the rubrick that foments these ill conceived ideals that birth any number of ideologues. Mixed-race individuals seek largely to avoid like the plague being placed in the same boat with the assertions that come through those that spew this venom. I see nothing wrong with this. Do you?

I saw someone wearing a t-shirt at a restaurant in Chicago that said "Half Honky all Donkey" with a picture of Obama

I just finished reading Grace Gibson's article about being mixed race. I do applaud her for speaking out against society having to define who is black, who is white, etc. However, the series from Soledad O'Brien was "Black in America." I am sure Ms. Gibson and Ms. Whtfield are fully aware that even in this 21st century, that race continues to be a complicated subject. I am sure that Ms. Gibson and Ms. Whtfield are not excusing the fact that African-Americans still face racial issues, even among our own race because of western european standards. Ms. Whitfield herself portrayed a woman (Josephine Baker) who had to go to another country because she was not accepted in the U.S because of her race. I am a forty-something year old black woman who have come to terms with the naturalness of her hair. Recently, I was with a friend of mine who wears her hair permed. I am in the process of locking (dreadlocking) my hair. I told my friend that I was going to "run to the store." The first thing she asked me, was "Are you going to comb your hair?" Now I know my friend did not mean anything really negative by her comment, but it proves how some of us as black people still view each other through western european(ized) standards.
Again, I want to say that I commend you Ms. Gibson for your stance embracing both of your cultures. However, race will always be a factor (not stating that this is fair), and to my understanding of this series, Ms. O'Brien wanted to capture the challenges (and triumphs) of being "Black in America."

As a black man in america watching our people deteriorate. We cant afford to have the bi-racial population not thinking they are black Although im not against mixed marriages per say. i do feel that it takes away from our strength as a people.In most cases the ones choosing to marry white men or women are the more affluent black people. When they become intergrated into white america we oftem lose them as help to our community. look at the number of high profile black men and women with white spouses. they usually never come back to the community, or like this girl believing that she is actually both. It creates an extra division in our society one we can ill afford as long as we keep thinking we are seperate we cant come together

Her wisdom far outweighs her years. Not many 'grown and educated' people could pen their thoughts as adeptly as she did. I expect we will hear and read many great things from this young lady in the future.
I salute her parents for their obvious positive influence in her life.

I was raised on military bases and in foreign countries. My parents had friends of many races. It never occurred to me or my siblings that this was 'different'. I'm proud to say I never understood the senseless bigotry. My parents are now in their 70's. They grew up in the South, and they are white. They could have easily fallen into the babel their parents were teaching. They didn't and I am proud of them because they were sensitive, intelligent people who knew it was wrong to judge people by anything other than their actions. There are several bi-racial grandkids in this family – mine and my moms – black/white, hispanic/white and korean/white and several affectionately called 'Heinz 57'. They are our future and we love them all.

If we adults will allow children to be themselves with each other and without our negative influences we all might learn something.

Ms. Gibson is a beautiful person and a beautiful example of a multicultural marrraige. As one parent of three beautiful individuals that are themselves the result of a multicultural marraige, I have resisted society's attempts to pigeon-hole them as one race or the other. She and they are as James Mitchner categorized in his novel HAWAII, "The Golden People". How else can you denote people whose parentage arose from Europe, China, Philippines, Pacific Islanders and the Indian sub-continent?
Let them all be what they are; attractive and intelligent explorers that will re-make this world into something that will more closely be what it should be!

If we must use labels, why not create a new broad label of "Biracial". Caucasian, Asian, African-American, Pacific Islander are all racial labels with different countries included in each one. Biracial would just be another broad racial category just like Asian and Caucasian. I think that would be the best answer in this changing world.

I myself am from a white mother and black father and have refused my whole life to claim preference for one race over another. That would be denying half of my gene-pool, which would be absolutely absurd! It's nothing to be embarassed about, just like someone who is Irish/German should not feel embarassed. Only because the skin color is so different between white and black and the tension between the two in American history, do people really care. If it weren't for the darker skin in the mix, no one would care.

There are more pressing issues in the world other than the color of one's skin. Let people call themselves what they like and stop worrying about it so much. It's no big deal!

We are forgeting that we are really all one. I have come to realize this after growing up in working class England. Born to a protestant mother and a catholic father in a class conscious society. I married an African American man and had three mixed children. After living in the US the divisions of class and religeon were hardly noticable to me at first and being post civil rights era I was in a fairly comfortable zone, early 1970's. I wanted for my children to grow up without the hypocrisy of class, religion, culture and race. So I provided a positive environment of friends that would honour who they were for themselves and encouraged them to be whatever they wanted to be. Gradually as they grew they encountered all sorts of prejudment as we all do. But they are strong knowing they are loved and secure within themselves. Why we have to keep redifining our idintity is beyond me, what we ought to be doing is honouring ourselves and each other for who we are and that is all part of gods glorious creation.

First, I must admit I'm not convinced that a 16 year old actually wrote that piece.

Second, I've had this argument with my wife before and I think most are missing the point. I'm an "African-American" male while she is "bi-racial" (black and white). Most people classified as AA in this country are of mixed heritage anyway. Maybe most of us are at least 2 or 3 generations removed from white/other ancestors, but still, we are not full-blooded African in this country. So my questions are:

1) Where does it stop? Should AAs of "mixed heritage" not consider themselves black either?

2) Should there be a percentage rule, like only people with at least 70% African blood be called Black

3) Why is her daughter (or whomever wrote that piece) calling Barack Obama bi-racial when he clearly states that he is African-American/Black? Isn't she doing the same thing she is accusing others of (i.e. classifying people)

I think this argument is a joke, and like some people here have said, we should focus on the human race first.

Peace

I am so glad to read this story. My fiance is black and I am white. We've read Obama's book Dreams of my Father and wondered if our children, too, would find it hard to identify with one race or another. We collectively decided that when we have children, we will teach them to be proud of all aspects of their history and heritage. It's nice to know that Grace feels comfortable in her own skin and that we may raise our future children to think as she does!

Its not that hard to remove the labels, just stop asking on all questionaires and forms and it will loose importance.

I am from South America where there are many many Blacks, direct Europeans, Native Indians and smaller numbers of Arabs and Asians, but we have more mixed combinations than the US can even think about....and we have very little racism! Guess what, no where in any form does it ever ask you what race you are.

Most Americans can't believe this can be true anywhere but it is, there are countries that have very little racism. Granted there are always people with prejudices but not overt racism like what is seen and feared in this country.

If we stop asking, it loses importance...everyone needs to stop labelling mixed kids as black, whites need to stop going back 4-5 generations in order to say they are Italian or Irish or whatever, just because of their last name ...and all just embrace being American!

Grace's response shows much wisdom and idealism which I find refreshing. What is missing from her response is the reality of the society we live in that feels the need to categorize and label everything. That said, I don't think the parents of interracial children should "chose" race for their child, but rather educate their children about all the races & cultures that contribute to who they are. As a reminder, very few people in America are "purely" any one race, so by allowing labels to define who we are limits what we think about ourselves and potentially limits what we think we can become. As stated previously, it does appear that the older generation (regardless of race) is more apt to perpetuate the need to classify people by race, which is often rejected by today's younger generation (The Millenials).

Dr.King did mention equality will reign. Maybe in 2012, when the plan of Willie Lynch expires that started in 1712. Equality, the end of the World?

I can appreciate and understand her comments....What we must all remember is the fact that most people who classify themselves as "Black" are at the least a certain percentage European. I know of European geneaolgy in my family and I am proud to say I am "Black". Some of us are of a heavier percentage due to recent mixing, but all in all we are "Black"...be very careful with classifying yourself as anything else. It weakens our numbers in this country, and does not give credit to the strength of our ancestor blood. Both, flowing in their veins, and the blood spilled...

Yes, I agree that Grace is a very mature and eloquent speaker. However, she is speaking from a position of affluence, privilege and insulation from the ugliness of racial discrimination that most average, Black Americans do not have the means to hide from. In a perfect world you could be anything you wish to be: biracial, human race, etc. Unfortunately, that is not the America we have right now. Also, I think there is some validity that some biracial people inherently project this aura that because they are biracial they a just a little bit "better" than the average black person.

I am mixed white and Indonesian, and I think it made my life a lot easier, mostly because I felt like I didn't have to conform to any particular racial group and could just be myself. Of course I am proud of both my fathers German family tree, just as I am proud of my mom's Asian side. I makes me mad though when people try to put a set color on mixed people. Such as calling Tiger Woods or Alicia Keys, Obama, Mariah Carey, etc. black. They are mixed and their own individuals. And I live in the deep south and many are not fine with mixed couples down here which includes whites and blacks. I just have to say to those individuals that mixed raced people are genetically advanced and many times very beautiful. If you don't believe me just walk into a Victoria Secret store and look at the Brazilian super models who are very mixed. haha

Thak you! Finally, somebody got it right! I can sleep easier now.

Wow, in reading some of the closed minded opinions here, I am ashamed.

God bless you Grace! Stand for what's right – being a proud woman and American. If those who want to wear the 'badge' "African-American" because it seems to be a way to make a racial stand only knew how much mixed blood many of them had they'd be surprised. While my husband knows SOME of his ancestors are from Africa – he knows that could entail heritage brought from Europe, the Middle East, Spain, etc. He finds it offensive for even another black person to call him African American – he's American – he has never lived in Africa, never will – no more than I will. We're Americans, and God's gift to one another. Racial tensions and separation remain – and are perpetuated in the hearts of men and women unwilling to see one another as God sees us. The ministers in predominantly black churches throughout this nation should be taking a Godly stand for unity and love, NOT more racial division, blame and unforgiveness. Our place in life is not to brow beat others for their wrong ideas, but to forgive and exemplify love – that's our job and the example we should all set for our children.

Grace Gibson can have all the strength of character in the world, as she eloquently displayed in her email, but she has been sheltered from the reality. Whether you like it or not, society will decide if you are black. I am an uncle to two bi-racial children, both of whom have been classified as black, not by their parents, but by their small mid western community. Grace should go into the small towns of middle America and ask that question. They will tell her something she might not want to hear. Furthermore, their attitudes towards her may be shocking as well.

"As the world confronts these and other serious challenges to survival, why add more complications by trying to reduce a living symbol of racial harmony to a checked-box identity?"

As a biracial young woman like yourself, Grace, I ask myself this exact same question on a daily basis. I recently was required to complete a survey for a college related test where one of the questions was "Please check which best applies" and two of the choices were "White/Caucasian" and "Black/African-American" with no option for "Multiracial." The first thought that popped into my mind was "Hmmm let's see...am I feeling more black today or am I in a white mood" – sarcasticly of course.

I felt it was such an ignorant and disrespectful question to ask. I was genuinely insulted by their lack of understanding that nowadays it is rare for a person to be of one race. You are completely right in saying that "soon all the children of the world will be a mixture of races as well." I believe and hope that is exactly how the next generation will be.

I personally want to thank you for writing this piece, Grace. It was very well written and thought provoking. I am positive that your mother is extremely proud of you.

I watched your series on "Black In America", you showed the negative
side of the black and bi-racial people. There are thousands upon
thousands of black and bi-racial educated, law abdiding, working,
successful, 2-parent families,never been to prison, and are proud
of their heritages, and are GOD worshiping people.
Now, when are you going to do a series on "White In America"?
We are all in this struggle together, for when we get to heaven,
GOD will not see color.

Shirley Wiggins

How you hold yourself is how you will be perceived by other people. Education and upbringing (parents) have the biggest influences.

By the way there are only 3 races that inhabit this beautiful planet of ours:

Caucasoid
Negroid
Mongoloid

Each race has their own physical characteristics. For example Mongoloids are what most "Oriental" people are , they have no eyelids.

Asian is an incorrect term becuase the continent of Asia goes from Eastern part of Russia, to Turkey to India all the way the Japan............

But labels help people quantify and manage things in ones own mind.

Everything esle is just ethnicities and religions............

"There should be no need for them to say “I am black” or “I am white” because they are neither, yet they are both. Trying to force a choice is often done just to accommodate the people around them. Why should it be so difficult to understand that a person can be and take pride in two races, ethnically and culturally? Those who cannot accept this are perpetuating the kind of ignorance that would only resegregate society by taking away a positive symbol of integration, the mixed child, and restricting him or her to an either-or status."

Well said! I'm half Black and half Korean and remember how hard it was for me try to identify myself racially. Eventually I learned it didn't matter and that I should be very proud to be who I am and that I have two cultures that I can relate to. No one should relate to only one race. Be proud of your race and culture and celebrate them all!

You know, Black White, Red, Yellow, Green..

Gee, it's year 2008.

Let's wake up..

People are people. Skin colour means nothing. In the end, we all share the same blood types.

We all poo, pee and sleep and eat.

We all think and feel.

I cannot wait for the day when these issues are dealt with and we all move along together, relishing the differences instead of being afraid of them.

Personally, it's not colour or race that matters, it's what you do. And that means, your actions. That's all that matters!

As long as everytime we fill out a form we have to check what race we are its always going to matter. America is never going to change they are always comparing race to something always saying more black this more whites that and i just get sick of it. Why can't we be one! But there are still ignorant people stuck back in time (especially our government) so it's never going to change.

"Trying to force a choice is often done just to accommodate the people around them. "

EXACTLY! And why yield to labels that make it more convenient for the small-minded to package you?

My children are a blend of African-American, Filipino and Caucasian. Why should they be forced to chose between their heritages? They are members of a single race – Human – and celebrate the cultures of all of their grandparents and great-grandparents to the degree they choose – and then they add to the mix that which is uniquely them.

Their father, who is biracial, grew up feeling special and so have our children. Those who feel the need to label should not have the final word on who we are – we should determine our own identities.

Somebody drop her off in rural Mississippi and see how "half-white" she is then.

This "I m both races" stuff is really cute on print and for TV specials but really when you meet these people they are usually people who only have a inner self hatred of their black half. They dont want to b totally identified with, "them."

Good for you Grace. I myself am of mixed heritage. While I have no african heritage That I am aware of, I am Cherokee, Blackfoot, Chocktaw, Black Dutch, Irish, German, and English and it can be confusing when your young and people try to lable you. You fill out an application they ask you your race and you think ok......what do I put? I have to pick one humm........ Well I look more white but am actually more Native american hmmm....I can pick other but there is never enough room to right it all down. Dang it.... cant I just pick American and forget it. At least now days you can just refuse to answer the question. it didn't used to be that way. i guess my point is (like a few others have said) Americans for the most part are of mixed race and thats a good thing. I just wish people would stop trying to classify me as something other than what I am. I am not a White American;I am not a Native American. I am simply an American

unfortunately, regardless of how she view herself, black, white, blended (lol), most of White America will look at her and see NOT WHITE or better yet BROWN.....where is the reality here!!! Embrace all of the of cultural aspects of both your races, but please know you will be categorized and often marginalized because your skin is brown....smh @ the super p.c. comments....

Unfortunately there will always be division between Blacks and all other cultures be it blended or otherwise because there will always be a need for some to use being Black as a reason for them not to have succeeded in life. Being Black will be used as an excuse by those addicted to failure.

I applaud what Ms. Grace Gibson had to say. I hope that our society is moving quickly toward one of respect for peoples of all races and blends of races. Unfortunately, as we blend more and more, some of the cultural things that make a people unique tend to become diluted. For instance, my ancestry is a mix of four different European cultures, none of which survived fully intact within our family. But, I think we gain far more than we lose as we move toward a world population that is blended, and proud of it, rather than isolated from each other within the color of our skin or the culture of our ancestry. We gain the ability to look beyond skin color and other unimportant issues. We learn to see with our brains and our hearts, not just with our eyes.

I totally agree with Grace. My wife is from the Caribbean (black) and I was born in Canada (white). We're the best thing that ever happened to each other and all of our friends and family feel the same way about our relationship. We take from each other's cultures and our lives have been greatly by enriched this exhange. People need to realize that the color of your skin means nothing. It is NOT who you are, regardless of what people say. It's only your packaging. That's not to say that there isn't racism, there absolutely is, but the sooner people change their mindset racism will start to disappear. I am not a white man. My wife is not a black woman. We are both human beings who happen to be male and female, and we happen to have different color skin. So what? If we can all start thinking of ourselves and each other in this way, racism and gender bias start to appear even more ridiculous that they already do. This may sound politically incorrect, but I truly believe that racism can be bred out of humanity. If everybody starts mixing then race begins to lose it's significance. Call me naive if you want, but I'm not part of the problem. Even the fringe elements that shout "white power" and use the dreaded "n-word" are not the biggest problem. It's the people that say "not in my life-time" that are the bigger stumbling block. I'm glad people like Barack Obama and Grace Gibson chose to ignore these voices.

Grace,

You are not all black or all white but you sure are all...HOT!

Mixed beauty is what will tear down racism. Hate can't perist in someone's eyes when they see a truly beautiful face in front of them...that's when even the most racist of people will lower there guard.

I am so happy to see this message I ahve been saying this for years I am a product of a bi racial marriage. I have for years felt happy with who and what I am and have also felt the pressure to chose sides...which to me always seemed silly. I got called imitation of life. I got called a zebra. But I never let it tear me down. I always knew there was ignorance on all sides.
But to chose a side meant that I was denying some small part of myself. Giving up my irish father or my black mother.
I am so tired of all the separation that I see out there
All the talk of black and white, and who has had a more priviledged life
I was raised to be me. I was raised to see people for what they were good or bad not black not white I mean yes of course it was obvious if they were one or the other but I truly grew up color blind I just feel that the more we point out or differences and continue to hold onto the hate and resentment we will never be just people trying to make our way in this world. Trying to live a good life and be good people. Being there to help those that need it regardless of their skin color.
But maybe it is just me Maybe I am the only one that feels this way

....a very passionate, articulate and inspiring response from a young woman who is already impacting the world with a unique perspective. Not surprised, coming from the talented family that she does.

peace
jf

Kudos to that talented and courageous young lady for speaking her mind. But the reality is that this woman doesn't look especially bi-racial. She looks like a lot of other black women. There are many, many shades of African American. I think some make up company once said there are actually 32 distinct shades of the black skin. My only problem with young Grace's comments is that she projects this same superiority that you hear from some, not all, mixed race people that some how they are the "better than" because they are mixed race. "I'm not one or the other, I'm neither, but both." That's another form of racism. I once heard a song that said, "red, yellow, black or white" they are all precious in HIS sight". I believe that song. We should NOT have to be bi-racial or multi-racial to be acceptable. Until we accept the fact that beauty and intelligence and creativity can come from someone with the palest white skin to the blackest bluest skin, we'll never get this race thing right.

geri, get over yourself. She was speaking about the biracial segment in the program. Just because she's got some cream in that coffee doesn't mean her opinion isn't valid.

As a biracial person myself (half Palestinian half Anglo-American) I can appreciate what she is saying. By being two things at once, we can transcend the simple tags and labels placed on many others with a single ethnicity. This is the wave of the future. 100 years from now CNN will be doing a segment on the disadvantages of being of only one race.

Grace's comments were articulate and represent her experience and generation. The latter two aspects are also the weakness of her comments. Being interracial expands further than her and the bliss Barrack Obama’s modern day successes. She is blessed to live in a time where being interracial is more accepted, be raised by parents who are financially and socially secure and have a media outlook live CNN to air her and other people experiences in America. Mommy loved your thoughts and others of your similar experience, yet the truth is that you are a young and privilege. This is nothing to be ashamed of and does not suggest that you have not had real struggles. It is to say that the program, Black in America, aim to address of broader angel of being of mixed ethnic decent. Every time we see Obama, which is a lot, on television it testifies much of what you wrote of. Soledad and her staff did a wonderful job of giving a voice to people and issues that often do not get a voice. She should be nothing but congratulated for that. Let’s trace your actions. You watched and informed show about being black in America. Then you went to your computer to write about a perceived weakness related to your experience that ended up on CNN’s website. Grace! Your life is great. However my friend, I believe when you live a little and walk a while you will see that life is more complicated than that. In the next months supporters of Barrack, as those who are watching closely will see now (i.e. the cover of The New Yorker), will see even his pursuits are not as simple as advertised. Be proud of who you are, but do not discount what others have experienced, experiences and will experience that is different from yours.

Well said Grace, however, it amazes me when whites are face with the same challanges as "others",all of a sudden race doesnot matter....SORRY people......your systems has set it up, that RACE does matter, oh yeah.......Brian.....welcome to "OUR" world, strap on....buddy, it is gonna be a bumpy ride

Pandora, is there a "black blood"? I know about red blood only. Oh, white and red blood cells. I would love to see black blood. Life is in the Blood.

Although I agree with Grace and she is entitled to feel however way she wants; but lets be real, race matters. Race mixing is NOT going to solve nothing (race mixing is ALREADy done. ALso look at the black community where colors range from light skinned v/s dark skinned. Guess what? there are race issues WITHIN the black communty). Even though many blacks are voing for Obama, there were blacks who do not consider him black enough (some does not look at him as black). To me, this is a deep issue and there is NO one answer. And yes, some people can talk all of this nice talk (which is nice and you are right) however when the doors are close and everyone goes back to thier spaces, the race issue ALWAYS come out because RACE MATTERS (heck the world degrades and make fun of Michael Jackson because of his skin. Now if race does not matter, why does the media and blacks and whites degrade Michael IF RACE does not matter? The reason, RACE MATTERS. This debate is discussed evern few years and you still see the same things where race matters.

After President Ford extracted American troops from Vietnam, news began to trickle out of biracial children and the prejudice and hardships they faced. I advocated bringing them here, to the US. It did not matter if their parents could be identified or not. They could easily be identified, and they belonged here. Bring them. We would give them homes and grant them fast tracks to citizenship. If there was a nation on this earth where these children would be accepted and given the opportunity for a fulfilling life, it was the USA... It should have been. It should always be. Bring to us the world's unwanted children of mixed racial, tribal, or ethnic heritage and we will welcome them and nurture them as our own, as Americans. Truly, this is at the heart of our nation's character. It's who we are.

As one respondent stated, "this program is not for you". Grace is passionate about her ideas and feelings, and she is correct. Somewhat. She lives a charmed life in the entertainment field where she can be somewhat shielded from the realities of being scion of mixed parentage. She doesn't truly understand. She may not believe she should label herself as "black or white", but others will try. She will be stung when the first person calls her the N-word; whether that word will come someone white or black the effect will be the same. She won't be able to ask daddy, Momma Winfield will have to explain. Other things may come up, why did Lynn marry this Englishman? Wasn't a black man good enough? Etc. I hope she never experiences that. But if she does, I hope she has been raised to be self-aware of her unique status in the "great" country of ours.

Her article is a great start. However, she too uses the word "race." Soledad O'Brien, others in the "Black in America" documentaries, and our mainstream media continue using the word "race". NEWSFLASH: We all belong to one race-the Human Race. Until we stop using this word, to separate ourselves from each other: black, white, latino, asian, etc. we can not move beyond where we are today. Let's take the next step and acknowledge all that is said in this article, plus move beyond the word race because it is simply an illusion created many, many years ago. We are all in this together, we are all human. We must treat each other as we wish to be treated, as equals.

I applaud her for encouraging people to look past race. However, her support for Obama merely because of his mixed heritage completely contradicts her message. I understand what she is saying about him being the personification of the world coming together. That may sound wonderful for a high school essay, but we are talking about the most important office in the world. We need an experienced, tried and true leader who has a two decade record of truly bringing together the two parties that run this country.

Also, I am happy for her that she has not had to struggle with her identity while being both black and white. I am sure it must be easier with a famous mother and well to do parents. Personally, growing up, it was not easy constantly being asked what race I am. Why did it matter? The answer is, to the rest of the world, apparently it does.

Instead of "black" or "white", how about "American"...?

I'll be glad when the d