Perspective Is Everything

This is a disclaimer. Perspective is everything. A person can believe so deeply in something and bet their life to prove themselves right, but someone else who may disagree with them could do the same thing. They could both be right, they could both be wrong, but either way, it is what they believe at the moment. I say at the moment because with knowledge, understanding, and an open mind, a person’s perspective can be altered. This is how I view the world. Not every bi-racial person will have the same perspective on the world as I do. These are my personal encounters with other people and societal expectations while living in America. While reading this, I want you to have an open-mind regardless of if you agree or disagree with my views on topics posted throughout this blog. Follow along with me as I navigate life from the perspective of a mixed individual and maybe, hopefully, you will be inclined to remember that everyone has a different perspective on the world.

First thing first, let's delve into who I am and what I'm about. I'm mixed. Half African-American and half Italian. I was going to write half black and half white, but being black and African-American or white and Italian is not the same thing. One of my friends is black, but she is Jamaican. Another one of my friends is white, but she is Irish. I want to clarify this because many people forget that different cultures are associated with different ethnicities.

You would be surprised by the sort of things I hear sometimes. “You’re not really white”, “You’re just black”, “I forget you’re white sometimes”, “You don’t have black people hair”, “You’re an Oreo”. No, I am not a cookie. Yes, I am actually white. Someone once told me to just say black when people asked me what I was. Not only was I taken aback by the abrupt demand by one of my friends, but I was also disappointed in the fact that people in America, maybe all around the world, truly believe a skin tone is enough to define a person. You can’t describe a culture with a color. You also can't judge a person solely on their ethnicity or race.

With all of this being said, I want to welcome everyone who comes across these posts. I hope I can encourage you all to become as curious about life as I am.