By Annika Wolanczyk '23
There is no doubt that Generation Z has a large biracial population. In fact, according to the Washington Post article Number of Biracial Babies Soars Over Past Decade, “More than 7 percent of the 3.5 million children born in the year before the 2010 Census were of two or more races, up from barely 5 percent a decade earlier. The number of children born to black and white couples and to Asian and white couples almost doubled.” As a biracial Gen Z-er, myself, it has come to my attention that while there are so many of us, we don’t have much discussion about being biracial within schools. There is discussion of racial identity at NEST+m in groups such as Black Student Union, Asian Culture Club, and Hispanic Student Union. So why do we not have a club that represents all of the people in between?
Coming to NEST+m, I was asked a particular question by many people: what exactly are you? While I am not offended by this question, it is surprising to be asked. Speaking with other biracial people that I know, it seems to be a very common question. However, there is no place to discuss these types of questions or encounters with peers who have these shared experiences. That is where a biracial club would be beneficial, since it would serve as a place where people can discuss what it’s like to be from two different ethnic backgrounds. When I brought up the idea of a biracial club in a conversation, someone asked,“Why don’t you just join Asian Culture Club?”. While I do identify with my Japanese side, it is only half of my racial identity, and the things that fully-Asian people experience are very different from mine. The same is true with my white side.
I spoke with other biracial students about their experiences being biracial at NEST+m and their thoughts on a biracial club. Daisy Polowetzky ‘23, who is of Russian and Filipino descent, said, “When I talk to people at NEST+m, I am very surprised to find out they are biracial. I feel like knowing that others are biracial gives us a bit of a connection. I think that a biracial club would be a good idea because we have so many clubs that just represent one race.” Maya Leigh Cruz ‘23, another biracial student, had a similar perspective. She said that being biracial at NEST+m “feels very ordinary, and there is a lot of cultural expression. But there aren't a lot of expressions of smaller cultures, like my own, and biracial identity.” With regards to the possibility of a biracial club at NEST+m, she said, “I think that it would be a good idea because it is important that all kids feel expressed in their school.”
There is a common issue in the biracial community where mixed-race people are conflicted on which side of them they want to show the world. Some will cling on to one half more than the other and try to prove themselves to that race. It can be so difficult to navigate and accept that you can belong to both equally. It would be beneficial to have a biracial club where everyone’s identities can be embraced. If you have any stories or feel like chatting about this issue, I would love to hear from you!
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