African American | Mexican/Spanish

Photo credit: Selfie

I identify as Black, Mexican and Spanish. My parents are from America, my dad is from Chicago and my mother is from North Carolina. My mom’s dad was in the military and got stationed in Yuma, Arizona. When my dad turned 17 he also joined the military and got stationed in Yuma, Arizona. That’s how they met. I was born and raised in Yuma, Arizona.

I’ve known from a young age that I was mixed-race. I grew up with a single mom and she showed me the similarities and differences between my ethnicities. The challenges I faced being mixed only affected me when I was younger in school. I never knew where I would fit in or who to sit with. Since I was raised in a more Hispanic town I feel like I am connected to that side more.

My social environment has no effect on how I chose my friends. Not knowing my native language has affected my life because I miss out on opportunities meant for people who know Spanish.

I believe in today’s world where there are more mixed people there is a positive attitude towards mixed people.

When people ask where I’m from the first thing do they is try to guess. I just end up telling them that I am from Yuma, Arizona.

A positive of being mixed-race is based around the work I want to do, acting and modelling mixed girls that look like me is big business at the moment. A negative in today’s world is that being Black and Hispanic feels like a double negative.

If I was to be reborn I would like to come back exactly the same, I love my races and the culture with them.