תִּקּוּן בֵּית פִילִיפִּינִים

isthatjew: I guess I should start this post by saying I’m not black. I know that seems like a ridiculous way to start, but then again, there is no good way to begin this discussion. 

I’m biracial. I am Filipino and Eastern European (reportedly anyway). I’m not “white.” I grew up in a predominantly white town. I was the token Jewish kid and the token brown kid all at the same time. I was also the token biracial kid. I never felt out of place, but I never felt like I exactly fit in. 

Growing up, my parents never taught me to be one or the other. It was harder for my homogenous grandparents to accept that. My Jewish grandma still calls me “Oriental” and my Filipino grandparents refuse to admit that I’m Jewish. I was taught to be a proud Jew or a proud Filipina. Both sides were confused about what being biracial really meant. 

My parents never pushed or pulled me in either direction. Even my name represents my parents’ cultures coming together- half and half. 

My parents have friends of all races and religions. I never really knew that race was an issue to the outside world. I was raised as colorblind as they come. 

I currently live and work in Vallejo. Vallejo is one of the most diverse towns in America. And I don’t mean that crap with the different neighborhoods with the different colored people living separately. I mean side by side. In homes, in government, at work, at the grocery store, in church. There are biracial, triracial, quadracial children everywhere. Vallejo, while having a high crime rate, does not have racial tension or race motivated crimes. Blacks, Whites, Mexicans, Arab, Indians, Chinese, Filipino… the list goes on. 

Watching the news makes me sad. I wish people affected by racism could live in a world more similar to mine. I cannot claim mine is perfect, but I know it is a step in the right direction. I am spoiled in that I can still be shocked and surprised that race is still even an issue. 

I pray for a world that is accepting of my future multi-racial children. I pray that I am wise and loving enough to raise them to love all people. 

I refuse to be defined by my skin color and I refuse to allow it to define others.