When I was not yet three years old, John Richard and Grace Elizabeth Ingram adopted me from an orphanage in southwest London. When I was four, a stroke left Dad paralysed down his left side; he died when I was 18. I can still hear the cranky squeaks of your wheelchair. And the clicking of… Read More Fathers From Around the World
Race. The colour of my skin, the flare of my nostrils, the texture of my hair, the S of my backside. I am none of these; I am all of these. Race. My mother is caramel, my father pure chocolate, and I am hazelnut. They taught me that education and excellence would open any door.… Read More Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
1) How do you define yourself racially or ethnically and why is it important to you? Please tell us about the racial makeup of your family if you were adopted or come from a colorful family. I consider myself Asian American, or as I like to say, American Asian. The latter description came from digesting… Read More At The Finish Line: Asian American In Thailand, Part 16
1) How do you define yourself racially or ethnically and why is it important to you? I’m Australian. I simultaneously know and can’t really explain what that means. I think it’s something about how we speak or dress, our body language, our sense of humour. It’s funny – I can often pick an Australian (of… Read More The Race: Australian in Singapore, Part 15
1) How do you define yourself racially or ethnically and why is it important to you? An analysis of my DNA by Ancestry.com shows that my ancestors came from Western Europe, Ireland, Scandinavia and Spain, which makes me about as Caucasian as one can be. I find my ethnicity interesting from a historical perspective. On… Read More The Race: Caucasian in Oregon, Part 14
Words go unsaid too many times but that doesn’t mean I don’t notice when you step to the shadows so I can have my day in the sun. You’ve saved portions of food so that I’d have enough to eat when I get home from work. You laboured over the stove when you were so… Read More Mothers From Around The World
1) How do you define yourself racially or ethnically and why is it important to you? Chinese-Canadian or Canadian-born Chinese. My partner is German-Canadian. We’ve been together over 20 yrs. 2) Where do you live? If you have ever moved, whether to another city or the other side of the world, please tell us when… Read More The Race: Chinese-Canadian, Part 13
So I’m taking a breather, slowing my pace, taking stock. Behind the unassuming titles in the series has been a lot of work. I have combed through the submissions and tapped some contributors for as many as six drafts for the clearest chronology and descriptions. I would not be surprised if my “Would you please… Read More The Race Around the World: Behind the Scenes
1) How do you define yourself racially or ethnically and why is it important to you? Please tell us about the racial makeup of your family if you were adopted or come from a colorful family. I was born in Australia to very traditional Chinese-Malaysian parents. The word “Malaysian” refers to a nationality. There are… Read More The Race: Asian Australian, Part 10
1) How do you define yourself racially or ethnically and why is it important to you? Please tell us about the racial makeup of your family if you were adopted or come from a colorful family. When I was a kid I just called myself black as that was what society taught, that if you’re… Read More The Race: American in India, Part 7
A Holistic Journey 