Of course I was all ready to submit a photo of Daniel since I feel more people should know about his adorableness. LOL. But midway to pressing the send button I had a thought. Is Daniel black enough to be on a cover of a magazine focused on black parenting and family?
Huh! You know that's a real good question. On one hand...why the heck not. Since he's half black I feel he / I/ we can claim his heritage and participate in anything related to the black community...can't we?!
Still I feel some doubt. What would the editors of the magazine say? I've exchanged a few emails with one of the editors of the website and she's very excepting of me and my son. I might be able to convince her and her team but can they convince their readers? Will there be angry letter asking why an "asian" child is on the cover or being included? Will there be a debate over including a biracial child in something made to highlight and promote "black" children?
Urgh! All these questions I'm driving myself crazy. I just wish moms like me didn't need to second guess our actions. My son is just a kid like any other and i feel that is all he needs to define him. Sadly we don't live in a world of open racial definitions. Shame.
I might still enter his photo and see or just let it go since I share his photos with everyone anyway. Either way for the "black" kids or rather "black looking" kids. LOL. Make sure you submit your photos for the contest. It will be nice to see little faces promoted by the moms and dads that make them =)
5 comments:
at: August 28, 2009 at 4:07 PM said...
My children may be dark enough that no one would question it. But the site is Noir Mommies. I think I might not be eligible. I am so not Noir!
Enter his picture!!
at: August 28, 2009 at 4:34 PM said...
I applaud you for expressing so eloquently the vulnerability and self-doubt that parents of mixed race children so often experience. I say go ahead and enter, it's a win either way.
at: August 29, 2009 at 7:03 AM said...
I'd say go for it! Afterall you are a proud "Noir Mommy" and your son is gorgeous, you never know this could be their chance to show the world what progressive thinkers they are over there at Noir Mommies.....
at: August 29, 2009 at 4:46 PM said...
Thank you for your comments ladies. I'll be sure to enter...you should enter your kids also!
at: July 2, 2011 at 6:33 PM said...
Definitely there will be people out there who will argue about being black enough, in the same way that our Latino community argues about being Latino enough. But I think you entering your son in the contest was an important step too, because we need to acknowledge that there is diversity with our own communities. There dark, light, white, and afroLatinos and people should still understand that growing up in a mixed community does mean picking one side of your heritage over the other. I know this is an older post, but it's a really good topic. ;)
Post a Comment