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Multiracial Californians discuss how — and why — they describe their identities
We asked LAist 89.3 listeners about the terms they actually like to use when describing their multiracial identities.
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17:16
Are you multiracial? How do you identify yourself?
Larry talks with LAist listeners.
"Two or more races" or "other": These are the types of boxes that a lot of multiracial people default to checking off on forms and applications. But it paints a narrow picture of the often complicated identities of multiracial people.
So: How do multiracial people identify themselves? What terms do they actually use when talking about their own, often unique and individual identity? On a recent episode of AirTalk, LAist 89.3's daily news program, host Larry Mantle encouraged mixed-race listeners to call in and share the terms they prefer to use when identifying themselves ... and, on the flip side, the ones they take issue with.
Some things they said:
- Many rejected labels they felt were imposed on them by others.
- Many callers said their identity was primarily informed by how they were raised and their lived experiences.
- Some shared the hybridized terms they coined for themselves.
Listen to the full episode above: to hear from one listener who dubs himself a "Filexican."
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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