FEATURED MULTIRACIAL INDIVIDUAL: MEET DRE!

---

NAME AND AGE

Andre Lawrence, age 35

WHAT MIX ARE YOU?

50% South Korean, 50% Filipino

WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE?

Huntington Beach

IS THE COMMUNITY YOU LIVE IN NOW DIVERSE?

No its like 99% white

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

I grew up in northern California “paradise California“ and it was even less diverse. I couldn't identify with any other kids there was only one Asian family other than us.

HOW DID YOUR PARENTS MEET?

I don't have much of an idea since my biological father was not really in the picture.

WERE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP CORRELATED TO YOUR BACKGROUNDS?

I don't think there was.

HAS YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF YOU BEING BIRACIAL?

Yes. I hope so!!

DID YOU CELEBRATE TRADITIONS FROM BOTH SIDES OF YOUR FAMILY?

No only Korean.

WERE THERE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

Only English and Korean but now I hardly know any Korean words!! Sucks.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR CULTURAL BACKGROUND?

Food for sure. That's it. I don't really follow anything else with Korean culture.

WHAT ACTIONS DID YOUR PARENTS TAKE TO TEACH YOU ABOUT YOUR DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS?

My father was absent but my mother would show me pictures of how she grew up in Korean and would teach you traditional Korean Proverbs.

DID YOU TALK ABOUT RACE A LOT IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?

No not at all.

DO YOU IDENTIFY AS MIXED OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Mixed

DOES RACE WEIGH INTO WHO YOU CHOOSE TO DATE?

It does not and my partner is full Mexican.

WHAT DOES BEING MIXED MEAN TO YOU?

I feel unique. People always asking what race I am because they can't figure it out. But feel very happy with who I am and where I come from.

DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO ARE MIXED?

No I don't have many but from the few that I have. I've learned that it's ok to be different and look different.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS YOU ARE REALLY TIRED OF HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN REGARDS TO RACE/CULTURE? TELL US YOUR PET PEEVES:)

When I was a kid maybe because I was the only Asian. Was called “Ching Chong China man!!”” Lol but now as an adult I hardly hear anything.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA IN REGARDS TO RACE?

No more check marks in forms identifying where u are or what race you are. It's irrelevant.

---

MULTIRACIAL MAN CRUSH MONDAY: TIM HOWARD

---

This week’s Multiracial Man Crush Monday is Tim Howard.

In my opinion, Tim Howard is the sexiest man to ever step foot on a soccer field. I know a lot of people love Ronaldo, but for me, no one beats the ridiculously hot, biracial goalie for the U.S. National Team. He also just signed with the Colorado Rapids which means I may need to move back to the Mile High City ASAP! 

Howard has a black father and a white mother of Hungarian descent, he grew up in New Jersey. There are 5 things that make him #MMCM worthy.

1. He’s an incredible athlete and the best goalie the U.S. has ever had

2. He is covered in tattoos and has an amazing beard

3. He is very open about his struggle with Tourette's Syndrome and OCD

4. He’s a Pisces (March 6, 1979)

5. He’s 6’3”

Have I convinced you to become a soccer fan? These photos should do the trick...

---

MULTIRACIAL MAN CRUSH MONDAY: THE ROCK AKA DWAYNE JOHNSON

---

It would be impossible for me to do a Multiracial Man Crush Monday feature without The Rock. My crush (… slight obsession) goes back decades. I don’t remember exactly when I first saw him but he made an impression;) I still like to call him The Rock, but I suppose he’s Dwayne Johnson at this point.

His father is black from Nova Scotia, Canada and his mother is Samoan. He went from being a University of Miami football player to WWE star to one of the biggest TV and movie stars on the planet.

It’s his personality (plus muscles) that makes me love him. He can be a bad ass one second and host the Nickelodeon awards the next and everyone loves him equally. But to truly appreciate The Rock, it’s best done with photos…

FEATURED MULTIRACIAL INDIVIDUAL: MEET MARCUS!

---

NAME AND AGE

Marcus Isom, age 33

WHAT MIX ARE YOU?

My dad is African American

My mom is German

WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE?

Denver, CO

IS THE COMMUNITY YOU LIVE IN NOW DIVERSE?

Yes.  I live in a pocket of downtown Denver (Jefferson Park) that has historically been a Hispanic and African American community. It's one of many downtown neighborhoods experiencing heavy development due to Denver’s explosive population growth.

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

I grew up in Highlands Ranch, CO.  It was about as far from diverse as possible.  I didn't have any other mixed friends, and only grew up with a handful of other African American kids.  While it lacked diversity, it was a great family environment to grow up in.  

HOW DID YOUR PARENTS MEET?

They met in the cafeteria line at their community college in Colorado Springs.

WERE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP CORRELATED TO YOUR BACKGROUNDS?

I would say the biggest obstacles they faced were at work.  Both began working at AT&T in the same office environment, and many of their colleagues didn't like that a white woman was with a black man and vise versa.  My mother also frequently experienced the underlying racism surrounding her.  For example, when we were moving to Denver she went to several high schools to help determine what neighborhood to raise my sister and I in.  Littleton is where they wanted to live, but when visiting the high school one of the administrators answered my mom’s question around diversity by assuring her that the student population was majority white.

HAS YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF YOU BEING MULTIRACIAL? Yes.  Both sides of my family couldn't have been more accepting.  Both my parents have 10 siblings, and never have I felt my being mixed has impacted their love and support for me.  As for my grandmothers, I aspire to be as accepting and loving to people of all walks of life as they both are.  As my German grandmother Irmengard always says, “we are all god’s children.”

DID YOU CELEBRATE TRADITIONS FROM BOTH SIDES OF YOUR FAMILY?

Yes, but primarily on my mother’s side.  Our family is enormous, but we all come together for Christmas.  Every Christmas Eve we do a Christmas story play in German with costumes and all. This is something my Grandmother did in church growing up, and continued with her kids once she moved to America.  The characters of the play are now passed off to each new generation of grandchildren.  This family play has spanned over 50 years.

WERE THERE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

My mother would speak German only when around my grandmother, or visiting family from Germany.  Like an idiot, I wasn't interested in picking this up as a kid.  I speak a little German (mainly from memorizing content from our play), but certainly not enough to carry a conversation.  

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR CULTURAL BACKGROUND?

This is a difficult question to answer because there is so much I enjoy/appreciate.  

Religion: It’s been the backbone to both sides of my family.  Both my grandmothers grew up in extremely difficult climates, Nazi Germany and post-WWII, and the segregation era in the US.  It was their religion held their families together and allowed them to find positivity and strength when surrounded by horror.  The morals and values religion instilled in them continue through the whole family.  

Food:  my dad was born and raised in Texas, and southern soul food has been and always will be an important part of my life.  I mean, fried catfish and greens should be something all people experience.  German food - wurst, sauerkraut, knoedle are among my favorite.  And like all Germans, beer and chocolate are very close to my heart.  Visiting Germany and experiencing all this delicious food outside my grandmother’s kitchen was nothing short of amazing.  

Clothing: fashion is something that I enjoy.  One thing that's remained consistent since I was in 4th grade is my love for Jordan sneakers.  My dad bought me my first pair in 4th grade, and I've been hooked since.  While I was growing up I could only wear them for basketball, and today they are strictly a fashion accessory.  Almost every male on my dads’ side of the family shares this interest.  When in Germany last September for Oktoberfest I did channel my German fashion and bought some Lederhosen.  While I felt ridiculous, I wore them throughout Munich the three days I was there.  They're quite comfortable.

WHAT ACTIONS DID YOUR PARENTS TAKE TO TEACH YOU ABOUT YOUR DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS?

My parents began bringing me to the MLK parade when I was young to educate me on segregation, and the struggles their families faced to allow the present day opportunities.  They frequently encouraged me to talk to extended family to gain their perspectives and experiences growing up black or German.  The most powerful action was simply listening to my grandmother’s tell all their amazing stories.  Some sad, some funny, some inspiring, but all of them incredible life lessons giving perspective how far things have come in our society.

DID YOU TALK ABOUT RACE A LOT IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? We did have frequent discussions, usually over dinner.  Typically these conversations came up due to a situation my sister or I experienced at school or with friends. 

DO YOU IDENTIFY AS MIXED OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Mixed

DOES RACE WEIGH INTO WHO YOU CHOOSE TO DATE?

No.  The women I've dated are all over the board when it comes to ethnicity.  

WHAT DOES BEING MIXED MEAN TO YOU?

For me it means I've been blessed to experience the beauty of diversity associated with both black and white, and diversity is what embodies our country.

DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO ARE MIXED? IF SO WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THEM?

I do have some friends that are mixed.  I've learned that all of us have faced adversity due to the fact our families look outside the norm.  Yet it's easy to surround oneself with good people.  It's important we embrace all that makes us unique, and when you have good positive people around you they too will embrace everything about you.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS YOU ARE REALLY TIRED OF HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN REGARDS TO RACE/CULTURE?

Yes, when people state we are far removed from the civil rights movement, and black people need to stop using race as an excuse for their problems.  Typically mainstream problems are far more complicated than that, and thus I find this comment extremely ignorant.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA IN REGARDS TO RACE?

That we truly embrace what has built and embodied our country, Diversity.  When it comes to the issues of color we are far from the finish line.  I guess my dream is that when I have kids and they walk into their classroom full of unfamiliar faces and complexions they see opportunity. Opportunity to make friends, smile, learn, grow, and have fun with a group of kids just like them.  If we continue to teach our kids to embrace the diversity surrounding them we are heading in the right direction.

---

MULTIRACIAL MAN CRUSH MONDAY: TREVOR NOAH

---

Yesterday I was sitting getting my nails done, flipping through Elle magazine, and came across an article on The Daily Show's newish host Trevor Noah. First off, he's adorable. Second, he has an accent which automatically makes him twice as adorable. Third, I found out he is multiracial! So that is where the idea for our own twist on #MCM was born:) 

Now anyone who knows me would assume my very first #MMCM would be The Rock. Mostly because I am obsessed with him. But nope, I'm going with brains over brawn this week, but please believe The Rock will be featured one Monday very, very soon. 

Trevor is 31 and grew up in South Africa. His father is white and from Switzerland and his mother is black from Soweto. Since he was born in 1984 during apartheid, when interracial sex and marriage were both illegal, he was legally not allowed to live with his father. He also couldn't hold his mother's hand in public. His Wikipedia page states that his mother was jailed for a time for having sex with Noah's father.  The Elle article states that in his comedy he would often joke that he was "born a crime". 

One thing that has seemed to really shaped him is that he grew up in a house of all women. He has said "In my world, a woman was the most powerful thing that I knew. Still is. A woman made the money in my house; a woman made my food. A woman beat my ass when I wasn't a good kid." His mother was also the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of Noah's former step-father. 

His unique perspectives on race and gender absolutely come across in his comedy. I feel like he comes from a feminist point of view which is very sexy. Another thing that makes him sexy is that he can speak six South African languages, German, as well as some Japanese and Spanish- plus a man in a suit is the ultimate aphrodisiac and he wears them very well. 

Keep up Trevor and congrats on being our first ever Multiracial Man Crush Monday feature. xx

---

THIS CREW IS KILLING BEYONCE'S "FORMATION"- LOVE IT!

---

I'm going to need you guys to dedicate the next 7 minutes and 23 seconds to watching these amazing dancers kill it to Beyonce's Formation.

Choreography by Wildabeast

---

TIME TO GROW UP CAM NEWTON

---

Full disclosure here, I am a ride or die Denver Broncos fan. So I was definitely watching last night’s game hoping Cam Newton would lose and I got my wish. However, I was hoping to see him lose with class. I wanted him to prove everyone wrong about his attitude. I think he has been judged harsher than other quarterbacks because he is African-American, and no of course that is not fair. He should not have to live up to a higher standard than everyone else in his same position. But he should be expected to act with professionalism, as should every other team leader. Last night I wanted him to emerge as a humble professional who could be the emotional leader of his team. But that didn’t happen.

For the record I don't mind his cocky antics during the games, I love the dabs, I think the flash and personality is what makes him unique. To me it shows passion, adrenaline, and his love for the game. I also have no doubt that if I was born with  the physical gifts that he has I too would think I was god's gift to sport. But that doesn't excuse his post game behavior. Now I saw him shake hands with Peyton on the field and he was even smiling, but somewhere between that moment and his time at the press conference his mood changed significantly. 

We’ve seen many players lose with grace, fight back tears at that podium while still doing their job of speaking with the media. In fact, 2 of Cam Newton’s teammates, Josh Norman and Luke Kuechly, showed up for their post game press conference like professionals. Dressed in suits, visibly upset, but still showed class and leadership for their teammates.

I love this point my friend Rick Brewer made on Facebook, and I agree 100%. 

Yes this man is 26 years old, which someone people will argue as an excuse for his behavior. But let's be serious, 26 is a grown ass man. He is also a father and the leader of a team of 50+ grown men. Let's not forget that he is also paid millions of dollars to represent himself, his team and his organization like a leader. He let them all down. 

I will also add that Cam Newton is not the only one who behaved badly. The Broncos defensive star Aqib Talib also made a pretty tasteless comment and showed classlessness on the winning side. His quote is in the image to the right. In addition to this he also cost the Broncos a lot of yards in the first half of the game for classless plays on the field. He needs to learn what it means to be a humble winner and should take some lessons from teammates like DeMarcus Ware (my current crush;), Demaryius Thomas and Peyton Manning. 

I hope parents and coaches will use this an example to teach their kids how to act when they win or lose. Each of us is going to experience disappointment in life and we will be judged by how we react to that failure. Judged at the same level as Cam? No, but that comes along with being a public figure. No one is perfect all the time and yes when you are on a big stage you get judged by different standards. But truly I hope Cam turns this experience into something positive. He is going to have a long and hugely successful career in football. He is a superstar. I hope he takes the off-season to learn from the greats who have come before him and changes his approach as a leader in victory and in defeat. 

---

IN MY HEADPHONES: N.E.R.D.

---

Chad, Pharrell and Shay

I've been a huge N.E.R.D. fan for years and years. Back when I lived in Denver I went to 3 or 4 of their concerts and the energy that Pharrell, Chad and Shay have on stage is infectious. Recently I started listening to their music again and in my opinion it's just as fresh and unique as it was in the 2000s. 

N.E.R.D. stands for No-One Ever Really Dies and they have a hybrid sound that blends rock, funk and hip hop. My favorite songs of theirs are Rockstar, Lapdance and She Likes to Move- they are all pretty explicit so I only get to listen to them when I'm solo in the car:). 

The 3 group members all grew up together in Virginia Beach, VA and spent their early years making music in Hugo's garage. These days of course Pharrell is everywhere with Happy, The Voice, and all of his business ventures. Chad has been working in music too since N.E.R.D. stopped performing, he is the other half of The Neptunes with Pharrell and works with many other groups and DJs.  Shay stays away from the spotlight these days and recently got married. 

I hope all 3 get back together and make some music soon! 

---

FEATURED MULTIRACIAL INDIVIDUAL: MEET LEE!

---

I met Lee soon after I moved to Los Angeles because we had a mutual friend. I've leaned on Lee multiple times to assist with various marketing projects and gotten to know him and his girlfriend Korrina in the process. Lee always has a smile on his face and has such a kind energy! I was intrigued by him growing up half Persian in Alabama and was so happy when he agreed to share his story on growing up multiracial. 

Enjoy getting to know Lee! 

- Jen 

---

NAME

Lee Kholafai

WHAT MIX ARE YOU?

Cherokee Indian, Persian, and Irish from Alabama.

WHERE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE? 

Los Angeles

IS THE COMMUNITY YOU LIVE IN NOW DIVERSE? 

Yes

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

I am from Mobile, Alabama and no it was not very diverse. People never really treated me differently and I never really felt different. I identified myself with a lot of races actually because I could always find something in common.

HOW DID YOUR PARENTS MEET?

My father came to Alabama for college and my mom was a waitress at a Mexican restaurant.

WERE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP?

I mean yea there were some racist people but no one really paid them any attention because they were closed-minded and ignorant anyway so to even worry about their opinion is a waste of time.

HAS YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF YOU BEING MULTIRACIAL?

Yea, I like it. It makes me different.

DID YOU CELEBRATE TRADITIONS FROM BOTH SIDES OF YOUR FAMILY?

Yea sure, to totally disregard part of my culture would be pretty lame if you ask me. On my Persian side we celebrated Persian New Year called Norooz. We would also jump over a bonfire for ‘Chahr-Shanbeh Souri’ to shake off the darkness of winter and welcome the lightness of spring, a Persian ritual passed down since ancient Zoroastrian times. The Persian New Year Festival is called Chahar-Shanbeh Souri, which literally means ‘ Eve of Wednesday’ because the festival is always held on the last Tuesday of winter, just before the Vernal Equinox or first moment of spring.

WERE THERE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

Yes, there was but no I do not unfortunately. I didn't feel the need to learn another language as a child because everyone spoke English, so I didn't see the point. Now I really regret not learning another language at a young age because I think it's really a benefit to do so.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR CULTURAL BACKGROUND?

All of it really. I am a very open-minded person that loves spontaneity and new things. I hope I am not the only one who thinks eating the same food or listening to the same music over and over is boring. 

WHAT ACTIONS DID YOUR PARENTS TAKE TO TEACH YOU ABOUT YOUR DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS? 

They pretty much just taught me to be proud of who I am. I would ask questions and they would answer them but nothing was forced upon me.

DID YOU TALK ABOUT RACE A LOT IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?

Not really. It was never really an issue.

DO YOU IDENTIFY AS MIXED OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Yea, I would say I am a trio.

DO YOU THINK BEING MIXED HAS BENEFITTED YOUR ACTING AND MODELING CAREER OR IT HAD IT'S CHALLENGES? 

For me, being mixed made it easier because there's always a white guy, black guy, asian guy and then me for all the other markets lol. My first two commercials I booked were for the Latin market. 

DOES RACE WEIGH INTO WHO YOU CHOOSE TO DATE? 

I just go for what I am attracted to, My girlfriend Korrina is Latina.

WHAT DOES BEING MIXED MEAN TO YOU?

Not just being from one source.

DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS WHO ARE MIXED? 

Yea, and we are all the same with the ultimate goal to just spread love, joy and peace.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS YOU ARE REALLY TIRED OF HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN REGARDS TO RACE? 

Answer goes here…. People who look for pity because of their race. There are strong and successful individuals in every race so what's their excuse?

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA IN REGARDS TO RACE?

That we care less about the race and more about the heart.

---