Student group IC Mixed discusses mixed-race experiences

Posted in Articles, Campus Life, Media Archive, United States on 2017-04-05 19:38Z by Steven

Student group IC Mixed discusses mixed-race experiences

The Ithacan
2017-04-04

Ashae Forsythe, Staff Writer


Sophomores Walt Martzen and Rianna Larkin listen intently to another IC Mixed member Feb. 22 in Friends Hall as they share personal stories of their multiracial backgrounds. Maxine Hansford/The Ithacan

In IC Mixed, if there’s one thing the students have in common, it’s that they can’t easily check one box for a race or ethnicity.

“When you can’t be put into a box, it causes inner turmoil for multiracial people themselves: ‘Where do I belong? I’m not this, I’m not that,’” said junior Luke Watkins, event coordinator for IC Mixed.

The new student organization creates spaces for people of mixed heritage to express their thoughts freely. Launched in February, IC Mixed aims to strengthen the sense of community among people who identify as mixed or multiracial through discussions, events and other programs…

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Guest Commentary: Student searches for identity outside of race

Posted in Articles, Autobiography, Media Archive, United States on 2015-11-01 00:54Z by Steven

Guest Commentary: Student searches for identity outside of race

The Ithacan: Serving the Ithaca College community since 1931.
Ithaca, New York
2013-02-20

Derek Crossman


Senior Derek Crossman struggled to identify as a person of color living in a predominately white community. He argues that as the multiracial population grows, racial constructs should end.  Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

I learned I was different from my friends in gym class in 7th grade. My classmates joked that I was brown and called me a “nigger” and a “beaner.” It was the first time race ever became a factor in my life, and from then on I’ve been hyper-aware of my skin color.

Simply put, I’m a mix between my Caucasian mother and black father. It becomes complicated when ethnicity is involved. My father was born in Panama and moved to the U.S. in his teens, and my mother was born in the U.S. and is a mix of several European nationalities. That’s a great deal to consider for the curious person who asks about my heritage — I’m not easily categorized…

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