Your stories

Nadine Simpson is 22 years old and, like a growing number of young people, is proud to call herself ‘mixed race’.

She says that, with as much heritage, personality and DNA from her Jamaican father as she has from her British mother, ‘mixed race’ respects both her parents. In other words, to describe herself simply as just 'black' or 'white', betrays the fact that she is a product of both of them.

In the same way, Barack Obama was born to a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Kenya. But he’s been widely proclaimed as America’s first ‘black’ president.

So has ‘mixed race’ become the ‘acceptable face of black’ in a white society? Does it matter how people like Barack Obama, Alesha Dixon, Lewis Hamilton and others describe themselves? And whose racial identity is it anyway?

Nadine's been asking the question. She’s discovered that, for young people with parents of different race, there is a growing desire to be 'mixed race and proud'...

Genetic

John Amaechi who was brought up in Reddish, near Stockport, also has a white mum and a black dad. How he's defined in terms of race only matters, he says, if it’s used negatively.

John Amaechi

"I would not correct someone who called me black. But I would be puzzled by someone who referred to me as white."

"But when people do that, it’s either black people doing it to insult me, or it’s white people using it as a ‘compliment’ which is actually a back-handed insult for an entire group of people," he added.

"It’s a signal to me that they’re not talking about my genetic make-up at all, they’re talking about these social and cultural systems around me that they assume are present. But if it keeps them sane, I’ll live with that."

Mixed race or mix-d?

People of mixed race are one of the UK’s fastest growing minority groups. Back in 2006, Bradley Lincoln from Wythenshawe set up the Multiple Heritage Project to give them a voice and the freedom to debate their identity.

Bradley Lincoln

After working in schools in Manchester, he came up with the term mix-d to replace the traditional descriptions of ethnicity such as ‘mixed race’.

But he believes it should be down to the individual to decide what is, and what is not, acceptable.

Adding: "For instance, I’m perfectly OK for people to call me mixed race, or dual heritage, or multiple heritage whatever they want to call me – as long as they check it with me first."

As more young people are happy to say they are ‘mixed race and proud’, it seems that there is a voice of growing confidence in the mixed race debate.

Your comments

Kat, 26 in Manchester

It does matter. After questioning my 'white friends', the majority would class me as black rather than mixed race.  Why should people forget that I have a mixture of both black and white?!!!

Jonny, 26 from Manchester

Yes it does matter, as Obama/ Hamilton/ Woods etc, are great achievements for mixed raced people. It shows that mixed people can do anything and don't have problems due to their racial background. The argument against inter-racial relationships was that the offspring wouldn't know what they are/where they stand in society! I feel that some young impressionable mixed raced people feel that they do not have a role model in society.  This is due to the lack of recognition to mixed race people. I do believe that if you do visit a 'white town' being a person of colour, you are classed as a 'black person', regardless if you are mixed raced.  This also the case for some professions such as Law. There are many other instances in life. I have so much to say on this matter, I don't know where to start! But I feel the debate should be an ongoing one!  

Rickey, 43 from Manchester

Mixed race and that's all there is to it.

Sami from Nottingham

Mix-d it matters because you're not one or the other - you're both!

SJ, 24 in London

I am mixed (English, Indian) and proud. I never just refer to myself as one or the other. For people to deny one half of their heritage is wrong.

Loraine, 60 from Kettering

To ignore either parents heritage is wrong. "Mixed race" is offensive to no one

Gem, 13, from Manchester

Be proud of who you are and don't care what anyone says you have the rights and to respect to every living thing  on earth!