An open letter to Eleana 068

Dear Eleana:

Reader’s excerpt…….

“I noticed you did not post a picture of yourself. Not disputing your contention, however in America you are what you look like. If people continually see you as “Mixed” you probably do have some black DNA. Myso called “mixed race” children, however, are white skinned not “tanned”; one with curls often labelled Jewish the other with whiter skin, is thought to be a preppy Caucasian. The “Jewish” looking one has a son who is blonde with blue eyes. Obviously, he has black blood as I, his grandmama is a somewhat fairskinned black person with Native American roots although their father was a blond from Iceland. A friends children of similar but not as white appearance were tested and found 85% white so mine are most likely 95%. But truly it wouldn’t matter if they looked to have black ancestry. I’m sure you have some black blood whether you wish to admit to it or not as almost half of those who think they are 100% Caucasian actually possess black DNA, some as low as 0.3%, but it is still present. One has only to look at my grandson who is identical in skin color and blonde hair to his half sister who is so-called White on both sides, to know many white people do not have a clue about the “black” in themselves. I urge you not to let this issue, trip you up. I tell my children to own all their roots as there is value to each branch of their ethnicity. You might do well to do the same and let it be. MJ”

Thank you for taking the time to read my article however I was never raised to go by American standards. I am a Jamaican who has been taught from early on, that there is no African ancestry or “black” so to speak in the family.

Americans may see color and judge, or have the need to classify or categorize because for them, it is a numbers game with regard to certain entitlements. It makes them feel better to label and pigeon hole people. However, I do not identify with any other culture except the one I was raised in.

There are several white Americans who may have kinky hair, non European features and they still consider themselves white Americans because that is the way they were raised. My heritage has a group classified as white Jamaicans, some may have color others not so much. Nevertheless, it is our birthright to label ourselves as we see fit. That is how I was raised and that is what I am sticking with.

In this world, folks will pin labels on you if you do not define yourself. If you are not intellectually savvy, they will say you are retarded. If you are a no-nonsense person they will label you an evil beech. When do the societal labels stop?

I am not defining myself or my family through American standards. Although a naturalized American, I am upholding my Jamaican upbringing.

There may be “mixture” in your family, because that is what they call or label it in America. However my heritage dictates otherwise.

I find your remark a bit audacious, threatening and rude in telling me how I should define myself. My family and I were raised to be who we want to be not because some people feel they can accomplish much more through numbers.