Case File Number 1. Missing in Action—Multicultural Identity in America.

Background Story

            In modern times, it is quite uncommon to find people who descend from only one background or ancestry. However, people generally tend to identify themselves with at most two main cultures within their family history. The real question is to figure out what seems to be the reason why some cultures are more “chosen” over others in identifying a person. Is it based on appearance, reputation, popularity, simple personal choice and preference, or is it possibly based on established racial hierarchies?
Case Study
            I was born in New York, the Big Apple of America. But somehow I do not automatically refer to myself as being from the United States. When people ask me where I am from, I say that I live in Miami, originally from New York, but my father is from Puerto Rico and my mother is from Guyana. Yet when people ask me what my background is, I say that I am Puerto Rican. Clearly, I was not born in Puerto Rico, and the uncanny thing is that my dad was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York — also not from Puerto Rico.
            Why does this happen? Is it based on the fact that I look like a combination of Hispanic and Indian, or that I do not want people to mistake me for being an American White girl, or that I do not enjoy constantly explaining where on the map Guyana is located (in South America, above Brazil, to the right of Venezuela), or that I have always been a daddy’s girl and would like to be considered the same background as him?

Case Analysis

            Culture is deeper than our outermost surface, our skin. Unfortunately in this case, appearance is the first thing that people notice when observing others. From a collection of characteristics of how someone looks — skin color, eye color, hair color, height, facial features, and other distinctive qualities — people usually associate individuals with what the traditional background is of a person with such traits. 
Tall people with blond hair and blue eyes must be European. Short people with stick-straight black hair and slanted eyes must be Asian. Now what happens when the person has a dual or triple or even more complex background? Biologically, the genes of one parent might have been dominant over the other, providing a stronger physical image favoring the traditional appearance of a specific background. Does this individual feel inclined to identify himself/herself as his/her appearance as opposed to the true biological/hereditary combination that comes from within and defines that person’s culture?
            At a local salon, I was getting my eyebrows waxed when the beautician remarked, “Are you Indian?” I responded with a brief run-down of my family, including how my mother’s family from Guyana can be traced back two generations to India. Just a few days before, I was at the airport when a friend of mine, who I had just met, stated that he would never have guessed that I was anything but Puerto Rican based on the way I look. This multicultural mix-up provides more confusion to the ongoing identity crisis!
            The name and the perception of cultures by other cultures have a great effect on the choice people make when disclosing information about their background. If I am surrounded by a crowd of Latin Americans, it is second nature for me to automatically say that I am also of Hispanic background. However, if I notice someone who appears to have a West Indian look, I might also throw in the fact of my mother’s home country. I think identification for multicultural people provides an almost guaranteed attempt at “fitting in” with others. Since most of us can identify with such a broad range of backgrounds, it seems almost necessary to wear our many hats as we encounter different groups of people.
            Simply enough, some countries might be better known than others, making it easier to mention one culture over the other. It gets discouraging when someone conveniently mixes up Guyana, a South American country, with Ghana, an African Country. On the other hand, it feels fulfilling to inform people about a country that they weren’t even sure existed, to let them know what language is spoken there (English), and to discuss what the country is like.
            To some, specific cultures may plainly be more interesting or cooler than others. People like to be perceived with a uniqueness, that special something that makes them different than those around them. Some countries may stand out as being more exotic than others. To catch someone’s attention, a woman might casually mention that she is Brazilian; when in reality she must trace her ancestors several generations back to find that source which was Made in Brazil. Many cultures over time have established reputations of stereotypical qualities. These qualities can make their appearance to the rest of the world seem slightly positive or negative as viewed from the outside.
            For whatever reason, in the Latino world, Puerto Ricans are sometimes viewed by other Hispanics as being less smart than people of other cultures. People have “found” the reason I could be considered an exception to the rule; they say that I got my intelligence from my Indian side.
            Similarly, Colombians are identified with drug smuggling and guerilla warfare. Cubans are considered to be illegal immigrants, regardless of whether families that migrated to the Americas boarded planes to travel over here. Mexicans are considered to be construction workers or the guys you can call on to fix your roof. Middle Eastern descendants all seem to be terrorists. And you cannot forget that all “real” Americans are rich white folk who own enormous homes on vast plains.
            Due to these generalizations, people with an ancestral claim to multiple cultures might find it easier to identify with the culture that has the least amount of negative stereotyping. With a combination of all of the aforementioned topics and reasoning, people have shaped what they say to others about themselves.
            Multiculturalism is a concept that raises an assortment of questions. Being a person of middle-tone skin color, I am always more to many people than just an American. I do not think I have ever gotten away with saying I was simply American in the past, without an additional question of “Where are your parents from?” This has led me and probably other multicultural, multiracial individuals to identify with the cultures that they feel best represent them, with the least amount of time devoted to a follow-up question and answer session, although it might be slightly skewed to favor one side over the other.
            Family names are another identity source for people to scrutinize. My last name, although originating in Spain, is a common Puerto Rican family name. If I do not mention that I am of Hispanic origin, there will definitely be an inquisition as to where the last name comes from. However, over the years, families have meshed and combined, creating distinctive family names that are not accurate to fit the description of the person bearing it. Names can be carried throughout generations with the male population. Families stray away from the origin of their name as years go by. What started out as French can end up being the surname of a child who was born in India, with parents from England and America.
            A friend of mine has a “Japanese” first name and a “Hispanic” last name. Whenever he introduces himself, people automatically question where he’s from to try and understand where the Asian influence comes from (By the way, if I didn’t mention this before, he looks completely Hispanic). At this point, he responds by stating his multiple backgrounds, which usually confuses people.
            Internationally, I believe it is still unfamiliar and slightly shocking, for whatever reasons, to hear of a person having such multicultural combinations.  People are accustomed to certain mixtures.  When they hear other blends, they might get taken aback. However, I can see the upcoming generations accepting and understanding this drift from the norm of the past.

Case Summary

            The track record is persistent and crystal clear. Multicultural kids, children of more than one background and identification, are popping out everywhere and will certainly be multiplying in great numbers in the years to come. Although people in the United States might privilege the biological aspect of identity more (mainly with respect to the physical, outward appearance of an individual) over the cultural side, identity can be based on biology and culture, and is certainly based on both.
            “American” is no longer a reference for one type of person. There is no escaping the realization that our Made In America tags will have to be coupled with stickers of many subtitles—Produced in China, Thought of in Australia, or the all-inclusive, “Contents have been processed on shared equipment.”