Mixed Chicks Chat

EPISODE 79 - Mixed Bag 4

Why the heck did your parents name you 'Heidi'? What the heck is a 'Fanshen'? Discussing the Mixed experience and unusual names.

EPISODE 77 - Mixed Chicks Chat with Esther Friedman

A guest and frequent listener, Ehav Ever, writes: being mixed, and vocal about it in a public way sometimes opens one up to weird people who stalk or seem to be confrontational. It is like there are people who insist that their view of reality is universal law, and they have to find someone to try and confront. There is also the element of people who seem to not be able to leave people alone once there is a disagreement. It is like those people who want to try and post comments on a blog they don't agree with even though their comments are getting deleted. I have run into this when I have come across Hebrew Israelites. A good number of them seem to want to be confrontational with me because of my background and because I have no chip on my shoulder like they do. I have also met some who seem to want to think that Jews like myself think we are better than them since we are legally Jewish and most of them are not. I have also had friends with mixed backgrounds who felt like there were people who hounded them because of how they chose to identify themselves. On some level some of this has been touched on in other episodes, but it needs its own treatment since it often causes people to either have to explain or defend themselves against people who they don't owe the attention.

We're hoping at this point we'll know the results of the election. Please join us to discuss the future of the U.S. & how the new President figures into it!

Dawn Wilkinson is an award-winning writer/director and a graduate of The University of Toronto Womenâ??s Studies & African Studies Programmes and The Norman Jewsion Canadian Film Centre Directorâ??s Lab and Short Dramatic Film Program. Wilkinson has directed music videos and four short films including Girls Who Say Yes (00), Instant Dread (98) and Dandelions (95). She was the apprentice to Norman Jewison on The Hurricane and to Ernest Dickerson on Showtimeâ??s Our America. Dawn Wilkinsonâ??s first feature film Devotion (05) won The Tony Stoltz Completion Award at the 2004 Reel World Film Festival, The Star! Audience Award at the 2005 Reel World Film Festival, and Best Feature at the San Francisco Urban Kids Film Festival. Devotion (05) recently had its US TV Premiere on Global Cinema TV produced by Lead Dog Entertainment for the Black Family Channel and Colours TV. Dawn has also taught film and video production workshops for the Toronto Film School, the NFB/United Way Action For Neighbourhood Change Summer Video Project, and the Toronto International Film Festival for Childrenâ??s Special Delivery Program. Dawn also wrote and produced a segment for BETâ??s award winning HIV Testing Day Show. She is currently associate producing the NFBâ??s filmmaker in residence project at St. Michaelâ??s Hospital in Toronto and developing a TV series with Barna Alper productions.

Jennifer Lisa Vest s a mixedblood feminist poet and philosopher born and raised in Chicago. She has had her poetry published in five journals and five anthologies and has performed at poetry readings and protests throughout the country. Her first book of poetry NAMES was published by a small press, Indigenous Speak, in Berkeley, CA in 1997. Throughout the 90s, Jennifer organized a number of mixed race arts collectives and produced mixed media mixed race arts performances in San Francisco and Berkeley. IN 2005 and 2006 she completed three poetry CDs: Camping at A distance, Ancestor Count, and Wonder Woman. She has a website at www. Mxdmessages.com and a blog, â??Mixed Messagesâ?? at http://mxdmessages.blogspot.com. Videos of her performing her poetry can be found on youtube under username mxdpoet Dr. Vest is also Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Central Florida in Orlando where she teaches Native American philosophy, African philosophy, and feminist philosophy among other things. Her research areas include cross-cultural philosophy, African philosophy, Native American, and mixed race feminism.

Multiracial Americans of Southern California (MASC), is the only organization in Southern California that caters to the needs of multiracial people, people involved in interracial relationships, and transracial adoptees.

This is another 'mixed bag' episode. So close to the election, our conversation was of course about Obama, McCain, Biden & Palin. Let us know your thoughts on the blog after you listen: www.mixedchickschat.typepad.com

This week we talk to Carmen Wolf. Carmen is a 38-year-old stay-at-home mom to 13-month-old Miles. She always dreamed of becoming a mother through adoption, since watching a docudrama in the '70s or '80s about a large family of mostly adopted kids with special needs. Carmen and her husband Mike started the process of becoming parents in October of 2006 and their son Miles was placed in their arms by August of 2007. They came to transracial adoption organically: After receiving several calls about babies that ultimately didn't work out for various reasons, they got word of an African American baby boy born in Ohio. Though Caucasian, Carmen and Mike had always had an open mind about their future child and - lo and behold - along came Magnificent Miles. The decision was a no-brainer. Off they flew from California to Ohio. That's when the biggest, best adventure of their lives began and continues to this day.

The Mixed Chicks chat about what it means to identify oneself by one's color: is it empowering? offensive? deluded?

How do different races and cultures approach questions of etiquette?

How does where you live affect your Mixedness?

EPISODE 66 - Mixed Chicks Chat with Rebecca Romo

What gives away your Mixed-ness? What makes them say "What are you?"?