Diversity Impact Anonymous

At Chapman, I would be eager to be a part of the advancement of the diversity project by contributing my ideas and passions to the People of Color advisory group. People often struggle to fully understand what it is like to be a person who identifies with multiple ethnicities. As a student who identifies as both white and as a person of color, I would want to help create spaces for people who identify as multiracial at Chapman to talk about their experience being a mixed person. Being multiracial is different for everyone and definitely varies depending on individual circumstances. The phrase “but you’re so white” in response to hearing my multiple ethnicities might seem harmless out of context, but it really puts a barrier between culture and color. I want to create a space where students can share their experiences with racial ignorance and confusion about racial identity, and eventually discuss the unique culture that makes up who they are. This would be through the creation of spaces where mixed students who are struggling with racial identity to dialogue about their experiences and hopefully build self-confidence and community tolerance.