The readings required for week two included “Part Asian, 100% Hapa: A Retrospective” by Kip Fulbeck and “Beyond the Face: A Pedagogical Primer for Mixed Race Art and Social Engagement” by Michele Elam, Jeff Chang, and Ellen Oh. The readings provided apply to the theme of "Race Translators, Traitors, Cultural Intermediaries, and Mixed Race Markers" as these authors introduce and encourage the use of arts and social engagement in mixed race representation to spark exploration of one’s self and identity and education of experiences of people of mixed race. Those of mixed race are utilizing art such as photography, portraits, or cooking as a platform to challenge the traditional social construct of “race” and its boundaries across communities of all social and economic backgrounds, which may be why they are labelled as “race translators,” “race traitors,” or “cultural intermediaries.” These examinations spark questions of “identity” from people of all ethnicities, which in turn may lead to conversation of social justice. It was also emphasized that studies of mixed race want to educate people, especially undergraduate students who are in the process of developing their own identities and beliefs, with a focus on veering away from defining “identity” and “race” from visual perceptions.
In “Beyond the Face: A Pedagogical Primer for Mixed Race Art and Social Engagement” by Michele Elam, Jeff Chang, and Ellen Oh, many art styles were mentioned and analyzed throughout this reading. However, the authors highlighted that identity goes beyond “face value” and appearance, and can be described through other senses such as “smell, taste, memory, etc.” (144). Reading the analyses of the diverse collection of art inspired questions about my own misconceptions about people of mixed race and how there is more to “race,” “identity,” and “culture” than initially expected. Just as the readings explained, challenges to these definitions inspire further exploration into questions of social justice, and the structures surrounding us in our contemporary society. This relates to a video titled “The Story on Our Skin: Looking for Identity Beyond Appearance” that discusses how society creates labels and assumptions about someone based upon their outward appearance, and how there is transformation occurring in what is considered “identity” and the physical appearances of people themselves. In the reading, the authors talk about how certain scents or culinary dishes are tied to one’s self, family, or community that reflect a deep history. What are the scents or dishes that are symbolic to your identity?
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