The idea of race, culture & identity is always a complicated concept to grasp in general. Especially when considering the context of society from which the question derives from (See Tyla and classification of ‘Colored’).This conversation is particularly difficult in America.🧵

It’s no exaggeration that this country was built on the core principles of how the founders saw, class, race & identity. The entire fabric of our nation is threaded with history race to the background of the countries most pivotal moments.

The balancing of this has been largely difficult in reconciling 🇺🇸 idealism w/ 🇺🇸 history. Patriotism in the idea of America, and not allowing this countries notable history deter you away from that patriotism. It’s hard line to balance for those of us who are racially conscious

What makes it especially more difficult is that this country as a whole is uncomfortable with the idea of race. We avoid the conversation entirely, and often white wash particularities of history to appease the sensibilities of those who wish the subject never existed.

When someone ask openly “Why is race always the center of every topic” My response is often “Well….why not? What’s wrong with subject of race & identity?” For those who identify racially & culturally to an American minority group. The idea of separating the two is nonsensical.

Thus bringing us the issue of the country invoking the racial identity of VP @KamalaHarris. She is a Black woman, full stop. Most important she identifies culturally as a Black woman, but fully acknowledges her Asian heritage.

For those who grew up in multicultural communities, this is not a confusing question. But for those who’s primary idea of race & identity is through the prism of the monoculture of Black & White. The difficulty of the question confounds them. When two minority groups create life.

When President Barack Obama ascended to the presidency, his biggest criticism from the right (to this day) was that he “Divided the country” But how really? Well it’s simple, because he acknowledged his black identity openly and used it as a reference point on how he saw society.

For members of society who are people of color, this was not hard to understand. Because we often look at society through the lens of race. But for a majority of Americans, this idea of society not being evaluated strictly through the default of white vision, was divisive.

I would even say that it was ‘easier’ for America to reconcile the idea of Obama’s parentage (Black man & a white woman) than it is to understand the nuances of culture between the parenting of a Black man & an Asian woman (or Vice Versa).

Issa Rae once joked that she wanted to see an onscreen romance of an Asian Man w/ a Black Woman, because the idea & image of it was a rarity in pop culture. Society often pigeon holes groups & rarely assesses the communalities of different cultures.This is particularly hard in🇺🇸

You would think having experienced the rise of the great Tiger Woods whose parentage (Black Man & Asian woman) would allow this discussion to be nuanced. However, Tiger although a change agent for the sporting world, never truly took on the challenge of race, at least directly.

What this conversation highlight is the nuances of race & identity. For some, the VP code switching is inauthentic, this however underscores the lack of understanding of why a person of color would do that when navigating two worlds or in the case on the VP, three!

I actually love this type of dialogue because it breaks new ground and allows for a robust dialogue in a subject we as a nation haven’t really reconciled. All conversations are welcomed, as long as it’s respectful and not dealing in bigotry.

VP Harris being the arbiter of this conversation only seems appropriate. Let us hope that we handle this conversation with a better adept approach than how we handled Obama. End of 🧵