The Space between Being Black and White: A Personal Reflection on Race and Education

What is it about?

This article examines my educational journey as an American Black-white biracial woman. Using Intersectionality, situated in Black Feminist thought, as a theoretical framework, alongside the ‘Multidimensional Model of Racial Identity Options’ and the ‘Biracial Identity Development Model’, I situate and reflect on my educational experiences and personal journey under the context of my Black-white biracial background. I reflect on my relationship with Blackness and the complexities of understanding it at some point in my youth while living and studying in a predominantly white environment. I also discuss my whiteness/privilege, and that of my peers, who leveraged their white privilege and felt entitled to define me as Black. Drawing on my parents’ narratives, I further reflect on finding a liberated perspective on my unique 'in between'.

Featured Image

Photo by Rineshkumar Ghirao on Unsplash

Photo by Rineshkumar Ghirao on Unsplash

Why is it important?

As there has not historically been a large space carved out for the sociopolitical and emotional experiences of mixed-race individuals across the world, I'm hoping this paper, amongst other scholars' work, does its part to help fill this gap.