Passing

Passing. According to wikipedia, "Racial passing refers to a person classified as a member of one racial group attempting to be accepted as a member of a different racial group."

Passing was once an unfortunate but necessary reality for many minorities living in the United States. Especially in the south due to legislation such as the Jim Crow Laws and the "One-drop rule" which stated anyone with a drop of negro blood was considered Black.

To be able to fully explore our country or to just walk around with harassment you had to pass. In modern times passing has evolved as most things do with time.

These days passing isn't about avoiding bodily harm its more about hiding your heritage for social or financial advancement.

In 2011 MTV's True Life aired an episode entitled "True Life: I'm Passing as someone I'm not" The episode follows Domaine and Danielle two young women coming to grips with who they are.

Danielle is a black girl who constantly hides her ethnicity by passing as Costa Rican. Danielle never having known her father doesn't acknowledge her African American heritage and is uncomfortable admitting she is black.

As I've previously stated I am Half Black and Half White. I have been to a family reunion on my father's side where my brother and I were the darkest people present.

I can also recall a time in middle school when a black student a year or two older then me came up to me and said "You got some nigga in you, don't ya?"

In both instances I proudly proclaimed I was Black. I have been mistaken for practically every race under the sun yet, I have never hidden my race or attempted to pass.

Passing demonstrates a feeling of shame or an acknowledgement of inferiority. I am neither of those when it comes to discussing my ancestry.

Although discrimination is alive it takes courage and strength to defeat, we need self assured individuals to have pride in their descendants and pave a righteous path of tolerance for the uncertain and downtrodden.