Breaking down racially charged topics will look a lot different for biracial children. And unfortunately, the reason is rooted in the dark side of our country's history.
"It's really complex because the world is going to see those children as black even if they are half white," Shawnese said. "What I hear from people who are mixed race is that it doesn't feel very good. It's like having half of you ignored and invalidated. At the same time, there's also a conversation about colorism concerning how lighter-skinned people of color are treated differently than darker-skinned people of color. That there's privilege in that."
For mixed-race families, surrounding kids with a support system and with people they can relate to is key.
"It's really important to find community so that that child does have that the experience seeing other people who look like them and people who have similar experiences in the world," Shawnese said. "Again, I think it's an ongoing conversation that you start having at a young age in very simple words and add in the complexity and the nuance the older they get."
