Do we still need to Advocate?

We hear it all the time: the census “allowed” people to check two or more races for the 2000 census! And then for the 2010 census! We did it! Project RACE worked very hard through the 1990′s and way beyond to make that happen. The federal government did not just decide to “allow” it—they fought to block it any way they could. We fought back and we won. But are we done? No.

Our government agencies do not call people multiracial, interracial, mixed, hapa, or whatever term you prefer. They call us, our children, or our grandchildren “people who check two or more boxes.” Remember when we used to see “Oriental,” before it was changed to “Asian”? Did you know the census dropped the first n in “Alaskan Native,” making it “Alaska Native,” because some people in Alaska wanted it? Then they required the change on every form.

Advocacy is first about asking—insisting—that you want change. Are we doing that? No. Twenty years ago government officials said we had to “pick one term we wanted.” Project RACE polled our membership and by far the desired terminology was “multiracial.” It means someone of multiple racial heritages; it’s descriptive, correct, and respectful. Some people decided that we should be happy just to have the ability to check more than one box and ask for terminology later, but later never came for them. It is still an issue for our families.

Just because we can choose to check more than one box on the census every ten years does not mean our children will have the same choice on these forms and many others that we all see every day:

• Medical forms, including hospitals, doctors’ offices, patient surveys
• School forms, including school enrollment, any private schools forms, state tests
• Employment forms, including applications, compliance forms, surveys, equal employment
• Voting forms and redistricting information
• Law enforcement forms, including population reports

Advocacy starts with pointing out that if a form is used that asks for a person’s race, it needs to include the ability to check two or more. You would be surprised at how many owners, managers, and administrators are happy to make the change. Help them to be progressive. It starts with you and your family.

    

Race: Select one. If you are multiracial, you may select two or more races.

 

You can refer people to our Sample forms area. Tell them you are a Project RACE member. Have them contact us. We’re here to help.

Please join us and advocate for multiracial children, teens, adults, and our families.