This generation has seen an increase in the number of people that cannot be described as belonging to just one race. Such people are called interracial and are sometimes referred to as interracial children, or IRCs. Sometimes IRCs aren’t easy to spot. In fact, there are probably many celebrities that you most likely didn’t know were of mixed race, such as Disney’s Zendaya and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson. In addition to there being many interracial public figures, Stamford High School also has many interracial students that walk its hallways every day. You probably walk by at least ten IRCs a day and don’t even know it!

“Until they hear my last name they figure I am white.”

One of the many people at Stamford High that you most likely didn’t know is an IRC is senior Olivia Martinez. Martinez, who is a mix of white European and Puerto Rican, is the voice we hear every morning doing the announcements. When asked if people normally guess or assume that she is an IRC, she replied, “No, definitely not. Until they hear my last name they figure I’m white.”  Justin Mason, who is also a senior at Stamford High, gets a similar reaction. In fact, until this interview, one of his childhood friends did not even know he was biracial! Oftentimes people who are a mix of black and white get mistaken for being Dominican. SHS junior (and IRC) Kevin Fuller said that when he was younger people often thought that he was Dominican.

A common high point of being an IRC is the food. The combination of two or more cultures often creates an amazing blend of delicious food.  Let’s take ourselves for example: I (Juni Pun) am an interracial child of mixed Haitian and Chinese descent.  I get the best of both worlds by enjoying Haitian food from my mother’s side of the family and  Asian food from my father’s side. As for me (Alexa Baer), I do enjoy my Jewish food. I love my bagels and kugul (a Jewish dish),  but I also enjoy my black side, and look forward to the ham and cornbread that sits next to the kosher turkey on Thanksgiving every year.

Due to the fact that the population of IRCs is increasing enormously, by the time 2020 hits, half of the population, or maybe even more, may be IRCs. “Team Mixed” is growing!