One thing you cannot miss about Stamford Connecticut is the huge amount of diversity. If you walk through any Stamford public school, you will instantly see a pool of different ethnicities and cultures. It is definitely one of the best things about this city. 

It wouldn’t be a stretch for me to say that people of mixed race are everywhere you turn. One reason some may doubt this is because looks can be deceiving. You could meet someone who looks totally opposite of their culture’s usual physical appearance. Many are quick to assume where someone is from by their skin color or use of language, and those people are often treated a certain way because of it. However, you would be surprised how many people don’t “look like” where they’re actually from. I decided to label these types of people as ‘secret biracials: people who have more than one ethnicity but physically only look like one. 

The reason why this category of people interests me so much is because I actually fit into it, which gives me a unique perspective. I was born with very pale skin, so when I tell people I am half Costa Rican they don’t believe me. I get labeled with numerous stereotypes because of my physical appearance; that I can’t speak Spanish, that I can’t dance, that I’m entitled, and many more. Little do people know I can speak Spanish very well, I love traditional Spanish dishes, and I like to think of myself as a pretty humble person. 

I decided to go around the school and interview  a few of the many others who are secretly biracial like me. My friend Kaily Young (senior) fits the physical appearance of a “white girl” — blonde hair, green eyes, and fair skin. However, little would one know, she is German, Chinese, Irish, and Jamaican. That is probably one of the most bizarre combinations I have ever come across. By just looking at her, you would never know she was this diverse in background. I also was able to find a young man who, like Kaily, looks very “white” — due to his fair skin — but actually is secretly biracial. Junior Patrick Teasedale is Ecuadorian and British. He occasionally visits his family in Ecuador, he loves eating their traditional dishes, and can understand and speak Spanish “pretty well,” according to Teasdale himself.  These are facts you just might not expect. 

Another classmate of mine, Isabella Garcia (senior), also fits into the category of a secret biracial. Her physical appearance fits the stereotype of being entirely Hispanic — due to her very dark curly hair and dark eyes. People also generally assume she is fully Hispanic because of her last name. However, after interviewing Garcia, I discovered that she is actually 50 percent Italian, which she says a lot of people are surprised to hear. She eats both Italian and Guatemalan foods (which is her other 50 percent). She also can speak Spanish fluently. 

Maz Yaghmaie, a junior, also finds himself being stereotyped as a “white” kid just because of his fair skin and light eyes. If one were to take a closer look, however, they would learn he’s actually Iranian (along with Canadian, Irish, and more).

Do not be quick to assume a person’s heritage, as there are many other individuals that fit into this category. It is clear that people are too quick to judge others based on their physical appearance. This should teach everyone a lesson: looks can be deceiving. The diverse community in the city of Stamford has definitely proven that.