Generation MIX National Awareness Tour

Normalcy - Charles

2005-05-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

I'm finally starting to situate myself very nicely back in Seattle. After a sweet see-you-later of sorts to the rest of the crew members, I come home to an empty house and an uncertain future. After two months of a fast-paced life of activity fairs, speeches, interviews, and sightseeing, it all seems so surreal to see it finally at an end. I don't have any more obligations from this day forward; my life is now an empty slate. I have so many plans as what I want to do with my future, but I'm not sure I'm brave enough to go through with any of them yet. I think my best bet now is to find a job here in Seattle and save enough to move wherever life takes me.

It's weird, not being around the rest of the crew. We were so quickly placed in a situation where we had to work, sleep, eat, and drive together for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and now, just as quickly, they're gone. I'm very impressed that we managed not to kill each other. As a matter of fact, I'd like to think that we became really good friends. I'm going to miss Ashley's laughter, Geetha's impeccable acumen, Aaron's dance moves, and Jamie's cooking. I mean, I'll still see them around -- we're planning on a little reunion of sorts in Boise this summer -- but to not be able to indulge in a random inside joke whenever we wanted is going to take some getting used to.

Like Geetha, I'm still going through the processing. While I sincerely believe that Generation MIX was a huge success in raising national attention and dialogue on mixed-race issues in America today, I don't think we'll be able to see any sort of quantifiable measurement of impact until months, years into the future. It will be interesting to observe what comes out on the national level because of programs like Generation MIX...

No Goodbyes...Just, I'll See Ya Later - Ashley

2005-05-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well, back in normal everyday civilization for three days now, wierd. I already miss my crew members a ton. In fact as I was boarding the plane on Wednesday and took my seat next to the smelly man seated next to me, I tried calling Geetha to say one last goodbye. Being with these four other wonderful people everyday for two months straight can make you get attached.

Already I can see the changes in what this tour has done for me. I am definitely more comfortable speaking about the multi-racial experience and issues to other people. I am more confident in myself in that aspect about speaking with others, but also just in myself in general. I feel I have grown a lot as a person. I have learnt so much from the people I have met along the way, the places I have been, the MAVIN Foundation, my fellow crew members, and the experiences I had on this tour. I wouldn't have changed my decision to be a part of this tour for anything.

Some people would be skeptical on the fact if we made an impact or not for the greater public. I would respond to that saying, I think we did make an impact as small as it may be, I sincerely believe that we did our best and I know that we did impact others, and not just that but this tour made people think about the mixed race experience in general when they probably never would have thought about it before. I mean, thats how big things are started, right?, by the little things that set them off? So, therefore I am very proud to be apart of this experience and wouldn't have changed it for anything.

What I am excited to see is, is what happens with the five of us in the future. Will things change as far the multi-racial experience goes? What will each of us be doing? Will we still be envolved with or even as enthusiastic about the multi-racial movement as we are now? Who knows, but I can't wait to see.

So this is not a goodbye, but more like, I'll see ya later. I'll see ya later Mad Max, thanks for all the good times and the bad, for trucking all that way with only a few break downs. I'll see ya later MAVIN Foundation, thank you so much for what you have done for us, without you this wouldn't have been possible. I seriously appreciate all the hard work you guys did...being on call for us 24/7, making it possible to meet Barrack Obama, etc. My heartfelt thanks! I'll see ya later to all those amazing people we met along the way. And of course, I'll see ya later Jamie-whos hunger never seems to end:); Geetha-our forever long laughter sessions with each other; Charlie-your impeccable taste in fashion, decor, and music; and Aaron- whos dance moves I will carry with me and pass on to others so that they will live forever. I'll see ya later.

360° – Jamie

2005-05-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

I’m the sort of person who needs little time to reflect back on an experience before I can really have much to say about it. Throughout this tour I didn’t say much on this blog but each time I did add to it it was something I had thought out.

It’s been a little over a day that I’ve been back home. I’ve had time to visit with my family, see a couple friends and I even made it to a Swirl Bay Area event last night, a performance by the 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors. Towards the last days of the tour we all started asking ourselves if we thought we made any sort of impact, if it had been a worthwhile project or not. While none of us could deny the ways in which the tour didn’t live up to our dreams (it was tiring, events had lower than expected turnouts) we all felt great about the attention we did raise and the spotlight we helped to focus on mixed populations and communities.

I went to an open-house yesterday for the t-shirt supplier I buy from for Like Minded People. It was a warm welcome, everyone in the office asking how my trip was. Some I had just told I was going away for a couple months and with others I had more deeply explained Generation MIX. I was surprised both by my newfound comfort in even mentioning the work I do within the mixed community as well as by everyone’s open reception of it. It was the same as on the tour. People were actually interested. There I also ran into a friend of mine, a t-shirt guy who would frequent the copy shop I used to work at. He congratulated me on what I and the rest of the crew and MAVIN had just accomplished and told me that my mother had brought in the San Francisco Chronicle article I was featured in and that she’d read it over with him and the rest of my old co-workers. And then later last night at that 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors performance, a young woman working the concessions table asked me, “Excuse me, but are you Jamie?” As it turned out she was a recent graduate from UC Santa Cruz, same as me, and had just that morning checked out the Generation MIX site and read up on the tour and all of us. I was definitely taken aback to know that someone out in the real world, someone who I would interact with through such indirect channels would be aware of what I just did.

I’m huge on the power of individual interaction and how a simple personal conversation can greatly impact a person and his or her perceptions. Or how an article in a paper, or a short segment on a news program can do something similar to open a person’s mind and frame of consciousness by exposing them to something they might not ever have heard of before, like a community and culture of mixed race people. Throughout the tour this is exactly the sort of thing we did. From random people at roadside stops to whom we had to explain ourselves and our wildly colorful RV, to television, radio and print media who featured Generation MIX and their audience members who met us and who shared their appreciation for what we were doing with us. Because of them I know we had an impact and for me it was a worthwhile effort to be a part of that. All of this tells me that people are open to engaging in issues of race and its effects in society, and towards that end goal of continued civil rights and social justice, it tells me that people are open to that too, hopefully willing to take a hand in it, because that’s what it’s going to take.

As I readjust to life off-tour and get back into a groove here at home, I return to my world with that confidence to comfortably speak about what I did and what I do in and for the mixed community knowing that people out there are receptive to this work. I return galvanized to explore what all we can do with this increase of interest and momentum present within the community. I know that a big next step that will prove this mixed “movement” as being more encompassing than individual self-identity expression will be true relationship building and collaborative work with other established cultural communities. It’s something that has not been seen much throughout the relatively short history of mixed race organizing, but it has been seen before and has been a positive bond. I think to Hapa Issues Forum and how and for what reasons the organization was founded, and the strides they helped make for multiracial Asian populations in relation to Asian American communities.

Lastly, I return home committed to the continued fostering of the mixed community. It is growing and growing and I can see it all around me. More mixed children, more interracial families, more students organizing and student orgs communicating, more families (like my own) more openly talking about being mixed, more organizations expanding, more attention and understanding. There is a true investment in the community that a great many people share and we can all work for the same cause in many different ways. Most important to me is to think globally, act locally. I will always keep my mind working on questions of the bigger picture, a vision for the mixed community as a whole, and all the while I will be doing work to foster it on a local level where it most directly affects me and my life.

Thank you everyone, thank you Generation MIX.
-Jamie Tibbetts

Back Home - Geetha

2005-05-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have been writing in this blog from all over the country, from Seattle to Boston and back again. But now for the first time I am writing in it sitting on my own couch in my own house. It definitely feels surreal. It's strange to think that yesterday morning I was in Seattle. It didn't even feel like it was the last day of the tour or that we were leaving each other--it's not like it was the first day that we had to wake up early, pack, and head out for a day of travel. But then instead of loadng everything into the RV, we loaded it into cars and drove only a few minutes to our destination. Even at the airport it all felt like just another day. We broke out the video camera, loaded pictures onto Charlie's computer, and talked about nothing in particular. But then it was time to leave.

Charlie was the first to leave because he dropped us off at the airport. Then one by one we went to each person's gate and the group dwindled until it was just me. I held back my tears until I was by myself, but it definitely hit me that this experience was really over, and that we would never be together again under the same kind of circumstances. All of a sudden, after not having a moment of "alone time" for two months, I was completely by myself. So what did I do? I called Charlie, the only person who wasn't on a plane and would be able to answer the phone. And later I called Ashley during my layover in Chicago. It's wierd how fast the five of us bonded. I remember during the first weekend in Seattle we went to a party and every five minutes looked around to make sure we knew where each other were. Now I don't know what to do with myself knowing that I'm not just feet from the other crewmembers, but miles. At least I can take comfort in the fact that they're stil just an email or a phone call away. Though the tour itself is officially over, it's clear that the friendships I've made and the experiences I've had will continue to affect me for qute awhile.

For now (of course this is me talking not even 24 hours after leaving Seattle), I'm readjusting to being back at home. It was wierd last night to fall asleep in a room by myself (and my own bed, no less), I woke up and didn't have to call the boys' room to make sure they're up, and I've been driving around without asking my passenger if it's safe to change lanes. I have a new appreciation for how smoothly and quietly my little Ford Focus drives. I'm thrilled to be home with my friends and family, but at the same time I'm missing the people and the experience I've just left.

Now is when the processing begins. It's hard to figure out what an experience mean when you're still in the middle of it. It's looking like we'll be keeping up this blog for awhile. It will be interesting to see how I feel about all this tomorrow, in a week, or in a month. I'm looking forward to seeing where this all takes me.

The Final Supper

2005-05-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last night's dinner with the MAVIN staff was full of laughter, smiles, and a few tears (from the spicy Ethiopian cuisine that we had). More so than anyone working with Generation MIX, the people at MAVIN have spent more sleepless nights toiling away to get this project off the ground. I don't think people give enough credit to all the work that was done behind the scenes in making Generation MIX such a huge achievement.

Farewell, Mad Max

2005-05-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Before returning her to her proper owners, we gave Mad Max one last bath, thanking her for all of the good work that she's done for us. Frankly, she was a little dusty, but after we were through with her, she looked like she was ready to head for the road again. As the honorary sixth member of the Generation MIX crew, she will be dearly missed, forever fondly in our hearts.

Captain's Log - Aaron

2005-05-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Mad Max the Road Warrior has officially been retired. As she heads home across the Puget Sound to lick her wounds, I wonder if she'll miss us. I know we'll miss her. A fine and gallant ship she was, even if she did have a cruel sense of humor.

After today, our official obligations will be over. We still have a lot of obligatory stuff to do (accounting, thank yous, insurance) but there will be no more speaking engagements for the GenMix crew. We did our last keynotes at a couple of private schools yesterday here in Seattle. St.Therese Catholic school and Echo Glen Juvenile detention center were nice enough to host our final speaking gigs. Both of these diverse student bodies surprised me with their intelligence and had a myriad of though-provoking questions for us to answer.

What is in store for me next is pretty uncertain right now. I feel like I have totally uprooted myself from my secure bubble of a life at school. It's as if I have put everything in a jar and shook it all up, and I don't know where all the pieces are going to fall. Whenever you leave familiar surroundings behind like this, it is bound to put a few things into perspective. I know that I'm going to return to school at WVU and my job at the Pita Pit, but beyond that I'm not that sure. I have the feeling that no matter where I am heading, this experience has given me some useful tools, if only I can keep my feet strait on the good red road.

We're planning on taking the train to Vancouver for the weekend. This trip is different from all the rest in that it is purely for pleasure. Our first post-tour venture into civilian life. I'm looking forward to being in a city where we have no obligations to fulfill. It's going to be a whole different experience traveling a city incognito, without the blazon colors of Mad Max sticking out like a sore thumb. It's an ironic twist, to have the final destination of the Generation Mix National Awareness Tour be an unofficial vacation in Canada.

On a final note, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to all of the great people I have met along the way. I have made acquaintance with some of the most unique, intelligent, thoughtful people during these five months on the road. I have made many friends along the way. I hope that I can keep in touch with these people, and that in future endeavors, our paths will once again cross. I want anyone to know that if they are ever in the Pittsburgh/Morgantown area, they have a friend to call.

Beginning of the End, or End of the Beginning? - Geetha

2005-05-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

The tour has finally come full-circle, quite literally in fact. Somehow we made it back into Seattle without dying (although it was touch and go there for awhile, what with the food poisoning, overheating, and scary driving conditions on our last leg). We are now all settled back into our old digs at the wonderful Best Western and are running around Seattle like we never left. It feels rather surreal being in a city where I sort of know my way around and where the people are familiar. This morning we headed over to the MAVIN office like it was just another day of training. Did we really just spend the last five weeks sprinting around the country, or was it all a dream?

I have been flying through a whole range of emotions and I know it won’t slow down until long after I’m back home. Sometimes I can’t wait to get on that plane back to Michigan. I really miss my friends and family, not to mention the fact that I am ready to go back to having a normal life, or, at the very least, knowing what day it is and what state I’m in. On the other hand, I know that going home will mean leaving everything that has become a part of my life through this tour. When will the five of us crewmembers ever be together again? How will I stay involved in all this mixed race stuff? How can I keep in touch with all the people I’ve met along the way? I have had such an amazing experience and I don’t know if I’m ready for it to be over. I am constantly alternating between sadness, excitement, exhaustion, and laughing uncontrollably with my crewmates as we savor our last moments together.

The next week in Seattle will be spent exploring these feelings and figuring out where this will take us all. Processing this information and this experience is overwhelming, but it’s also very exciting. It’s definitely not the worst thing in the world to feel like I have too many options to choose from. And no matter what happens, even if I go back to my old life as if nothing ever happened, there is no question that this experience has changed me forever.

Homecoming- Ashley

2005-05-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Well the tour is now almost officially over. We did our last big event yesterday which I must say was an awesome success. We pulled up in front of Garfield community Center in Seattle to a large crowd cheering for us. Needless to say we were not prepared for that and shyly came out of the RV not knowing what to do, but we thank all of you that were there. It was a great turnout and we really appreciate all of your support. It was great to see all the support we had here in Seattle while we were gone. I even saw people at our last event that were at our very first one. So, I just wanted to say thank you.

Now we have a whole week before returning, homeward bound as some would say. A whole week of evaluations, a couple more speaking events, and one last week to spend with eachother before going home. Time will fly, maybe too fast as things are beginning to wrap up. What a great experience this has been, I would have done it again in a heartbeat.

Home Sweet Home - Charles

2005-05-10T00:34:00.000-07:00

We're back! After driving through the Cascade Mountains in the rain and fog, in pitch darkness and with one working headlight, I am more than euphoric to see the familiar Seattle skyline over the horizon. Even though it's pouring rain and a dense fog is covering much of the city, Seattle has never looked more beautiful in my eyes. It's good to finally be home.

Work is far from over, however! We have one more event Tuesday, May 10th at the Garfield Community Center, as well as a few more speaking engagements in the Seattle area. We also have an evaluation period with Mavin to hammer out any nicks so we can make potential subsequent Tours be even more successful. Maybe it's just me, but if I had to change one thing about this Tour it would be the opportunity to spend more time in all the cities that we visited.

It's hard for me right now to articulate all that I've learned and shared in the past five weeks, as I still haven't had the time to process all that has happened while embarking on this Tour. Questions about Generation MIX's influences, consequences, and aftereffects still linger in my head, and I don't think they can be answered until weeks, months into the future. I do hope that Generation MIX succeeded in their mission to jump start dialogue, in that people who came to our events would go back to their homes, sit around the dinner table, and begin the converation with, "Guess where I was today..." That will be totally worth it, to me.

A Visit to B-Town- Ashley

2005-05-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

After visiting my hometown and showing the crew around Boise, Idaho for the weekend, I realized I definitely take for granted what recreational activities (which I love!!!) I always have available to me 24/7. I have grown up with the outdoors, its like a second nature (no pun intended) to me (camping, hiking, mountain bike riding, skiing, rafting…..all of the above, I do it!). In a drive of a matter of minutes I am able to be at our local ski resort and tear it up on the mountain or hope on my bike and hit the trails in the foot hills behind my house. So I took the crew to one of our many natural hotsprings that was right outside of Boise. On the drive up there, they were telling me how lucky I was that I basically had this environment in back yard my whole life, and I really didn’t think about it until I saw how enthusiastic they were about it all. It just made me appreciate home even more.

I was so happy to see my friends and family this weekend. I missed them so much. I am very close to my mother and grandmother so it was good to see them also. During the stay, my mom took us out to dinner and made us a wonderful brunch. We had a great time. I was so glad the crew got to meet my mom. She is an amazing woman. She is like my best friend, the best mom ever, my mentor, and my hero all rolled up into one. In our household growing up, it was just my mother and I. Unlike some other parents of mixed children or multi-racial families, my mother and I talked about race, it wasn’t a hush-hush subject. She showed me the importance of diversity in our society and to celebrate it. My mom introduced me to all my cultures growing up (Irish/Swiss/African-American) and taught me to be proud of who I am. This abled me to be able to choose how ever I wanted to identify growing up and who I wanted to be. Since the options were available for me, at a very young age I started chose to identify with all of my heritages, and be proud of them all. So for that, I thank you Mom (love you:)).

Captain's Log: Idaho - Aaron

2005-05-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

The trek from Minneapolis to Idaho was long and arduous. Twenty six hours of unending claustrophobia. The gentle hum of Mad Max the Road Warrior's engine always in the background. She did a good job on the day's journey, only having problems once when she over-heated in North Dakota. We were lucky enough to be at a BP station with a restaurant while we waited for her to cool down, an extra fortunate event since I've never seen one before. I had the Beer Cheese soup (watered down cheeze whiz) and one of the worst taco salads I've ever tasted.

We had the opportunity to view some very beautiful landscape scenery. The badlands of North Dakota, the majestic Rockies, the fringes of Yellowstone National Park, all awesome in their beauty. We saw wild elk, and deer, and I had the chance to see my first wild moose, just chillin in a river. Today we went to some natural thermal hot springs and went swimming in the coldest river ever.

Life on the road has been more trucker, less rock star than I would have expected (although I have found a few groupies along the way). The over-sensitive water nozzles that with a slight movement of a fraction of a millimeter turns the water from liquid ice to liquid magma spewing down the back of your neck. My body has turned into putty long ago, the only "exercise facilities" being available consisting of no more some busted bike machines. I've lost all but six pairs of underwear. I started the trip with over two dozen. Since there are so few laundromats within walking distance of our hotels, I'm ashamed to admit that I've had to resort to the inside-out rule more than once. One positive is that I've had the chance to overcome my phobia of public rest-rooms via necessity.

Last night we went out on the town in Boise. Ashley's mother treated us to dinner at a really nice restaurant. After dinner we went out on the town in Boise. It was a pretty good time. I got asked "what nationality" I was three times. I still get a kick out of answering "American" and confusing people. Its nice to know that this trip is still relevant.

After tomorrow we will be back in Seattle. Even though I know that I'm going to miss this trip and my fellow comrades, I am looking forward to going home and sleeping in my own bed. One of the things I have taken with me on this tour is an appreciation for social justice. I look forward to joining all of the clubs I can when I get back to Morgantown. Nihilism is dead.

Mad Love From Mad City

2005-05-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we made the drive from Chicago to Madison, Wisconsin. There we were warmly welcomed (complete with a delicious cheese platter!) by Madison Area Technical College’s Social Change Collective. Social Change Collective is an amazing organization of students in the human services who address all sorts of issues related to social justice. They had been preparing for us for weeks, handing out over 10,000 fliers at schools, the farmer’s market, and around the city! We owe many thanks to Harold Gates, Kirsten Christianson, and the many volunteers who put so much time and effort into this pit stop.

All this hard work certainly paid off, we had a great turnout, and a very engaging discussion. This event differed from many of our others in that the audience was not just students, but a whole range of ages and backgrounds. There were students our ages, older adults, and even a group from the local Boys & Girls Club. We heard from a lot of parents about the challenges (and optimism) they found in raising their children to be proud of all aspects of their heritages. It sounds like the Madison community and schools work very hard to be inclusive and supportive of mixed people and families, which is so wonderful.

It was interesting to hear from people who are of older generations about the way they have seen changes in people’s ability or interest in identifying as mixed race. What kind of changes will we see throughout the rest of our lifetime? One woman commented that she would like to see the five of us in 15 years and see how we identify at that point in our lives. We will definitely be interested to see this as well. Generation MIX 2020 reunion tour, anyone?

No Such Thing as Bad PR - Geetha

2005-05-05T14:01:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I have been quite surprised at how little criticism there has been of this tour so far. Many people are unfamiliar with mixed race issues: what they are, why they are important, why we would have tour about it, etc. So from there I definitely expected that people would be critical of what we are doing and how we are doing it. Quite fortunately, everyone who we have met to so far has been very positive and supportive. People who come to our events are very enthusiastic, and even just random people who see our RV at gas stations have told us that they think it’s great what we’re doing. It’s so wonderful to meet people all over the country who support this tour!

But the criticism was bound to come, and a few days ago I found that a quick Google search of my name revealed that not everyone is happy with what I had to say in the New York Times article about us. Many of the comments I have to disregard because they authors made completely unsubstantiated assumptions about my personality, and even went so far as to make blanket statements about how all mixed race Asians feel about themselves. However, I think that there were some valid points that were raised, and because a small article cannot fully explain everything I have to say, I thought I would address those here.

One person raised the question as to why I was quoted as saying that I don’t like being asked about my race when I am on this tour where I do nothing but talk about my race. The article did not have the opportunity to fully explore this quote, and it is unfortunate that people understood it to mean that I do not like talking about my race or that I don’t want to reveal my race to anyone. Race is a fascinating subject to me, and I enjoy talking about it, including my own personal stories, with anyone who will listen. What I don’t like is when people—like many of the men I talk to in bars—ask my race as if that is the only thing worth knowing about me. Many people ask me the “What are you?” question, as if once they know, they will have me all figured out. There is no question that my race has played a part in forming my fully identity, but there is a lot more to me than the boxes I checked on the census. The question “What are you?” implies, whether intentional or not, that the only thing I “am” is my race. If you are asking my background because you are genuinely interested in hearing what I have to say about it, great. But I don’t appreciate inquiries that are purely to dispel someone’s discomfort with my racial ambiguity.

Many of my friends and family were worried that I was taking this criticism too personally, but it’s actually not bothering me too much. As one friend pointed out, one of our goals for this tour is to engage people in dialogue and get people thinking about the issues that come along with being mixed race. If people who have never met me and who have not come to any of our events are talking about us on their blogs, isn’t that just the kind of dialogue we want to start? Maybe some people got the wrong impression about the messages I was trying to convey in my quotes, but at least now they are thinking about these issues and getting other people to think about them as well. There’s no such thing as bad press, right?

DePaul University

2005-05-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the wonderful help of Josh Singh and his crew of volunteers, the Generation MIX crew took Chicago by storm. Since our activity fair was located in the student center of the university, we were able to get a lot of foot traffic from people already involved with the host organization and from curious onlookers.

It is interesting to note that there aren't any student groups at DePaul that focus on multiracial students, and yet there is still a huge amount of support coming from the student body.

We also had the highest number of bone marrow donors out of any pit stop so far, and that has been quite the morale booster. We have one more bone marrow drive to go, in Seattle. Can Seattlites beat this record?

Spring Cleaning

2005-05-03T08:18:00.000-07:00

While in Ann Arbor we took advantage of our down time to finally (FINALLY!) clean up the RV. From the mildewed carpet, broken blinds, scattered clothes, the pork tamales leftover from Texas, and the occasional wafts of odor coming from the toilet, this place was in dire need of a makeover. We vacuumed, organized, scrubbed, fixed, polished, wiped, sprayed, and dusted. Now the RV is clean again, and all is right with the world.

Driving through the Ace Deuce - Geetha

2005-05-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

After a long and intense week of four back-to-back events, and an eight-hour drive for a ten-minute meeting (the most incredible ten-minute meeting of my life), we were able to unwind a little with some hometown visits. First we stopped in Pittsburgh to meet Aaron’s family and then moved on to Ann Arbor to see mine. It was so great not just to be at home (and sleep in my own bed instead of a hotel), but also to introduce the crew to my friends and family. Everyone at home said they felt like they already knew the crew from reading the blog and whatnot, but I’m glad that everyone got to spend time together.

On Sunday we were honored to have dinner with Wally Tsuha from Saturn Engineering and Electronics and his wife Kim. They have been so amazingly supportive of the tour, so it was a pleasure to meet them and learn more about what got them interested in the tour and the experiences they have had. Many thanks for a wonderful diner and for making this tour possible!

I really enjoyed having the crew in my hometown because hopefully it gives them a better idea of where I’m coming from and the experiences I’ve had. We all talk about our stories of growing up, and I like seeing where it all happened because I think it provides a more complete context. Interestingly, I have found that while the rest of the crew can understand me better after meeting my friends and family, it seems as though my friends and family can now understand me better after meeting the crew. Being a part of this tour has really opened up lines of communication with my friends and family to talk about race. Race is a very frightening thing in our country; there is no question that racism is very much prevalent, but nobody wants to talk about it. Since I am spending two months doing nothing but talk about race, it only follows that those close to me end up doing the same. I don’t remember talking about race or being biracial with my family very often, but now I have gotten to talk a lot about it with my parents and sister. I have even had some conversations with my cousins that I never expected to have.

I hope that this tour spurs dialogue in other families besides my own. I think that a lot of parents are afraid to talk about race with their children because they don’t want to admit to their children how scary and prejudiced the world really is. I can’t imagine telling a child that there are going to be people who not only will judge you, but will possibly hate you, because of your heritage. But at the same time, I think it’s better to tell children the reality of the situation while educating them about why this is an unfair view. What better way to stop them from being prejudiced themselves at they grow up?

HELLO!!!! - Ashley

2005-05-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

Time has passed by soooo fast. Already its been almost 5 weeks on the road and 7 weeks that the five of us have been together 24/7. I know that this might be a little to early to write this but...oh well. It's just crazy to me how the five of us have gotten along so well, so quickly. The last couple of weeks are creeping up very fast and it will hard to say goodbye to these people who I have gotten to know so well, maybe a little to well:o) I have learned so much from them in only a matter of time. Since this is basically my second year of being involved in a multi-racial organization/project, doing this tour I will be able to take back so much information that I have learnt from my other crew members, whom some have been doing this kind of work for years. It was great to meet their families also. To see where they grew, the enivironment in which they were raised, and what kind of background they had growing up multi-racial. Yet, not only have I learned from the experiences of my fellow mates but I will also be able to take back all the interesting observations I have made and discussions I have had with others from all over the country.

It is interesting to see what other mixed race communities are like in the very distinctive different areas of the country. California for example has a more larger Asian population then say Arizona or Georgia. Or that in New Orleans the Creole population has been around for years. It is just so interesting for to be able to see how the U.S. is broken up in all its multi-racial glory;)

Well, 13 down and 4 more events to go. Wish us luck as we try to make our way back home (I'm surprised we've even made it this far considering the RV and such). I know we are excited to wind down but sad to say goodbye at the same time to everything we have known in the past 2 months. But no goodbyes yet, we still have a week and a half to go!

Pittsburgh Kid - Aaron

2005-05-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

Friday we spent the day in Pittsburgh. Finally I had to drive on roads that I was already familiar with. The crew got a chance to meet the characters that make up my family. We went to dinner at Bocca with my mom , dad, and cousin Brian. After dinner I took my cousin and I took Jamie out with us to hang out with some of my boys, and treated him to the view on Mount Washington.

Being at home was just what I needed after a stressful week. I got to see my parents and sister and sleep in my own bed. I realized when at home that this trip is going to be over soon. The next three days in a row we have events. After that its all open road until we return to Seattle. I feel mixed sentiments about going back. I have no idea how I will readjust to the civilian world.

One thing that I have gained from this tour is a growing interest in civil rights. I plan on at least attempting to create a mixed race/ crossing cultures group at West Virginia University when I get back, as well as joining some of the African-American groups as well. Better late than never I guess.

Maintaining Perspective - Jamie

2005-05-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

With the three pronged mission of Generation MIX being to raise awareness of the mixed race baby-boom, shed light on the growing body of resources for the mixed community and to jump start a national dialogue on mixed race issues, what we’ve been encountering so far has been a variety of intimate discussion oriented gatherings and an interesting series of meetings with various media outlets, including the New York Times, National Public Radio and local television, print and broadcast news groups. I’ve found that the most potential this tour has is as a media-attractive way of introducing this current wave of a multiracial identified population to greater popular society.

While an original goal of the tour may have been to attract a great number of newcomers to our events so that they could directly engage the resources we have to offer, the reality of a project of this kind is that drawing such numbers is far more difficult than one might assume or wish for. The applicable value of this tour, I hope, lies in its proven ability to attract the attention of the media, making our cause seem “news-worthy” in the eyes of the pop-culture media, the main channels through which most of America is exposed to its varied regions. While no news article highlighting the group, the tour or our burgeoning community has been entirely accurate or as true to sentiment as we all would have liked, the sheer fact that this project has garnered such attention has meant that our community and many of the considerations that come along with a mixed identity are just now entering the frames of consciousness of a great many previously unexposed individuals, mixed and mono-racial alike.

The heightened visibility of our community and our place within the general US racialized social system that Generation MIX is giving rise to has only been possible because of the great amounts of recent work other groups have toiled at long and hard. There would be no opportunity for Gen MIX to tour without the established dialogue and levels of awareness community based groups like Swirl and other student organizations have brought about. And on the same token, a project like Generation MIX can only do so much in terms of offering content and discussion. Much of the work we’re doing now would be empty without the community support of groups continuing these discussions on the ground level and amongst the people.

It has been an eye opening and revelatory experience being a part of this tour. I have new perspective on how our movement can be a powerful step in the continued struggle to dismantle racism. I also have new perspective on how much of a bubble my home, the Bay Area, is. But if we in the Bay and those in other similar progressive-yet-isolated areas can recognize our whole-hearted belief in the work we are doing and how we are so motivated to continue it, and also recognize that we may at times be very much disconnected from the rest of the US’s communities, be they differences due to geography or ideology, I think that we will feel impassioned to better our abilities of communication and understanding so that this movement of awareness, consciousness and regard will spread. We have incredible momentum supporting our efforts and I am excited to explore all that we can do with it…

Senator Obama

2005-04-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Right after our Boston event we drove through the rain, through the darkness, and through the barrage of trucks to get a chance to spend some time with Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. The drive from Boston to Washington DC was not just another walk in the park; between getting lost in Queens, getting caught in the morning traffic, and stalled by the police near the Capitol, it took us a hefty eight hours to get to DC.

The security near the Capitol is amazing, if not a little intimidating. While we were driving towards the Senator's office, two police cars immediately surrounded us and promptly directed us out of the area. The Generation MIX crew had to quickly walk to the office on foot, while Matt Kelley and Amanda Ereckson of MAVIN drove the RV to a more suitable parking area. We barely made it in time for the appointment.

Speaking with Senator Obama was an amazing experience in itself. Even though the interview itself was short, it was well worth the eight additional hours on the road. Senator Obama has an air about him that commands respect. Many people look up to him, and it's easy to see why; he is an extremely charismatic person with an intelligence of the utmost articulacy. He had many interesting things to say about the multiracial experience in America, especially since his views are coming from a person with much political power. We can't go into specifics here, but be on the lookout for the interview in a future issue of MAVIN Magazine!

Wham Bam - Charles

2005-04-29T05:16:00.000-07:00

Between driving from Boston to DC, from Philadelphia to New York, New Haven to wherever, the days are rapidly starting to blur with one another. This morning as we were on the George Washington Bridge I am staring at the Manhattan skyline thinking that I've seen it before, when in fact I was just there the prior morning. I'm not really sure what day it is today - is it Friday already? I can't tell.

While I may not know exactly what day it is or what city we're in, one thing's for certain: I am very much enjoying this wonderful opportunity, educating others and sharing personal stories, hopefully changing people's views on race in that it's much more diverse, complex, and beautiful than just a black/white binary. Although the keynote speeches and discussions have been very productive, I am more enjoying the one-on-one conversations with everyone. Just taking the time to listen in-depth to people's stories is very inspiring to me, and I cannot express my thanks and gratitude enough to all the wonderful people who took the time to come to our events. Thank you!

It feels funny that this trip will soon be at an end. We have something like a week left on the Tour, I think, and it will be weird saying goodbye to my fellow crew members. For the past six weeks we've been eating, working, sleeping, and driving together, and I consider it a real miracle that we didn't get at each other's throats (yet). We've gotten pretty close in those weeks (I hope), and life after the Generation MIX Tour will be pretty surreal in the following weeks because they're not going to be around...

All American Girl - Geetha

2005-04-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

We spend a lot of time on this tour thinking and talking about how race plays out in this country. On Sunday at the Smithsonian, a question was raised that got me thinking not about race in America, but how my race plays out when I am in other countries. I have done a great deal of traveling, and there is no question that my race plays a large part in the way that I am perceived abroad. Interestingly, it is when I am in another country that I tend to identify most strongly with the fact that I am American, rather than with my racial heritage. Being a product of American culture is what distinguishes me from the people in whatever area I am visiting. At home it is race that tends to make me most different from the people around me and the piece of my identity that draws the most confusion and questions.

I lived in rural Kenya for a summer, and many of the people in the smaller villages rarely, if ever, saw people who were not black Africans. It was very common for young children to shout “Wazungu!” when foreigners would walk by. Guidebooks will tell you that “wazungu” means “foreigner” in Kiswahili, but from what locals told us, it basically means “white person.” It’s not a malicious thing, but more to tell other kids to come look. It was interesting to hear when people would shout it at me. There was another woman I traveled with who was also Indian American, and when we would go somewhere together, we did not get as many kids yelling at us. However, when we were with white people from our group, the kids always yelled. Does this mean that they did not think of me as a wazungu? Did they not see me as a white person? As a foreigner? To be honest, I sometimes got disappointed when kids didn’t yell “wazungu” when I walked by. It was important to me for some reason that people see me as a foreigner, to know that I am an American. Even my own host family had a lot of questions as to whether I was really American since I did not look like what they imagined an American to look like.

It is interesting to me that American identity is often one that people abroad are hesitant to apply to me. There are many images that other countries see about America, whether in news, media, or wherever, and mine is definitely not a face that appears in those images. It was not just in Kenya that I had to explain why it is that I don’t fit into the stereotypical “American” mold. There is often a perception, even after my explanations, that I am Indian and just happen to live in the United States. But then again, I guess my not being American is also a perception that many Americans have as well due to the stereotype that Asians (and Latinos) are perpetual foreigners. Why is it that I feel like I always have to explain my identity to someone? Why do I always have to legitimize why I identify the way I do, whether that is an American, a mixed person, etc.?

Media Plug

2005-04-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

For all you insomniacs out there, be on the lookout for Charles and Ashley being interviewed by ABC News: World News Now. We're really excited about this, as World News Now is also shown in over 20 countries internationally, raising awareness to an even larger audience on mixed race issues!

Captain's Log: April 25 - Aaron

2005-04-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

Maryland Saturday, D.C. Sunday, Philadelphia today (Monday), New York tomorrow, Boston Wednesday. Events in each city. Days flying by in a whirlwind of commotion. Interviews with national radio and speeches in front of the Smithsonian. In another time and life, I would have been fazed by such a schedule. Now it just seems routine.

Last night I had a chance to hang out with my friend Meredith from Morgantown after eating dinner with my aunt Ruth. Right now I’m at my Uncle Cliff’s house in Philadelphia. Sitting in a regular house and eating a home-cooked meal seemed alien to me after a month and a half on the road.

I’ve come to realize that this trip is far from any reality I have ever known. It is going to take months for me to digest all the things I have witnessed on this trip. We have traveled the gauntlet of this American continent in an effort to create a cohesive mixed race community and start a national dialogue. During this gigantic road trip I have met with mixed leaders across the country and talked about a mosaic of topics. I think that many of these things will stick with me for the rest of my life, even if it is too much for me to process right now. The personal stories that I hear in each city stick with me and remind me why I joined this endeavor in the first place.

Being mixed in the United States is definitely difficult. But I’ve come to find that it is also a gift. The people I have met in the host organizations and at the events are some of the most unique and interesting company I’ve ever kept. Their stories of overcoming adversity are steadily becoming a great source of personal strength.

The issues that we are attempting to overcome are very difficult to deal with. They are even hard to explain to somebody who not either mixed or in some sort of inter-racial relationship. It’s hard to explain why exactly I left my regular life behind for 2 months to go on this wild journey.

From the beginning of American history, people have been speaking on account of mixed race individuals. Whether it is the government, the racial hierarchy, or other communities of color, it doesn’t make a difference. One look at any government publication dealing with the issue (which I have done for numerous thesis papers), and it is easy to see that when other people look at mixed race from the outside, the result is going to be biased. No matter what is in store for the mixed-race community, it is important that we have a voice of our own.

Rocking the Capital - Geetha

2005-04-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

Wow! This weekend has been quite the whirlwind of excitement. Yesterday we were in College Park for an activity fair with the MBSA (Multiracial Biracial Student Association) at the University of Maryland. I was very impressed with this group—they have so many events and activities they do. I was also really impressed with the size and diversity of the group. There were people of all different mixes, and also some monoracial people. I had an interesting conversation with one of the monoracial students about what kinds of things he’s gotten out of being a part of this group. It seems like MBSA is really thriving as an organization.

Today was a big day as well. We had the honor of speaking at the Smithsonian and becoming a part of “America’s attic.” There was a great turnout, and I enjoyed the fact that the audience included a mix of people of all ages. I was especially pleased that we had some familiar faces in the audience—Ashley’s grandmother was there, and a few of my friends came as well. There were a lot of interesting questions, including a few that really stumped us. Now that we have more time to think about them, we will try to address them in the blog.

Also exciting today was that the New York Times ran an article about us! It was very unreal to see my name being the first words in an article in my favorite section of my favorite newspaper. Of course there are always criticisms when you see your name and your quotes in print, but overall I personally thought it was a really good article. I hope that people reading it got something out of it and understand that the mixed race experience is quite multifaceted.

This weekend kicks off the most jam-packed week of our tour. Tomorrow Philadelphia, New York on Tuesday, then Boston, then an overnight drive back to DC for an interview with Senator Obama. I cannot even begin to describe how excited we are. Six months ago I never could have imagined that I would be on a cross country road trip, written about in a New York Times article, and getting to meet one of my own personal heroes.

A Visit To See The Fam - Ashley

2005-04-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

While in North Carolina, I was able to stop by and make a quick visit to my old man. It was great to see him. Since he lives on the East Coast (far, far away from Boise, Idaho), I am not able to visit him as much as I would like to. Along with seeing my father, I got to visit with my three wonderful little brothers, Anthony- almost 13, Isaac- just turned 10, and the littlest one, Tristan- 4years old, excited to see his big sister and attached to my hip all night long. Even though he’s young, the boy (Tristan) can play some Dragon Ball Z though, he’s ruthless, even though I was playing as a beginner, there is no mercy playing with him.

Now, my little bros are not mixed, but growing up, it has never been a question of why we look so different, or why we have different skin tones. Oh, I’m sure they were curious and would ask my father when I was not there, but it has always been like, “we’ll she’s my sister and that’s all that matters” kind of attitude. Yeah, when I was younger, I would walk around with my father, step-mom, and little brothers, and of course, we would stick out. It was like “well who’s that?” and I did get the usual “well, are you adopted or something?” questions. I think that a lot.of people of mixed race come face to face with that question many a times. I know when I did get the adoption question, it would make me think like ‘well, how can they not tell that this is my father?’.

Yesterday, while at the store with my papa, I noticed that again people were staring. I told my dad this and he was like “they’re not staring”. And you know what, I was thinking about it later and I shouldn’t care what other people are thinking. He is my father, and I know that. People can choose to make whatever assumptions they want.

People make these assumptions, partially because they put me into the racial category of what they see me as, which is white. I feel that people put me in this monoracial box because it is to complicated to identify people as being more than one race. Personally, I choose to identify as both African-American and Irish/Swiss. I am proud of both of my heritages, I always have been, and I always will.

Am I Mixed? - Charles

2005-04-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if I am qualified to participate on the Generation MIX Tour. I find it at times a bit hard to communicate my story to a wider audience concerning my multiethnicity, because not only do I, as a multiethnic Asian, have to deal with the “What are you?” questions, I also have to deal with the general presumption that all Asians are the same. I mean, even though my parents come from vastly different cultures, languages, customs, and creeds, I am still categorized under the term Asian American because both of my parents are of Asian descent. So, technically under the American definition of race I would be considered monoracial. Unlike my other crewmates, I have never experienced the frustration of having to check only one box when filling out forms. I have never, unlike some of my friends, gotten the inquisitive stares from strangers when walking out with my parents. I will never have to deal with issues concerning white privilege. But I do still consider myself mixed because I am a product of multiple ethnicities.

So while my continual search for a conclusive ethnic identity very much parallels that of my fellow crewmates, it seems, in my experiences at least, that the Asian American community has been more recognizing and perceptive in my ethnic ambiguity. The “What are you?” questions I get are mainly directed from other Asians. I get mistaken for a lot of things: half-Black, Latino; even my extended family thinks I’m half-white. I don’t look like my parents at all. My dad has this joke that he tells his friends and family – he tells them that I was sired by the neighborhood milkman. He’s told this story more times than I can count, and in retrospect this is probably his way with dealing with those very same questions. People who aren’t Asian are not as keen on my multiethnicity, and I often wonder why the frequency of the questions aren’t as high when coming from them. I have my own theories, but will refrain from examining them right now.

The Atlanta School - Charles

2005-04-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Atlanta School invited the Generation MIX crew today to give a short presentation on mixed race issues. Prior to today, our primary audience has been college students, parents, and members of communities interested in hearing us talk. We've never spoken in front of an entire audience consisting entirely of school children before, and thus had to reconfigure our keynote presentation in order to make it child-friendly. Luckily Geetha, who has had experience working with school children, came up with a fun activity where everyone was given colored dots and had to "form their groups." It was a cleverly planned activity that elevated a lot of intelligent discussion.

The kids themselves were really cute and asked a lot of important questions. I was caught aback several times by the level of intellect that these kids possessed. We were given a tour of their school, and it literally took my breath away to see their academic accomplishments. One girl was writing a 10page thesis paper on the Thirty Year's War, and she's only 11years old. Another student was working on a large format oil painting. I think I was still learning my multiplication tables when I was at that age. I'm gonna go crawl into a corner and cry myself to sleep in humiliation and shame.

Mad Max's Revenge! - Aaron

2005-04-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

I have come to the conclusion that our RV, affectionaly named Mad Max the Roadwarrior, has a very sick and twisted sense of humor. For the second time during this strange adventure, she has chosen a very in-opportune time to chose to get sick. This time, 20 minutes outside of Montgomery, Alabama, Max lost her transmission belt, in a fury of cluttering madness.

After the power-steering went out, we drove her a short distance to a gas station where we waited for a good hour and a half for a tow truck to arrive. Surprisingly, the only reaction our brightly decorated RV received was a high pitched rebel yell from a guy riding in a diesel powered heavy duty pick up truck, emblazoned with Confederate flags kicking up massive amounts of dust as it laid tire out of the tarmac.

We were towed by a very nice mullet sporting fellow named Bubba and his baby brother Joe whose haircut I could only describe as a mullet in reverse.

After we were towed to the repair shop, we spent the night camp-out style in the parking lot. Although this was a different experience to say the least, I would say it helped us come together as a group. We watched Mean Girls on the laptop and ate fast food.

How Far We've Come - Geetha

2005-04-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Though I have been to the South before, I have never had an opportunity to do any historical sightseeing until yesterday. We were able to stop in Montgomery, Alabama where we saw the capitol building, the civil rights memorial at the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Seeing these landmarks was significantly more moving than any other American historical landmarks I have ever visited. It was powerful to stand on the spot where Jefferson Davis declared succession from the Union, visit the church where the Montgomery Bus Boycott was planned, and sit outside the Southern Poverty Law Center knowing that Morris Dees was possibly working inside. It was incredible to realize that these different eras in the fight against racism have all had such strong foundations in buildings that are just a few blocks from one another.

I would like to say that seeing these different buildings made me hopeful about the progress that has been made over the years. It is definitely a huge step to go from fighting a war over slavery to suing the Klan for monetary damages. But I can’t say that I felt that hope. How could I feel hopeful when the capitol building—a government funded institution—is surrounded by statues and monuments memorializing the Confederacy? Or when there has to be a security guard stationed outside the Southern Poverty Law Center? Maybe we have come a long way, as textbooks and social convention would have us believe, but I think we need to take a more honest look at what kinds of progress has been made and what progress is still left. While slavery is not still around, how are people of color used in the workforce today? Although a lot of civil rights legislation has been passed, how well is it being enforced? I feel like we do a lot of patting ourselves on the back about “how far we’ve come” without being honest or critical about what our progress means and what it indicates for the still remaining struggles.

New Orleans - Charles

2005-04-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

We are now in Pensacola, Florida, after spending a couple of days in New Orleans to soak in the local history there. Things are pretty slow right now at the moment, which is probably a good thing considering the fact that we're going to be extremely busy in the next two weeks running up and down the East Coast. That is to say that we're not currently working, however! We spent an amazing day yesterday immersing ourselves into the history of the Creole people, a unique way of life in American history that was created out of the blending of three very different unique ethnic influences: West European (French and Spanish), West African, and Native American. What is very interesting, to me at least, is the fact that people in Creole society did not straify themselves based on race or skin color. Though it was a factor in social status, it was by far not the most prominent or salient.

And with this fusion of different peoples comes a unique culture that is rich in art, culture, and cuisine. I am so in love with the food here it isn't funny. So far I had seafood gumbo, shrimp creole, cajun fried chicken, red bean rice with sausage, and rabbit jambalaya, po-boy, fried catfish, and beignets. I've never been happier gastronomically.

The O.G. Mixed Culture - Jamie

2005-04-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

We've been spending the last couple of days in New Orleans and it's been a real nice time. Aside from beautiful weather, rich foods and meeting up with friends it's been great to experience a bit of New Orleans culture.

I think a great highlight for most of us was yesterday's Creole History walking tour of the French Quarter. None of us had such an understanding of what history and special spot in greater 'Society' culture Creoles once held in these parts and it was very interesting to hear how the concept of 'what is Creole' has changed of over the years.

But really it's great to think that there is a historical legacy of a widely mixed population that was not just recognized by the mainstream, but even respected. Imagine that...

My White Privilege - Geetha

2005-04-16T19:48:00.000-07:00

Throughout our tour there has been a lot of discussion of white privilege. It is a very interesting question for mixed people who have a white parent. We have mostly discussed with respect to people who are mixed, but perceived as white. It is interesting to hear the ways in which they have received white privilege. But I have never really thought of myself as someone who would be a recipient of white privilege, because I have never really thought of myself as a white person and nobody has ever mistaken me for being white. I love and acknowledge my white mother, but based on my physical characteristics, usually what people see of me, I am definitely not white. There are many kinds of white privilege that I will never receive because I have dark skin, and there’s no question about that. Since I first heard the term “white privilege,” I have always categorized myself as someone who does not receive it.

However, this tour has made me think about the fact that although I am a person of color (and I will always continue to identify that way), my white background has in fact given me a lot of white privilege. My mom receives white privilege, and because she raised me, I have benefited from that privilege in a lot of ways. Everything from my family’s long historical presence in this country to the fact that my mother may get treated better by store clerks has impacted my own life and given me privileges that I would not have if my mother were a person of color.

This brings me to a whole new stage in my identity development that I can tell already is not going to be easy. Let’s face it: it’s very hard to come to terms with our own privilege. I still struggle to acknowledge the privileges I receive from aspects of my identity like my socioeconomic status and sexuality, privileges that are very easy to see and that others experience in the same ways I do. But this white privilege thing is a whole new dimension for me. With my socioeconomic status and sexuality, there is no question that I am privileged by them, but there are definitely questions as to when and how I am privileged by my whiteness. Much as been written and discussed around the issue of white privilege, but I have never heard a discussion that mentions the way I receive (and don’t receive) it. Of course this does not mean that other people aren’t thinking or talking about; it just means that this is the first time I’m thinking about it and trying to find others who are doing the same. I am both nervous and interested to explore my racial identity through this lens that truly does acknowledge all pieces of my heritage. But I know that it is important to acknowledge this privilege if I am going to work toward breaking down the system that creates it.

Good Eatin' - Charles

2005-04-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Food here in Texas is fantastic. Portions here are HUGE and extremely fattening; I love it! Last night we went to this place in Austin called Polvo’s – that was probably the finest Mexican food I have had in recent memory. You guys should check out that place if you're in the area!

I am constantly surprised by the level of hospitality here in Texas. I must admit before coming to this state I had a few reservations about how I, we would be treated here. My initial impressions have been mainly influenced from what I have seen on the television and read in the magazines, but through interactions with the locals here I've come to see Texas in an entirely different light. The people here are courteous, polite, and seem genuinely interested in what we have to say about Generation MIX. I mean, it's inevitable that we're always going to be approached by strangers drawn by the colorful RV!

One of the best things about going on the Generation MIX Tour is being constantly surprised from these experiences, and how they reshape any preconceived impressions. We are going to be hitting the Deep South in a couple of days, probably the furthest from anything I've experienced in Seattle, and although I don't know too much about the cultures there, I am very much excited to again be wronged by what I experience there.

Austin Massachusetts - Aaron

2005-04-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

So right now we're in Austin Texas. We're meeting with members of Neopolitan tomorrow for dinner. You have to give them props on the name, that is original.

I'm not sure if my last blog came up. I wrote it from the shady hotel in Van Horn Texas when our RV broke down. I was basically asking for advice from people who were mixed, but did not have any white blood in their veins. We have been getting a lot of questions about issues relevant to people who are "double minorities" (for lack of a better word), but I really do not know how to answer them. The reality is that, with the exception of Charlie, we are all half white. So if anyone out there has any stories to share with us, please do not hesitate to post a response to this blog. Your advice would be helpful.

Another area we have been getting a lot of questions from is the whole why are you doing this thing. I know that Jamie touched upon this earlier in a previous blog. It seems that Mavin is about the whole identity confirmation thing, but a lot of people are asking what comes next. Right now it seems that the movement is just trying to create space in which mixed people can own to an identity and not be labeled according to other people's perceptions.

But once we get past the whole identity thing, where will this movement take us? I feel that it is not enough for us to just have a place amongst other ethnic groups to call our own. I know personally that I came on this mission to legitimise mixed people's presence within the black community. I know that often times it is seen that mixed African Americans (especially people who are half white) are seen as "sell outs" in the eyes of many people within that community.
While I cannot say where this movement is headed, I do think that we have a right to be heard. I think it is important for me to point out that I cannot speak for anyone but myself. But I feel that whatever our message is, it is important for us to say it as a group and not allow other people to speak for us.

The Why - Jamie

2005-04-13T01:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything. Generally internet based forums haven't been my trip. But as this thing goes along I'm understanding how this tour can be most effective in terms of reaching people and engaging them in dialogue. The media attention we've been getting has been surprising and seeing the counter on this blog grow tells me that people are watching us.

At today's event in Arizona a young woman spoke up about the fact that because of the ambitious, mainstream-geared approach MAVIN is taking with this project, for many we are spokes-people for this so-called movement. I don't think any of the five of us quite had that in our heads when we signed on to this and as we go along, having media interviews, having parents look to us for answers on ways to raise their children, I'm seeing just how much of a responsibility this tour has. This single project may spur some of the biggest attention our community has ever received at one time and for a great many individuals news of Generation MIX may be those peoples' first exposure to mixed people as a recognizable sector of society. It's of the hugest importance that we be as explicit as possible about the characteristics of what life as a mixed person can be like and what place within the broader social frame-work we see mixed people holding.

There is constantly that nagging question behind all of this - "Why?"
What's the point? Why organize around mixed race issues? What are those issues? What is the point of this tour?

I'm someone who has been doing work around and within the mixed community for nearly 8 years and I'm still working through those questions. It feels like the sort of thing where many of us who are in it are doing it because it feels right, we know it's work that needs to be done. But when it comes to explaining ourselves, that's when it gets sticky. What I have settled on is a need engage people in issues of civil rights and social justice.

Geetha wears her Michigan Justice shirt from the recent affirmative action battle. On the back it reads "Race is a factor because racism is a factor", and really that hits the nail right on the head. Racism is still present, period. As people of color we have experienced various forms of oppression because our society is still stacked against us, even if many of us are part white (which is a whole other issue we can address). If one can understand that there are still a great number of inequalities present in everyday life, be they based on race, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status or issues of the environment, then that person can begin to understand the value of our work. By vocalizing the mixed experience and fostering and mobilizing the mixed community I see that we are allowing for ourselves to (i) reconnect with many of the ethnic communities of our heritage we at times feel distanced from and (ii) are establishing the mixed community as a wholly distinct sector of society with its own investments in social equality.

The messed up things in society don't ever just affect specific groups, they effect all of society because there ought not be anything that divides us when it comes to rights and privileges. Things are supposed to be fair, right? Well we all know they aren't and so with that it's like "pick a cause and do something."

Goodbye L.A./Hello Tempe! - Ashley

2005-04-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

Altogether the weather was fantastic in L.A. it is even better in Arizona! I don't think any of us are really used to the heat, so we are enjoying it thoroughly. I am excited to see what the turnout in Tempe will be like for the event. So far we have had some great dialogue created at the other pitstops. I anticipate that it will be the same for Tempe. During these dialogues/conversations, I am learning so much about race related issues. Things I weren't even aware of before. I really appreciate others sharing their experiences and their knowledge of the multi-racial movement. I am just excited to hear more from the other people around the country and learning what is going on involving the movement in other parts of the country.

Time is going by so fast and basically all my days are meshing together! It's crazy, because it seems like we have been traveling for a very long time and Tempe is only our fifth pitstop. Five down-eleven to go!

The USC Stop

2005-04-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

The beautiful Los Angeles weather permitted the Generation MIX crew to hold their fourth activity fair outdoors, in the Hahn Plaza of the University of Southern California campus. With wonderful guidance from Jungmiwha "Jummy" Bullock and Nancy Brown from AMEA, as well as amazing support from the army of volunteers from Hapa SC of USC, MORE of the Claremont Colleges, and UCI volunteers, the activity booths were filled with liveliness and color. We were able to connect with a lot of people who showed up for the event and share our stories with each other. Again, as with the prior host organizations, we cannot express our gratitude enough. Here are some pictures from yesterday's event:

A cameraman from FOX 11 comes to do some filming.

Nancy Brown of AMEA attends to a local couple who came to show their support.

Aaron and Sarah from Hapa SC talk to potential bone marrow donor.

Jummy captures onto film several kids playing with the volunteers.

Jamie and Charles putting up banners in preparation for the activity fair. The Generation MIX Tour would not have been possible without the support of such sponsors as State Farm Insurance.

Volunteers from MORE of the Claremont colleges arrive lend a big hand. Thanks, MORE!

A Whole New World - Geetha

2005-04-10T01:10:00.000-07:00

Being out on the West Coast is a very new experience for me, and it has been interesting to see how race is played out in this very different environment. The population of Asian Americans is much higher here than I am used to in Michigan, so it has been especially interesting to see the strong presence of organizations and conversations that are focused on mixed race Asian Americans. These are conversations that I have never really had an opportunity to have because the mixed race community that I was a part of at home was mostly comprised of people who are mixed black and white.

As I am learning more about the issues that are specific to mixed race Asian Americans, I am still trying to figure out how I personally fit into it all. I do consider myself to be an Asian American, but I do know a lot of other Indians and South Asians who do not. Indian culture is vastly different than, for example, Japanese culture, but then again, many Asian cultures are vastly different from one another. Since learning the term "hapa" in college, I have always wondered if I can or should consider myself to be a part of this group (please note that I am still figuring out how I feel about this term and its etymology, but that is another discussion that will probably appear on this blog at some point). Most people who are familiar with the term see it as applying to East Asians, such as Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, etc. I even noticed that the mascot for USC's Hapa SC student organization is a face that has one side with a slanted eye. I certainly don't have slanted eyes, so how do I, as someone who considers herself to be a mixed race Asian American, fit (or not fit) into this category? What do I share in common with mixed race Asians of other heritages? How is my experience different, especially because of the way I look?

It is quite interesting to me, and slightly ironic, that much of my identity development with regard to being mixed has centered around feeling like I do or don't fit in in with certain groups, and now as I become more immersed in mixed race issues I still continue to question where and how I belong. It is a fine line to walk because clearly mixed race Asians have some issues that are unique to the fact that they have Asian heritage, but at the same time, as we break groups down into smaller and smaller categories, we create more exclusive groups. Do I have to find a group of people who are mixed Indian and white to find a group I where I "fit in"? Today at our USC event, a important point was raised that it is not necessarily worth it to worry about whether you should be "allowed" to identify with a group you feel you are a part of. Do I need someone's permission to identify as a mixed race Asian American? Does it matter that South Asians such as myself are often not seen as being a part of the Asian American community? I feel like both the Asian American and and mixed Asian American communities are groups that reflect an important aspect of my identity, so now it is up to me to make my own place in these communities, regardless of whether others think I belong there.

Touchdown to LA

2005-04-08T21:55:00.000-07:00

We're cruising by the first few cities so fast the days seem to blur. We have to keep reminding ourselves what day of the week it is. We made it to LA safe and sound, and for the first time we're going to have a few days to relax and regroup while we're here. San Francisco was an amazing experience - we know that there were a lot of unanswered fishbowl questions from the San Francisco keynote presentation, so please continue to check up on this website as we will address them individually.

San Francisco - Charles

2005-04-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the San Francisco stop. It's 1AM right now and I'm too tired to write anything at the moment, but come back soon for reflections this stop!

San Fran - Ashley

2005-04-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

WOW! I just love San Francisco! We had such a great experience here today. The venue was great and we were so excited that everyone that was there was so enthusiastic about the event. We had great conversations with everyone, it was really a learning experience for us all. I can't wait to get on the road to L.A. though. The warm weather will do us some good (especially since being in Seattle for two and a half weeks!). I am looking forward to the drive tomorrow also. It was such a beautiful drive down to San Fran, it made me even more excited to drive all over the country! Even though the beast only goes 35mph up hills. I think that this trip will be very long since it took us about 15hrs. to get from Portland to San Fran. But thats ok, I guess, if we don't want to do anything but drive the whole time. i have got to say, that even though we have only done three pitstops so far, I have met so many interesting people and it is great to get to know all these people from all over, it makes me even more excited to meet more people on the road. We have got a long trip ahead of us tomorrow, so I've got to go.
-Peace

Captain's Log - Aaron

2005-04-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Our tour bus is a gas-guzzling behemouth. It took us a long time to get from Portland to San Fransisco: 15 hours. We left 4 hours early and we were still 2 hours late. Since the U.S.S. Mad Max (that's the name I christened the RV with) has the gas milage of Abrahm's battle tank, we had to stop five times for re-feuling. Poor Max had trouble getting up the mountains in California. She topped out at like 45 mph I think I'm going to have to buy a hybrid when I get back to make up for the o-zone damage.

Even though it took a long time, riding in Mad Max is pretty smooth. We took shifts, and whenever someone wasn't driving or navagating, we could sleep in one of the three beds on board.

Thursday we had a gig in San Fransisco and it was awesome. We had a bunch of volunteers, so we made up for lost time with the bone marrow drive. Everyone was awesome and had so much to say. It was such a great feeling being in a room in which you are part of a majority for a change. There was a great feeling of comunity. There were mixed people from all over the color spectrum. Even though we were of different races, we all had many experiences in common. Thank you so much Variations and all the people in San Fransisco who showed us such a great time.

Chuggin' Along

2005-04-07T00:10:00.000-07:00

We anticipated spending a good amount of time in San Francisco, and so we left our hotel very early (6AM) in the morning so we could have that extra free time to explore the city. Well, it's now 6PM, and we are still two hours away from the Bay Area, which would make us an hour late from our scheduled arrival, even though we left three hours ahead of schedule. For the most part we've been traveling 10-15 miles under the speed limit; the RV just isn't powerful enough to make the climb through the mountains at a good speed.

Flapping

2005-04-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

We were about twenty miles from the Oregon/California border when we started hearing this loud and constant sound. It sounded as if someone was tapping a large stick against the RV roof. We pulled over and, when Aaron climbed the roof to investigate, found out that the tapping noise was a result of the roof covering that somehow had gotten torn, and the torn flaps were hitting itself against the RV. With no discerning solution in mind, Aaron attached pieces of duct tape for a temporary solution. The tapping noise is now gone, but in its place the RV sometimes makes this farting sound as the air passes through the pieces of duct tape.

Aaron Captain Log - April 6, 2005

2005-04-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

Portland was pretty rough. Two words, poop-cheeks. Not many people showed up. A couple families that somehow heard about it came, but that's it. I don't know what happened, I guess we didn't get much promotion or whatever there. Sue from the Asian American Donor Program flew all the way to Portland from San Francisco to help with the Bone Marrow Project. We had no volunteers so it was basically Geetha and I passing out pamphlets for 2 1/2 hours with Charlie giving us a little help. I felt bad because since we didn't get there until 3, I didn't have much time to pamphlet the campus for marrow donations. I only got eight people to sign, and they usually aim for 25-100.

The place where we were handing out flyers had a giant Mediterranean Restaurant and the smell of curry and babaganoush permeated everything, and I was hungry the entire time.

Trying to stay on a positive note, I'm looking forward to traveling on to San Francisco early tomorrow morning. California is just one more state that I've never been to, and I look forward to being there. We're almost done with our west side leg of our trip, next month we'll be going through desert in the southwest.

Mile 172 and Counting - Geetha

2005-04-05T22:55:00.000-07:00

Last night after crashing pretty hard, we were up again at 7am to catch our story on NPR. Then it was time to pack the RV once and for all and finally head out on the road! The trip to Portland was pretty smooth, and Jamie, Charlie, and Ashley didn't even notice when Aaron and I got us a little lost...

Today's event in Portland was a good example of the ups and downs we are going to face along the way. Turnout to the event was very low and it appeared that many people were not aware that it was going on. But I was very proud of my fellow crewmembers because we really snapped into action. Aaron and I hit the campus to pass out fliers and tell people about the Matchmaker bone marrow drive that was going on. Ashley and Charlie greeted people who came by and encouraged them to sign CACI comment cards to the Department of Education. Jamie manned the resource booth and engaged the people who came in. We got a lot of positive response from people and signed up a number of new bone marrow donors!

Tomorrow is a long day of traveling as we make our way to San Francisco. I am really looking forward to it because I have never been to the Bay Area before. Even more exciting is that there is a lot of great buzz going on around the event on Thursday. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Media Blitz!

2005-04-05T15:50:00.000-07:00

Our Seattle Tour kick-off and press conference generated a lot of interest from local and national media, with several local TV and radio station and newspaper features! Click on the link if you want to read it. If you see or hear mention of Generation MIX in your community, please let us know! Thanks!

(The Daily: 4/4/05) Mixed-race awareness tour makes stop at UW
(Seattle LIVE TV: 4/4/05) Generation MIX
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer: 4/4/05) Mixed-race youth are on a literal drive to find their identity
(Seattle Times: 3/31/05) Seeing mixed races through the eyes of new generation

Here are some other media outlets that also did stories:

KBCS (City of Bellevue, WA)
KIRO 710 (CBS Radio affiliate)
KOMOTV (ABC TV affiliate)
KUOW 94.9FM (NPR radio affiliate)
Pacific Citizen (Newspaper)

The Morning After - Charles

2005-04-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

It’s exciting to be on the road. Jamie is the first to be behind the wheel, and so far he’s an amazing driver. We have to be in Portland in less than two hours, and we still have about 130miles to go. We’ll see how that progresses. Everyone is still tired from yesterday; even though the drive from Seattle to Portland is around three hours, we’re probably going to be driving in shifts so everyone is rested by the time we get there.

University of Washington - Charles

2005-04-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a long, tiring day and I cannot wait to go to sleep. Here are some pictures of today's kick-off event at the University of Washington; I'll post some more thoughts tomorrow when I get the time and energy. Time to go pack for the road!

We had to get up very early yesterday morning – 5 o’clock to be exact – and given the fact that daylight savings time was this past weekend, to us it felt like getting up at 4 o’clock. KONG TV wanted to film some teasers for their Seattle Live show that morning, and they were going to incorporate the clips with interviews from Ashley and myself.

The press conference went by very quickly; I was stammering in the beginning, but by the time I was talking about my personal stories it got a lot easier.

The activity event attracted a lot of attention; we were able to speak with many people, a lot of them not familiar with mixed race issues but left a little more enlightened.

Ashley manning with what must be the prettiest booth for Generation MIX.

miXed - University of Washington's multiracial student group.

Aaron registering for the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. Please visit the MatchMaker site to find more information as to how you can help contribute!

miXed volunteers working the Student booth.

Ashley, Geetha, and Generation MIX Project Manager Marinda all pose for the camera after a very long day.

The Night Before - Jamie

2005-04-04T00:49:00.000-07:00

We've been working long and hard trying to get things together for this big first event tomorrow. Final hour revisions, last minute vehicle issues, tons of supply shopping and of course those all important trial run throughs. My biggest fear was that we'd fall short on time and content, but we hit our goal length right on target and the first feedback we got from Marinda, Amanda and Matt was pretty helpful. I'm not dreading tomorrow too too much - I can have a thing for staying calm that helps me get through ceratin situations. I know that as funny as it may seem, tomorrow's first event will be a trial for us in certain ways because this is totally uncharted territory for us. I'm sure that by the time we make it 3, 5, 8 stops along the tour we'll feel incredibly more comfortable and I'm sure will have a lot more to say. Talk to ya then..

Five More Hours - Charles

2005-04-04T00:36:00.000-07:00

It's been another long, grueling day of working out the keynote and trying to get everything else ready for the big day tomorrow. My body is so tired at this point, but I can't go to sleep for some reason; I have to finish all of my work and be prepared for another long day. We have to get up at 6 in the morning to be interviewed by a television show, and then we have the press conference, then the activity fair, and lastly capped by the keynote presentation. I'm especially nervous because some friends and family are going to be there, and they are going to be hearing issues that I've never brought up before. We'll see how that tides over. G'night!

Captains Log: April 2, 2005 - Aaron

2005-04-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

I dont know if I'm alone on this one, but I'm starting to get a little nervous. Looming ahead of us on Monday (only a day and a half away now) is a 90 minute key note presentation at University of Washington. Right now I'm starting to get a little anxious about going in front of these people and making a complete idiot of myself. I'm at the point where I'm asking myself just what exactly have I gotten myself into. On the other hand, I'll just as stupid if nobody comes to this presentation in the first place.

To totally change the subject, lots of crazy stuff has been going on here. Yesterday, when we were taking pictures with photo-guy from Seattle P.I., Matt accidentally broke the mirror off of the RV. I'm so glad it wasn't me. If you look at the pictures in the blog, u can notice that in some pics there is a mirror and in others, the mirror is mysteriously gone.

Then today, on his way back from an interview, Matt blew up the MAVIN car. So with only days left before we embark on our chaotic adventure, we are all driving around Seattle doing errands in a brightly coloured RV with one person sticking their head out the window everytime we change lanes.

One Full Day Left!!! - Ashley

2005-04-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

So today and tomorrow are the last days we have for preparation. We are super excited but running around like crazy trying to get everything ready before Monday and our big send off on Tuesday. I'm a little nervous about it all but much more relaxed then I was in the begining. It just hit me this morning that we will be traveling 8,000 miles, together, in an RV, for 5 weeks, creating a national dialogue on behalf of all multi-racial/multi-ethnic people!!!!! It's going to be great! I'm very optimistic, so thinking positive always makes me feel better about the situation. So now I'm just feeling excited! Plus the RV looks great! And as you can see we are defenitely not going to go unnoticed:)

The Final Countdown - Charles

2005-04-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

Two more days. We are scrambling to get things together in time, keynote presentations, packing, prepping for interviews, and yet it seems that something is always popping up on our to-do list that we hadn't anticipated before. Yesterday during a photoshoot with the RV a side mirror broke off, apparently from rust, so now we're trying to find a replacement before we hit the road. I'm usually optimistic at times like these; things usually come together at the last minute and we are able to breathe a sigh of relief, but right now I'm on the verge of pulling my hair out. There's still so much to do!

Another Busy Day

2005-04-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

We had our first official media photoshoot today. Following an article in yesterday's Seattle Times, we had our photos taken for an upcoming feature in the Emerald City's other daily, the Seattle Post-Intellligencer.

We also posed for some glam shots for our own media packets. Monday will mark our first press conference, when we officially kick-off the Tour at the University of Washington!

We also had the opportunity to practice audience Q+A by doing a quick presentation to the students of OneWorld Now!, an after school global leadership program for students in Seattle Public Schools. They managed to ask us some good practice questions, which should help prepare us for our very public next five weeks!

She's Beautiful... Ain't She?

2005-04-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

So today something amazing happened. Our mothership was transformed and returned to us in unusual splendor. We are in awe of her glory. And she's already managed to cause more than a few folks to take a second look!

Searching for the Perfect Match

2005-04-01T21:39:00.000-08:00

This week, we had lunch with Nicole Howard and her mom and brother. Nicole was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia when she was just 4 years old. Her multiracial Japanese, Caucasian and Native American heritage made finding her life-saving match difficult. Her story was actually the reason why MAVIN started their MatchMaker Bone Marrow Project. Although Nicole still hasn't found her donor, she's on an experimental drug that is keeping her healthy and happy!

The Final Countdown - Geetha

2005-04-01T21:35:00.000-08:00

Oh man, I can't believe that our first event is only a few days away. How did it sneak up on us so quickly? In many ways it seems like we just got to Seattle. I feel like I am still getting to know the other crewmembers and I still don't really know my way around (probably because I just rely on Charles, the Seattle native, to get us everywhere). At the same time, I know that we have accomplished and learned so much already. These two weeks of training have been packed... but can we maybe just have one more? There is still so much to do before the kick-off on Monday.

We have been really focusing now on getting everything set for the activity stations and the keynote presentation. The keynote presentation is what is making me really nervous. It is not easy to combine all of our experiences, stories, and ideas into a cohesive presentation that addresses so many aspects of the multiracial community's needs and issues--all in about an hour. I hope that the format we decided on will be well-received.

As nervous as I am about everything, I am also very optimistic. We recently talked to people from the host organizations and it was great to hear about all they're doing to prepare for the events. They are working really hard and I can't wait to meet them all in person.

The next few days are going to be packed. I hope everyone is ready!

Driving the Beast (RV) - Ashley

2005-03-31T13:45:00.000-08:00

While we have not decided on an official name for the RV, in my mind it is "the beast". I drove the thing and what can I say, this is going to be a long 8,000 miles. I really like it though. Some great decorating touches have been made and now all we are waiting for is the wrap that goes around the RV. Plus it is pretty roomy, but just wait until all our stuff is in there plus all the genmix materials we need for the pitstops, yes, it will be very cozy.

Right now we are still doing training and working on last minute preparations. WOW, we have done so much in these past two weeks I still have to process it all. Only four more days until we set off on our adventure! We have had some interviews with the media which is cool, but it still makes me nervous everytime I have one (like today!). Time is passing by so fast! I'm really excited and nervous at the same time.

But everything is going really well so far, just another rainy day in Seattle.

Our RV

2005-03-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

This morning we took a ferry ride across the Puget Sound Bay to Kingston, where we had our first glimpse of the RV that will carry us on the strenuous trip. It's pretty huge; we were able to fit seven people comfortably in it without being crowded, but that does not include all of the Generation MIX materials, supplies, food, and clothes that we are going to be bringing as well. After cleaning the exterior in preparation for the sticker wrap that will eventually cover it, we took turns driving it for practice. We still need to christen it with a name. Any suggestions?

Here is Ashley's first reaction upon looking at the RV.

She wasn't the only one a little bit disappointed with the... ahem... thing.

But a little scrubbing did it some good.

Here are some photos of the crew washing the RV.

Geetha sips on some tea to hopefully cure a pesky sore throat.

The group's first RV cat nap.

CPR Training

2005-03-29T23:48:00.000-08:00

Jamie, Ashley, and Charles took a CPR training course today, in order to be ready for any situation that could arise during this trip. We have to be ready for anything!

Introductions - Ashley

2005-03-29T09:13:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!
My name is Ashley and I am from good 'ole Boise, Idaho, born in Lewiston, ID and raised in B-town (Boise). It was an awesome place to grow up and live. There is a really tight sense of community and a lot of things to do if your the outdoorsy type. (I really like to ski, hike, camp, all that good stuff!)

I am currently enrolled at the University of Colorado in Boulder. They have a program called the time out program where you can take a year off, but still be officially enrolled, so thats what I'm doing, taking a year off and that is how I was able to be a part of Generation MIX. I am double majoring in International Affairs and Ethnic Studies with an emphasis on African-American Studies and South Africa. I was part of a multiracial, multiethnic, transracially adopted group called Mosaic back at CU.

So yeah, I am one of the five crew members embarking on this great adventure, raising awareness on mixed race issues across the U.S. (in a 26 foot RV). We haven't seen the RV yet so I have yet to have a comment on it, but I bet it looks great. I feel that this will be a great experience for us all. I am excited to raise awareness on an issue that is not always adressed.

As you can tell by our photos that we are having a grand ole time in Seattle. It is the first time I have ever been here and so far the city has not let me down. Yet it has been REALLY rainy this past week and I am definitely not used to that. Although we are hard at work everyday trying to prepare for the tour, we still find time to enjoy ourselves and go play. A lot of work is being put forth to make this tour possible and we all greatly appreciate all the time and energy that others are giving to make this tour possible.

I am so excited to get on the road (even though none of us have experience driving an RV, I'm sure we'll be fine). My crew members are great. We get along really well and it is interesting because we all have very different personalities and backgrounds but its cool because this is what makes us complement each other really well.

So I have to get back to work but don't worry, I'll be back soon:)

see ya,
Ash

Introductions - Geetha

2005-03-28T17:38:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

I'm Geetha, the Operations Coordinator for the Generation MIX National Awareness Tour. I'm from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I grew up there, attended the University of Michigan, and now work in Ann Arbor at a local nonprofit. I'm thrilled to be a part of this tour because I think it will be an exciting opportunity for both myself and the people we reach.

We have finished our first week of training and I am having a wonderful time. This is my first visit to Seattle, and I am already falling in love with the city. Everyone keeps saying how cold it is here, but compared to Michigan weather, this is balmy.

Our training workshops have been intense, but also quite informative and interesting. So far I have learned everything from setting up eye-pleasing shots for a documentary, to working with media, to navigating the Seattle bus system. Of course we have spent a lot of time focused on mixed race issues, which I have really enjoyed. Since graduating from college I haven't had as many opportunities to be involved with the mixed race community or even to discuss issues of race, so it's refreshing to be in a situation where others are open and willing to talk about race and mixed race experiences. I have really enjoyed conversations with the other crewmembers and the MAVIN staff because we are from all over the country, and it's very interesting to learn about how race and being multiracial is perceived and played out in other areas of the USA. I am really looking forward to the ways in which each new stop along the tour will have its own unique personality and the people will have new stories to tell and learn from. I hope that others can learn from my experiences and opinions as well.

It is overwhelming to think about all we've done in the past week--and all that we still have to do! We still have to finish working out our keynote presentation, learn first aid and CPR, practice driving the RV (my biggest fear), and of course find some time to sleep. Thanks for reading our blog, and we'll defnitely keep you posted with regular updates along the way.

Introductions - Aaron

2005-03-28T17:29:00.003-08:00

So.... my name is Aaron. I come from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (go Steelers!). I am African American, Irish, Creek Indian, and German. Right now I am a student at West Virginia University in Morgantown, just on the other side of the PA border. The ethnic make-up back home is a lot different than what I've seen so far in Seattle. The Asian community is a lot more predominant here. It is an eye-opening experience for me to see what issues we have in common the Hapa youth.

This tour is my first real experience in dealing with issues concerning race. I have never been involved in any type of activism the way the other crew members have. It is cool to finally talk with people who kind of know where I'm coming from.

I'm looking forward to travelling around the country. Before this trip, the farthest west I'd ever travelled had been to Cleveland. I look forward to sharing stories with people who are similar to me in different parts of the country. The populations of the mixed race people in any given area is a cool indicator of the ethnic migrations that have taken place to bring certain people together.

So far we've been pretty busy doing training and what-not, so at this point I'm just looking forward to hitting the open road. I'm all about road trips, and spending two years on the WVU DII Platinum Ice Hockey team has taught me a lot about travelling across this nation in over-sized automobiles in rock-star fashion. I hope the others in the group are ready for the challenge.

I hope that once we start moving, the apprehension about not messing up these lectures we're going to be giving will ease off a little bit. Our schedule is a little hectic, but I look forward to seeing a lot of new things along the way.

Introductions - Jamie

2005-03-27T23:10:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone

So this is me, Jamie. For a quick run-down I'll tell you that I'm from Berkeley, Ca where I grew up with my mother, father and older sister. My mom is Chinese American and my father is white. My sister, Erin, and her husband, Ali, just had my baby nephew, Rafique, on December 26th.

As I write this the rest of the crew and I are winding down the weekend, getting rested for our second and final week of training in Seattle before we head out on this big journey. It's been great getting to know everyone and we seem to be getting closer and closer each day. The first week was pretty intense; it seemed like nearly every moment was scheduled with some sort of training session or overview. And this next week will most likely be more of the same. But we're all feeling pretty good, no freak-outs yet, and we've even managed to fit is some free-time.

Personally, I'm pretty excited about the tour. I'm really looking forward to getting a fuller picture of what the mixed experience is like in other parts of the country. Back home I've been engaging in mixed issues since high school when I helped organize Berkeley High's Hapa Club and in college where I helped found and organize UC Santa Cruz's Mixed Ethnicities Student Headquarters (MESH). After school I came back to the bay where I joined the staff of Hapa Issues Forum and later joined the planning committee of Swirl, Inc.'s Bay Area chapter with whom I help organize local events. And about a year ago, out of a desire to add some visibility to some of the issues surrounding being mixed and to add a bit more consciousness to the clothing world, I started my own t-shirt company, Like Minded People.

By going on this tour, meeting interesting people from around the country and generally exposing myself to the variety of experiences out there I want to bring back with me some new understandings that will help me in my community organizing and provide me inspiration for my shirts.

In the end, it feels great to be a part of this greater movement helping to raise awareness of what it is and means to be mixed in America. I'm excited that momentum has been steadily growing and I can't wait to get out there and experience some new pieces of it first hand.
See you all out there...

peace.
Jamie

Photos From Week 1 Of Training...

2005-03-27T10:54:00.000-08:00

An outtake from our first media photoshoot

We spent several hours being taught some of the basics of documentary filmmaking by independent filmmaker, Justin Leroy.

On Wednesday morning, we had breakfast with Howard Cohen of Best Western Executive Inn Hotel. Howard has been extremely generous and helpful! Thanks, Howard!

Photos from Sam's scavenger hunt around downtown Seattle and our victory party at Gameworks.

On Thursday, we met with Dr. Maria P. P. Root, the nation's foremost authority on multiracial identity.

The five of us with Lisette Austin, a Seattle-area writer, diversity trainer and researcher, who led a workshop on some of the basics of public speaking.

Aaron asleep on the MAVIN couch after a long week!

Introductions - Charles

2005-03-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone!

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Charles and I am one of five people selected by the MAVIN Foundation to embark on the Generation MIX National Awareness Tour. I was born and raised in the city of Seattle, a city known for its coffee drinkers and its perpetual rainy weather.

A part of my responsibility on the Tour is being in charge of this weblog, a record of our journey as we trek across the nation in a 26 foot RV. Expect to see many photographs, observations, and reflections of the many wonderful places we visit on this trip. I am personally excited to try new cuisines and get a feel for the local art and design communities around the nation.

We are currently a week into the Training Period. Since last Monday our lives have picked up in pace considerably; we have been attending sessions for public speaking, documentary filmmaking, public relations, and multiracial issues from some of the greatest minds in their respective fields. It has, for me at least, been an emotionally and intellectually taxing yet rewarding experience. I am still trying to process all the information that we have been taught this past week. With one more week to go before our kick-off presentation, I am anxious and excited as to how the rest of our Training Period will help us. While I feel that there is still so much more to learn, I am confident that the five of us will all be more than prepared once April 4th arrives.

Okay, I'm going to get back to my reading. I'm going to bug the other guys to get started writing their thoughts on this blog. Thanks for reading! I'm sure you'll be hearing lots more once the Tour gets underway. Get ready for five weeks of social justice in action.

--Charles

Get into the MIX!!!

2005-03-25T23:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Generation MIX online blog. Follow us as we wind our way around 8,000 miles of the U.S. via a 26 foot RV. Along the way, we'll post photos, comments and reflections on our historic journey to raise awareness of America's mixed race baby boom! For more information, please visit www.generationmix.org.