Multiracial Students

Multiracial Students

At first glance, freshman Angela Corbett’s room might seem a bit bewildering. On one wall sits a Black Panthers poster, on the other, a Nicaraguan flag, and glimpsing around, one might even see a stuffed leprechaun.

During lunch, she might be found enjoying some soul food, or eating a meal from south of the border. Around her could also be people from various cultural backgrounds, who she has no problem calling her friends.

As perplexing as it seems, this is not an example of an identity crisis, but merely a reflection of the various cultures that can lie within one individual. “I love the fact that I’m of mixed heritage,” Corbett said. “I feel like I can relate to so many people, and not have to care about their color,” the 18-year-old child development major said.

On any given day, the campus is filled with dozens of “multiracials.” The word multiracial won’t be found in any dictionary. The term provides a name for students like Corbett, who are of mixed racial backgrounds and often carry their features and experiences.

At San Jose State University, a racially integrated campus, there is an abundance of diversity. According to the on-campus Institutional Planning and Academic Resources Web site, Asians compose 32 percent of the total student population while whites make up 26 percent. Therefore, Asians are a majority by 6 percent more than whites, the next largest group on campus. Almost 15 percent of the population is unknown. This number may largely represent the multiracial population because some official documents such as enrollment forms, often require them to choose one of their ethnicities or pick the category “other.”

“If a person is racially mixed or doesn’t see their ethnicity...

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...oncept of interracial dating. Junior Serena Yates who, is of African and Armenian background, smiled at the idea of these relationships.

“I love the fact that I’m mixed,” she said. “I’m not limited in my dating, and race isn’t even a factor. I think that sets an example for people of any culture.”

Yates feels confident in her cultural openness and encourages others to do the same. “People need to stop being ignorant and closed-minded,” she said. “Instead of looking at the race they have to look into the heart. That’s where the real juice is.”

Rooks also said he sees the positive aspects of interracial relationships, but considers its significance through the context of political imbalance. “When it boils down to it, it’s not about who you marry,” Rooks said. “It’s about how we view the person that’s sitting across from us and how we choose to share power.”