Jenni's Reflections

In order to reflect on my previous blog posts, I actually decided to write another letter, because this letter was in my head the whole time I was reading article on "The Boondocks." Basically, the questions I still have from this class focus mainly around defining race and particularly defining "mixed race," using definitions of race and ethnicity that continually change, and excising older definitions of race (scientific, "one drop" etc) from our national discussion of race. My favorite blog post and text was the one on "The Hemingses of Monticello" because I believe our discussion on that book was one of the more controversial but also one of the more rich and fruitful, as we had many different opinions and never really "completed" the discussion - there were always more questions. I also enjoyed my own blog post from William Craft to Ellen Craft because I enjoyed writing such a personal note. For the rest of my reflection, here is my letter from Jazmine from "The Boondocks" to President Obama:

Dear Mr. President,

First of all I want to say that I think you're doing a fine job as president. I'm sure it's not an easy job and I think thepeople who don't like you are giving you kind of a hard time. But mostly I wanted to ask you about how you identify yourself. I know that seems like a silly question but my mom says that I get to choose how to identify myself, and my friend Huey says I'm just like you and you're black so that makes me black. What do you tell people about yourself? It's not that I don't want to be white or that I don't want to be black, I just don't really want to have to say I'm one or the other because if I say I'm white, Huey says that that's obviously wrong and people can see it, but if I say I'm black then what about the part of me that's from my mom? Where does that part of me go? Where do the different parts of you go, Mr. President? What about your daughters? They're about my age, where do the different parts of them go? Maybe you could pass this letter on to them and they could write me back if they have any ideas. I'm just wondering if you have any advice for me and anyone else like us. My mom says when I grow up I can "check more than one box" - but my dad says that has political implications that I may not agree with. What did you check?

Sincerely,
Jazmine