In a black-and-white society, I am the grey; I am other; I am what cannot be clearly defined. |
“I always joked with my friends that I was ‘light’ not ‘white.’ Half Latino and half white. Just what does that mean? When the name Bengochea precedes me, I am always asked to explain. You don’t necessarily guess my Cuban roots by looking at me, but maybe you should look harder. As a person of mixed race/ethnicity, I have always wrestled with my identity. In certain contexts I feel that I am not Hispanic enough, and in others I feel like I am not expressing myself completely unless I reference my mixed ethnicity. As I get older, I become more comfortable in these situations and learn to embrace the fullness of who I am. In a black-and-white society, I am the grey; I am other; I am what cannot be clearly defined.” —Matt Bengochea, Project Coordinator, President’s Office
“RISDiversity: Community Narratives Project: 2013 Participants,” Rhode Island School of Design, (Providence, Rhode Island, 2013). http://diversity.risd.edu/participants2013.php.
Tags: Matt Bengochea, Rhode Island School of Design, RISDiversity: Community Narratives Project