Praise for What Are You? New York Times Book Review ". . . The 80 subjects interviewed by the journalist Pearl Fuyo Gaskins for What Are You? Voices of Mixed-Race Young People are far more comfortable with their bicultural identities than were their predecessors... The title comes from the question that mixed-race people are often asked by those who find it necessary to place everyone in a discrete ethnic box. They respond with an impressive courage and self-awareness. Fifteen-year-old Derek Salmond is the son of a white mother and a black father. When people ask, 'So what are you, anyway?' Derek responds: 'I'm a human being. . . . What are you?' He embraces his biracial identity and refuses to be categorized as one thing or the other. Fourteen-year-old Chela Delgado tells of being called a 'zebra' and a 'half-breed' but says she grew steadily more self-reliant, turning her biculturalism into a source of strength and pride. 'I love being biracial just because I love proving people wrong,' she says. 'When someone has a certain stereotype about a black person being this or a white person being that, I blow them out of the water. . . . I love being able to say, I don't fit that stereotype--that's wrong.' Saladin Ali Ahmed (born to a white mother and an Arab-American father) takes a similarly aggressive tack. He revels in his mixed heritage and sometimes wears Middle Eastern garb, even though Americans find it upsetting. He sees being mixed as both difficult and strengthening: 'You have more stuff to learn about yourself than other people do, but that's a good thing.' And you have more to teach people. A young woman who is half African-American and half Japanese told Gaskins that she was happy with the mix: 'I am Blackanese. . . . I have taken aspects of both worlds to create my own worldview and identity.' These young voices are refreshingly optimistic and free of bitterness. They offer hope that we may yet be delivered from the ugly racialism that has poisoned the country from the beginning." Brent Staples writes editorials about politics and culture for The New York Times and is the author of the memoir Parallel Time: Growing Up in Black and White. September 12, 1999 Starred review in the American Library Association's Booklist magazine: "The contemporary voices are disturbing, frank, witty, and heartfelt. . . . In essay, interview, and poetry, 45 mixed-race young people between the ages of 14 and 26, from all over the U.S., speak about their growing up. Whether black and white, white and Asian, Hispanic and black, Jewish and black, or whatever, each one is intensely personal; yet each one speaks to universals of coming-of-age as an outsider who doesn't fit into accepted categories. You read one piece, and it seems to say it all; turn to the next young person, and there is more surprise and drama. As with all authentic writing, the closer you get, the more diversity you see, and the more connections. . . . [Gaskins] allows the young people to speak for themselves, but she adds brief commentary where necessary as well as an excellent overview, and the insights of historians, therapists, and other experts. . . . The extensive annotated list of resources--including books, movies, Web sites, and advocacy groups--adds to the value of this landmark book." Hazel Rochman, 5/15/99 School Library Journal "In this sensitive, thoughtful collection of interviews, essays, and poetry, over 40 young adults ranging in age from 14 to 26 relate their experiences growing up in the United States. . . . Arranged thematically with occasional author notes offering clarification and transition, the primarily upbeat testimonies address issues of discrimination, dating, family dynamics, and self-esteem. The contributors have had to respond to prejudice both inside and outside their own ethnic groups in addition to universal problems, such as financial worries, divorce, parent and sibling conflicts, and academic pressures. Although American society challenged them to 'check one box,' declaring the race they belong to, they have resisted categorization, seeking instead to understand and express the rich blend that is their personal heritage. . . . While underscoring the complexity of the mixed-race experience, these unadorned voices offer a genuine, poignant, enlightening and empowering message to all readers." Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC, July 1999 The Horn Book Magazine ". . . Gaskins's book What Are You? takes up where Nash [Forbidden Love: The Secret History of Mixed-Race America (Gary Nash, Henry Holt, 1999)] leaves off, offering many personalized snapshots of the lives of mixed-race children and young adults today. . . . These entries reveal the regularity with which mixed-race children must defend who they are and answer insensitive questions from strangers about matters that they often consider intensely personal. By putting a contemporary face on historical problems of race, What Are You? makes an excellent companion piece to Forbidden Love. The interesting topic and accessibility of both texts will appeal to young adult readers, and both books offer a wealth of resource information for further exploration." Michelle Martin, July/August 1999 The Voice for Youth Advocates ". . . Kathlyn Gay's I Am Who I Am: Speaking Out About Racial Identity (Franklin Watts, 1995) covers some of the same ground, but this book [What Are You?] gives young people more of a voice. Gaskins wanted to write her book since age fifteen, and it is the book I wish I could have read when I was thirteen years old-I remember all too well my pain and frustration (and joy) of growing up mixed-race. These young voices will speak to teen readers everywhere, especially those who are grappling with questions of identity because of their racial heritage. When confronted by questions of 'What are you?' maybe they can answer, as one fifteen-year-old boy did, 'I'm a human being. Why? What are you?'" Kat Kan, October 1999 The Tampa Tribune "In 1997, when 21-year-old golfer Tiger Woods labeled himself a 'Cablinasian,' a whimsical term contracting 'Caucasian,' 'black,' 'Indian' and 'Asian,' he made a public statement about a subject rarely discussed publicly-mixed heritage. Woods endured some rather harsh criticism from observers who felt that by accepting equally other groups of ancestors, he was denying an obvious African-American identity. In her book, Gaskins, herself the daughter of a Japanese-American/European-American marriage, shows that mixed-race young people are likely to resist any label that forces them to deny any part of their ancestry. Using material shared with her by more than 80 individuals-poetry, essays, life stories-Gaskins demonstrates how current attitudes toward race in the United States are viewed by her respondents as outdated, unscientific and narrowly confining." August 8, 1999 Book Page "Pearl Fuyo Gaskins . . . has gathered the thoughts of over 40 mixed-race young people to create an empowering tool with something to say about navigating the racial waters of contemporary American culture. The complexities of being a multi-racial person in contemporary America are eloquently and fairly discussed in poetry, essays, and interviews. For example, 20-year-old Monina Diaz, who is of African-American and Puerto Rican heritage, says, 'unless I marry a Black and Puerto Rican man, there will always be tensions and pressures from society or just issues of not understanding each other.' It is this kind of honesty that makes What Are You? a valuable tool--hard questions are being asked and answered. "Even more admirable is the comprehensive list of advocacy groups, books, magazines, videos, and organizations listed, which young people can use to empower themselves. Additionally, Gaskins has included photographs of most contributors, which adds to the value of What Are You? For young people constantly having to navigate the often cruel waters of race ethnicity in America, knowing that there are other people in the world who are not only asking difficult questions of themselves, their peers, and their elders, but who also have physical similarities, will no doubt be invaluable." Crystal Williams, August 1999 Sacramento Bee ". . . Many biracial young people today will find the shared experiences empowering and comforting. . . .This is an excellent resource for the soul and the mind. To make it required reading would bring us a few steps closer to becoming color blind." Judy Green, July 11, 1999 Barnes & Noble.com ". . . What becomes clear early on is that these writers (most in their late teens and early 20s) have spent a lot of time wrestling with implications of the question, 'What are you?' Interestingly, their struggles have probably helped them come closer to answering that other existential question--Who am I?--than most single-race teenagers do. Their confidence and self-awareness ring out from the pages of this collection. . . . "No, WHAT ARE YOU? isn't one of those well-meaning but dreary collections about an overlooked population of young people. Gaskins has done a marvelous job of pulling these voices together, bringing our awareness to different common themes, but-thankfully--she steps out of the way and gives these young people center stage. The sounds that emanate from that stage are varied, complex, proud, stirring. Imagine a circle of drummers, with each drummer pounding out a different rhythm. The different beats fill your senses, lift your heart, and remind you--in a visceral way--what it's like to be human. WHAT ARE YOU? will help you answer that very question for yourself." Cathy Young The Houston Chronicle "...Under the best of circumstances, adolescent identity is a minefield to navigate. Mixed-race children must deal with yet another layer of complications to piece together a workable sense of who they are....[What Are You?] will enable young mixed-race readers to feel that they are not alone in their quest to construct a healthy and all-encompassing sense of self." Marvin Hoffman, November 14, 1999 MAVIN: The Mixed Race Experience "...One of the many considerable strengths of this book is the diversity of the lives portrayed. Some of the teens grew up in predominantly white or black communities, some abroad or in communities in which multiracial/interracial families were an accepted norm. We are invited to follow the changes in some of the teens' thinking about their identities and families over time so we might witness the effects of growing older, moving to another community and other life circumstances that affect one's identity. Humorous, hopeful and affirming stories are balanced with stories of alienation, pain and even violence. I especially appreciated the contributions authored by the young people themselves. The comprehensive listing of books and other resources is tremendously valuable as well...My review of the book, in a nutshell, is, it's fantastic. I read it in one sitting. I hope school and community libraries buy multiple copies. Multiracial people will want their own copies. Buy it!" Karen Meada Allman, Fall 1999 The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Distinct voices, an engrossing topic, frank discussions, and engaging personalities represented in a multitude of black-and-white snapshots give the book an immediacy that will appeal to young adult readers. The work offers opportunities for classroom discussion . . . Monoracial as well as multiracial readers may find that this book increases their understanding of social diversity; it will especially be useful for multiracial families and their advocates. . ." JNH, October, 1999 If you would like to comment on this book, please email us at comments@whatareyou.com If you have a problem or question about this Web site email the webmaster@whatareyou.com