Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, i am mixed, kickstarter

I Am Mixed

Cameron Hatheway writes;

Race is still a sensitive subject around the world, no matter how much we try and fool ourselves into thinking it's not. Arguments have been made that since President Barack Obama was elected, racism is over in America, or since the Supreme Court struck down the 1965 Voting Rights Act, discriminatory practices that disenfranchised diverse voters are no longer issues to worry about. And let's not even begin with the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin discussion.

One of the reasons that issues with race continue to harm our society is simply due to tradition in some households. It would be easy to assign the blame to specific southern states or certain cultures, but it's a lot more complex than that. Racism can be found no matter where you look, but combating it is something that everyone can do to make sure it will eventually die out in a few generations. The children are the future (God help us), and they're also the key in promoting acceptance as they grow up in a rapidly changing society.

Enter the children's book I Am Mixed from Stranger Kids (a division of Stranger Comics). I Am Mixed not only promotes tolerance, but it also does a wonderful job promoting individuality. No matter who you are or where you came from, you're special and unique person. If you're mixed—and we all are in some capacity—you should be proud of your heritage and embrace it with pride.

We follow twins Nia and Jay (who are influenced by Garcelle Beauvais' own twin children) as they frolic and explore what makes them so special about being mixed. Their parents love them immensely for who they are, and their different backgrounds help Nia and Jay discover all sorts of things about both cultures that other children might not be fortunate enough to enjoy.

The illustrations by James C. Webster fits the warm, welcoming tone of the book and keeps you scanning each page to see what the woodland creatures are doing in some of the backgrounds. The painted fuzzy feel of the illustrations gives you a feeling of warmth as well, and adds great texture to both Nia and Jay. The trio of frogs that pop up every few pages are incredibly silly, and will without a doubt make your own child smile.

In the back of the book the writers do something that I admire greatly; they have a family tree for the reader to fill-out, inviting children to discover their own family history and opening up a larger discussion of where they came from and what cultures they're a part of. The book then continues with the reader's involvement as it invites you to draw a portrait of yourself, and fill out answers to regarding questions about your family. Finally there are more discussion questions for parents and children to talk about, and figure out why it's so great to celebrate being mixed. There's a foreword from Halle Berry who also praises being mixed, for she's one of the best known celebrities when it comes to fully embracing who she is and wearing it with pride in every movie she makes.

Children need more books like I Am Mixed to help them learn where they came from and embrace people of all races. It's baby steps like this that will lay the foundation of the improved society to come, and produce more tolerant and accepting cultures across the globe.

I Am Mixed perfectly educates while entertains, and should be in every library, classroom, and bedroom worldwide. It makes me excited to see what comes next from Stranger Kids and the I Am book line.

I Am Mixed (Stranger Kids)
Written by Garcelle Beauvais & Sebastian A. Jones
Illustrated by James C. Webster
52 pages, FC
$14.99
Available August 7, 2013

Cameron Hatheway is the host of Cammy's Comic Corner and Arts & Entertainment Editor of the Sonoma State STAR. You can help him get a date with Halle Berry on Twitter @CamComicCorner.

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