Author Heidi Durrow Talks Race and Identity On NPR

Hear an interview with Heidi Durrow from NPR's All Things Considered. She was discussing her book The Girl Who Fell From The Sky, winner of the Bellwether Prize for Fiction. It's a story about human tragedy and the struggles related to race and racial identity (something that I wrestle with and can therefore relate to). Durrow creatively uses fiction to address serious social issues. She was able to highlight & challenge false ideas about what it means to be Black and what it means to be White in American society, even though the point of the story was to paint a picture of life for a mixed girl.
She doesn't accept the label of Tragic Mulatto for this story because it has so much more to say than that. In fact, it could be seen as the opposite of the Tragic Mulatto, because in the end..... well.. to find out what happens you will have to buy the book.

The book has subtle (maybe not so subtle) reflections of Durrow's own life interwoven throughout the plot, although she once vehemently stated that it's not really about her. However, if you have been listening to Durrow over the years (via her radio program) or have been following her blogs, you can pick up the similarities.

Reviews and Commentaries on the book:

Abagond Blog

Blogcritics

Washington Post

Miami Herald

Christian Science Monitor

Book Named a Top 10 Debut Release for 2010 by Publishers Weekly.

“[An] insightful family saga of the toxicity of racism and the forging of the self . . . Durrow brings piercing authenticity to this provocative tale, winner of the Bellwether Prize for Fiction.”
—Booklist [starred review]

“[A] breathless telling of a tale we’ve never heard before. Haunting and lovely, pitch-perfect.”
—Barbara Kingsolver, author and founder of the Bellwether Prize

“The Girl Who Fell from the Sky can actually fly ... Its energy comes from its vividly realized characters, from how they perceive one another. Durrow has a terrific ear for dialogue, an ability to summon a wealth of hopes and fears in a single line.”
—New York Times Book Review

“Rachel’s voice resonated . . . in much the same way as did that of the young protagonist of The House on Mango Street. There’s an achingly honest quality to it; both wise and naive.”
—Shannon Rhodes, NPR

“Echoes of the early Toni Morrison, resonances with Langston Hughes. . . . A stunning debut.”
—George Hutchinson, author of In Search of Nella Larson

“That rare thing: a post-postmodern novel with heart that weaves a circle of stories about race and self-discovery into a tense and sometimes terrifying whole.”
—Ms. Magazine

“Taut prose, a controversial conclusion and the thoughtful reflection on racism and racial identity resonate . . . as the story succeeds as both a modern coming-of-age and relevant social commentary. ”
-Publishers Weekly

You can read more about Heidi Durrow and the book by visiting one of her many blogs or websites. Her main websites are HeidiDurrow.com, and Lightskinnededgirl.typepad.com. You can also find her on a weekly internet radio program called Mixed Chicks Chat (see links on our sidebar).

A Discussion about "One Drop" and Racial Identity

NPR's Farai Chideya has a great discussion about the One Drop Rule, racial identity, and how Barack Obama has forced Americans to recognize the growing multiculturalism in American society.

In part one of the discussion, Farai talks with Lise Funderburg- author of the book Black, White, Other.

In part two of the discussion, Farai speaks with Professor Ralina Joseph, and Association of Multi-ethnic Americans President Jungmiwha Bullock.

Tiffany Jones and The Mulatto Diaries

Discussions About Race In America

Being the intellectual voyeur that I am, I recently stumbled across the video Diaries of Tiffany Jones, a biracial actress/performer who lives in New York City. In her vlogs or Diaries, she tackles the issue of race in America from the mixed/biracial perspective.

The internal struggle with racial identity that she talks about reminds me of my own. I've always had to deal with the identity problem. Dubois was a genius...way ahead of his time. Jones is the perfect example of the "two-ness" that Dubois wrote about in The Souls of Black Folk (two Souls, etc)...although in the case of mixed raced people...the issue of Black and White or whatever the mixture happens to be has to be thrown in there as well. But the concept is similar.

Jones takes it to a different place by arguing that there shouldn't be two Souls, two worlds, code switching, etc.... there should just be one Soul, one world, that encompasses a variety of cultural/ethnic differences, and they should co-exist harmoniously. People shouldn't have to choose.... they should simply be who they are...whomever they want to be. People's race/cultural identity shouldn't be defined by others....or at least people shouldn't allow others to define them. But I still believe that Dubois was on the mark almost a Century ago...because the "two-ness" and two Souls struggles keeps coming up.

Will we really ever reach a point where people won't be defined by race? Will there ever come a time when multi-racial people won't have to choose?

Mulatto Diaries #60 - Who Is Black?


MD#40 - The Reasons for Starting the Mulatto Diaries

MD#32... MD#11, ....MD#25, ...MD#26, ...MD#28

Find the Full List of Diaries here.

The Mixed Chicks

If you are not familiar with the Mixed Chicks, you are missing out.

The Mixed Chicks = Actress, Producer, Comedienne, & Educator Fanshen Cox, and Author, Attorney, & Blogger Heidi Durrow. These were the girls who finished #1 in everything in your High School... (& perhaps college too) they were the really gifted, extraordinary students.

They co-host their own weekly podcast on TalkShoe.com. Shows usually run for approximately half an hour. They usually get together to have interesting discussions about issues that impact mixed raced individuals and families.... sometimes focusing on racism and the social awkwardness that comes with being mixed or that comes with being in interracial relationships. They cover everything from racial identity, the use (or misuse) of words, to the absurdities that mixed raced people often face. Sometimes their discussions get deep and uncomfortable (metaphorically, they really strip themselves down sometimes for these discussions)...almost like intellectual/emotional S&M. (That's what makes the show work). But usually the show is a balance between humor and the uncomfortable. Some of their discussions can be a little edgy or controversial. They leave no doubt that the issue of race in America is still very real.

For a taste of a Mixed Chicks discussion, take a listen to one of their podcasts from earlier this month. This episode was a slightly different format from their usual show, because this installment was part of the Story Corps program.

You can find 3 links on my sidebar for the Mixed Chicks...yes, they have a lot of websites. But on my sidebar, you will find: 1. Lightskinned-ed girl (Heidi Durrow), 2. Mixed Chicks Blog, and 3. Mixed Chicks Podcast (scroll down to the bottom of their site for archived shows).