Content Warnings: Colonization, death, and robbery.

Hi Everyone, welcome back to In the Mix, the podcast where we explore the complexities and histories of having a mixed racial / ethnic identity. Today's format is a little different as I do not have a guest.

This will be the first in a string of essay-style episodes where we will be exploring a foundational concept to racial / ethnic perception, identity, and categorization- blood quantum. As we move through this topic, we will explore how blood quantum as a concept began in the US, and how it is used as a legal weapon against marginalized communities.

Index for cited resources:

-"A Legal History of Blood Quantum in Federal Indian Law to 1935" by Paul Spruhan, South Dakota Law Review, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2006

- "The Blood Quantum Controversy through Hapa Hawai'i Eyes" by Megan Ulu-lani Boyanton, Ka Wai Ola News, 2023

-"A People Deserted" by Keali'i Thoene, FLUX: The Current of Hawaii, Spring / Summer 2024 Print Edition. Subscribe Online.

As usual, any feedback is appreciated and guest suggestions are welcome! Uploads commencing around the 5th of each month. Take care and enjoy. :)

Hi Y'all, sorry for the delay.

I wanted to check in and recommit to this project. This is a run through of some of the blocks I was facing in continuing uploading this, and updates on the schedule for uploads moving forward. From now on, you can expect an upload from me on the 5th of every month, as well as any bonuses I sprinkle in. I can't wait to continue sharing with you, feel free to chip in if you feel called to!

Thank you all again for this outlet and opportunity.

Hi Everyone, welcome to In the Mix, where we discuss the complexities of having a mixed racial and ethnic identity.

I just wanted to thank everyone who has lent their ear to this podcast and the stories within. I went through a journey of my own making this podcast, learning the ropes, and accepting that this has become such a source enrichment for me and those who can relate to it. I am grateful for every single person who has listened to mine and my guests' stories!

I've been navigating some life transitions lately, but I'm working on getting the podcast up and uploading more regularly. As I state in the epi, I'll be diversifying my content a bit more to include more informational content, some of my own personal stories, and vignettes centered around the historical and modern record of mixed people.

As we move into this new year and new season, I can't wait to share more with you. As usual, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions. Happy Holidays and thank you once again!

Content Warnings: Racism against Black Americans, Mentions of Slurs, Mentions of Addiction, Mentions of Suicide.

Hi Everyone, welcome to In the Mix, where we discuss the complexities of having a mixed racial and ethnic identity! It's our fourth episode! This one's a long episode so go grab your pulutan and buckle up!

My special guest for this episode is Kayla Thomas- Bookworm, Professional, Family Rock, Leader, and Sister to Episode 3's Aryssa Alonzo. In this episode, we get a mirror between sisters in the story of a family from many different backgrounds, challenges, and expressions. How does the world look when your ethnicity differs between your siblings? When you have a significant age difference and distance between you, how do you tell a shared story? What does it look like to be a young, mixed, Black woman?

The first child of their Mexican-Irish mother and a Black American father, Kayla grew up between Wisconsin and San Francisco. Kayla walks us through some experiences and how complicated it can be to be a Black mixed woman in non-black families, being "light skinned" and colorism in the Black community, and reconnecting with her heritage throughout her life. As a firstborn daughter, Kayla also grew up alongside Aryssa navigating complicated family dynamics, the descent of their mother's addiction, and the grief of losing their mother. With unparalleled grace, Kayla shows us the richness and complexities of growing up in a blended family and the ways that love endures through our memory.

Now as an adult, Kayla is enjoying life in Phoenix with her fiancé and two beautiful step sons, and guiding them through the intricacies of identity.

Special thanks to Kayla for opening up to a stranger and for being such a sweet guest on the show!

I hope you enjoy our discussion, feed back is welcome, being a jerk is not :)

For any special questions or requests, please use the Q&A feature on Spotify!

Content Warnings: Strong Language, Discussion of ED and Body Dysmorphia

Hi Everyone, welcome to In the Mix, where we discuss the complexities of having a mixed racial and ethnic identity! It's our third episode!

My special guest for this episode is Aryssa Alonzo, a dancer of many different styles and overall creative.

Family, time, and storylines are always exciting but rarely linear. Born in San Fransisco to a Mexican-Irish mother and primarily raised by her Filipino father, Aryssa was raised in a heavily blended community where the umbrella term of "family" covered a lot of ground. But like most children of mixed identity, lacking a sense of full belonging can lead to strange places that leave us looking back and wondering, how the hell did we end up here? What can I do? In this episode, Aryssa walks us around many gardens of her life- from her family history, to her journey to being a professional ballet dancer, to the perils of girlhood, through the loss of her mother, and into shaping her cultural identity.

In the podcast Aryssa also mentions that her grandmother was and is a significant activist for the Filipino American community in San Fransisco. If you'd like to learn more about her work, her book recounting her experiences in the 1970's is available on JSTOR, "San Francisco's International Hotel: Mobilizing the Filipino American Community in the Anti-Eviction Movement". by Dr. Estella Habal.

Special thanks to Aryssa for being such a ray of sunshine in the lives of everyone around her and for all the laughs we had making this! 

I hope you enjoy our discussion, feed back is welcome, being a jerk is not :)

For any special questions or requests, please use the Q&A feature on Spotify!

Content Warning: N/A

Hi Everyone, welcome to In the Mix, where we discuss the complexities of having a mixed racial and ethnic identity! It's our second episode!

My special guest for this episode is Ben Jenkins, a local Navy veteran, submarine engineer, and student of time. Growing up as a military brat, moving all over the country, the idea of identity and home had a very different foundation in childhood than it does in Ben's adult life. Now armed with the very surprising results of an Ancestry DNA test, Ben walks us through his journey to familiarizing himself with his roots in the context of his military upbringing, his wife, and his own questions.

My special thanks to Ben for allowing me to be his first interview and for doing the brave work of opening up his family history with me, and within his own family. That's never an easy discussion. My thanks for his wife, Jasmine, for talking him into this for me and to Natalia Roxas for connecting us, and for being my cheerleader.

I hope you enjoy our discussion, feed back is welcome, being a jerk is not :)

For any special questions or requests, please use the Q&A feature on Spotify!

Content Warnings: N/A

Hi Everyone, welcome to In the Mix, where we discuss the complexities of having a mixed racial and ethnic identity! It's our first episode!

My special guest for this episode is Kona Au, a PhD. candidate at the University of Hawaii studying Political Science specializing in Indigenous Politics. In this very raw and sprawling episode, Kona walks us through her experiences as a white-presenting Hawaiian woman, her family and community, her journey back to her indigeneity, and her work in the Hawaiian community in many forms.

We use lots of Hawaiian words in this podcast, feel free to ask for specification or look online at www.wehewehe.org.

My special thanks to Kona for being a total sweetheart and a stellar first guest for the podcast and for holding space for this discussion. Many thanks to her family and the systems that empower us.

I hope you enjoy our discussion, feed back is welcome, being a jerk is not :)

For any special questions or requests, please use the Q&A feature on Spotify!

Hi! Here is a short intro to the podcast, our platform, and the conversations to come.

Welcome you “In the Mix”, an interview-based podcast and passion project to cultivate conversation on the lived experiences of racially and ethnically mixed people. Here, I'll be interviewing people of various ages, backgrounds, genders, and experiences as ethnically and culturally mixed people about their lives. Even though these discussions may be difficult, they are important and can touch every point in a person's life. So- hop along for the ride, and I'll see you when we get In the Mix.

Tiktok: @brennawears

I apologize ahead of time for the amateur sound mixing, just means I'll get to practice!