Radiant Mix

In this solo-cast episode of Radiant Mix, I really wanted to talk about the new sitcom Mixed•ish on ABC. This breakout comedy about a mixed family has touched upon lots of typical mixed kid issues and I thought it would be fun to highlight a few that stood out to me.

The show is the brainchild of Tracee Ellis Ross and is a fun spin-off from the popular Black•ish series, this time from the lens of teen Rainbow (Ross’s character). Her family is coming from a hippy commune to live in the “real world” in the 80s. I’m from the same “Gen X” era as Tracee, so the pop culture and mixed life references are amusing to observe and deeply relatable. Check out my two cents on this episode and I’d love to hear yours.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Introducing the new group program “Radiant Mix Connect”…a monthly insider circle (90-minute conference call) and an opportunity to build community to discuss all things within the mixed experience. Launching November 13th.
• Choosing sides….Are you hanging with the black or white group?  Do you even need to choose?
• Does colorblindness come up in your mixed family?
• Question from white hippy Dad in Mixed-ish… “What should I put for special skills?” Aunt Denise’s answer: “White.”  Oh boy!
• Breaking down what “crazy white” means to Aunt Denise…”Duran Duran, orange juice with the pulp, curse at your Mom, white.” :)
• Hair, Hair and more Hair drama.  The plight of the curly-haired mixed kid.
• You’re invited to the Tropical Transformation Wellness Retreat

LINKS: 

Mixed•ish 

Radiant Mix Connect  - New Monthly Group Program 

Radiant Mix.com www.radiantmix.com

Instagram @radiantmix

Facebook @TheRadiantMix  

Tropical Transformation Wellness Retreat

Email: [email protected]

In this episode Hope McGrath has an insightful conversation with Tanya Katerí Hernández, an internationally recognized comparative race law expert and Fulbright Scholar who is the Archibald R. Murray Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law. Not only do we learn about Tanya’s powerful personal story, but she shares her expertise in anti-discrimination law, race relations, and beyond as we discuss her new book "Multiracials and Civil Rights: Mixed-Race Stories of Discrimination." This is one fascinating episode where we can learn new insights about the mixed-race experience and law, plus so much more. Learn something new everyday…Enjoy the show!

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Professor Tanya Katerí Hernández shares her personal story as an Afro-Puerto Rican woman which highlights the issue of colorism front and center within her family

• Hair Wars— the plight of multiracial hair and its importance in our lives is real!

• The growth of interracial relationships and the mixed-race children population does not alter how racism manifests in anti-discrimination law cases. 

• An academic scholar of comparative race relations and anti-discrimination law discusses the new primetime sitcom Mixed•ish

• Is it acceptable to use the controversial term “mixed” for mixed-race individuals? Get Professor Tanya’s professional opinion.

• The importance of reinvigorating our communities to pursue equity. We must understand and push back from the systemic and structural racism that is the backbone of our society. Get some insights into how to take action.

• Learn about some shocking anti-discrimination cases cited in Professor Tanya Katerí Hernández’s new book Multiracials and Civil Rights: Mixed-Race Stories of Discrimination. 
  

LINKS: 

Multiracials and Civil Rights: Mixed-Race Stories of Discrimination  

Twitter @ProfessorTKH

Inspirations of Professor Tanya Katerí Hernández:

Poet Claudia Rankine 

Author Anne Lamott 

In this Radiant Mix episode, I introduce to you Zita Tulyahikayo, a Systemic Coach and Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist from the UK. A mutual friend introduced us, shout out to Ainsley Connell, and we hit it off as we are both deeply invested in supporting and empowering men and women to live their best lives.

Zita has a unique multicultural life experience with a mother from Barbados and father from Uganda. To add to the mix, she attended a Quaker private boarding school which had a strong, positive impact on her life.  It’s interesting to hear her perspectives on race and class and how they are quite different from the average American point of view. Zita designed a unique concept, Life Therapy, to empower people to reconnect deeply with themselves and their ancestors in order to transform trauma and live with more joy and freedom. In this interview, Zita breaks it all down. Enjoy.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Zita shares how she satisfied the need ‘to belong.’
• The power of connecting back to your roots
• The differences between race and class in America and the United Kingdom
• The empowering life values of Zita’s Quaker education and how it shaped her life positively
• We learn about Systemic Family Constellations…very insightful
• What is transgenerational trauma? We all have it. Now how can we heal?
• Love her thought process…” It’s disrespectful to live a life of suffering.” Learn what’s underneath this mindset...Ah-ha moments.

LINKS:

Life Therapy with Zita 

Zita on Facebook

Zita on Twitter

Zita on Instagram

Radiant Mix Website 

Radiant Mix on Instagram

In this episode of Radiant Mix, Hope McGrath invites her mother Helen Boxwill to join her as a co-host for another episode. This time the two touch upon the touchy subjects of white privilege and the concepts of ‘white fragility.”  Helen Boxwill, a celebrated educator, lifelong activist and mother of biracial children for a few decades as insightful and empowering thoughts on the topic.  She even dishes come good advice to navigate difficult discussions about race with loved ones, tips on raising mixed kids and more.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Denial and resistance of white privilege
• The importance of freeing ourselves from the fear of talking about race across cultures
• Tips of how to navigate difficult conversations when ‘white fragility’ is front and center
• Transforming the oppression of racial difference and societal segregation
• Advice on raising mixed kids
• How to evolve past the comfort zone and nurture a multicultural existence if it is not the norm
• Navigating the typical mixed kid question…. “What are you?”

   

  LINKS:

  White Fragility by Dr. Robin Diangelo    

  White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh 

  Angel Kyodo Williams  

  Anti-Defamation League 

        Helen Boxwill 

In this episode of Radiant Mix, Hope McGrath is joined by her mother, Helen Boxwill, a celebrated educator and lifelong activist. They both spend time discussing current events such as domestic terrorism, the state of race relations in America, immigration, how to keep the faith and dive in or continue with your activism plus some insightful personal stories and inspiration to have hope and keep the faith.  “Eventually we will win because the arc of justice will prevail.” - Helen Boxwill

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Get to know Hope McGrath’s mom who has dedicated her life to activism, education and anti-racism work
• Learn tips on what it takes to commit to igniting positive change
• Storytelling of the fears and concerns of everyday citizens regarding race in America
• A few history lessons and important tragic news stories based on racism that must be discussed
• Expert activist suggestions on how to get involved.

LINKS:  

• Blaming Trump is too easy: This is us. 

Eddie Glaude, the chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University, is featured on MSNBC .

• indivisible.org
• American Civil Liberties Union ACLU.org - 
• Undoing racistm. The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB
• Flip the Senate
• Shaun King - Writer, Speaker, Activist.    
• Helen Boxwill

Get ready for Part 2 of the Radiant Mix episode “Music is our best friend” featuring Eric Smith, CEO of Easy Star Records, as a co-host with Hope McGrath.  These two old friends continue the conversation about music and how it’s impacted their lives and the lives of a generation. Eric and Hope go down memory lane, having fun playing music historians, unveiling their favorite artists and some life-changing albums. The talk parenting, aging and the importance of staying current with your musical tastes and going out of your comfort zone. In this episode, these friends explore some of the change-maker artists that stand the test of time.

Check out our Spotify Radiant Mix playlist, for 24 hours of music that have inspired Eric and Hope over the decades.  

Spotify Playlist 

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• The power of music and its impact on music lovers

• The technological advancements of the music industry and its effect on how we absorb music

• Get inspired to get out of your musical comfort zone

• Insights to fight against self-segregating when it come to music in your life

• Find out what are the game-changing songs, artists and albums that have shaped the lives of Generation Xers, Eric Smith and Hope McGrath. 

• WitnessEric and Hope have fun playing music historians, drop some science and give props to pop stars

• Parenting and music: Yes, parents can stay current and still love your classics.

LINKS:  

Radiant Mix Spotify Playlist 

RadiantMix.com - www.Radiant Mix.com

Instagram:

Eric Smith  @eskistar.com

@easystarrecords 

Radiant Mix @radiantmix 

This week’s Radiant Mix episode features Eric Smith, CEO of Easy Star Records, a co-host with Hope McGrath, as they cover all things music and its importance in the lives of two mixed Generation Xers.  Music is the soundtrack of their lives and all of us music lovers. As long-time friends, the two have come together on the podcast to share how music influenced them as biracial kids coming from quite different backgrounds. This topic of music is so expansive that we are producing two episodes of Eric and Hope talking about the vast topic of music and how the decades of musical genres shaped their lives. Check out our Spotify Radiant Mix playlist, for 24 hours of music that have inspired Eric and Hope over the decades.  Just a tiny glimpse of their mixed musical perspectives.

Spotify Playlist 

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• The power of music and its influence on time and space
• Race and Musical Genres
• Musical Segregation. What are we even talking about???
• Hope McGrath and Eric Smith have fun playing music critics by sharing their favorites artists through the decades.
• Insights on how to expand your musical repertoire
• How music became our best friend growing up
• The importance of keeping your personal musical soundtracks fresh and current

LINKS: 

Radiant Mix Spotify Playlist:

Spotify Playlist 

RadiantMix.com

Instagram:

Eric Smith  @eskistar.com

@easystarrecords 

Radiant Mix     @radiantmix 

Beautiful on Broadway

This week on Radiant Mix, host Hope McGrath talks about some news topics near and dear to her heart and her major takeaways from the last few podcast episodes. Hope shares about her passion to spread the word about the Netflix film series “When They See Us” directed by Ava DuVernay. She also touches on the topic of interracial adoption citing the most recent Episode of the Facebook Live Series “Red Table Talk” hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith and her mother Adrienne Banfield-Jones. The actress Kristin Davis, best known from Sex and the City, talks about life being a mom of black children. Interesting stuff.  If you missed some previous Radiant Mix episodes, Hope shares mini-summaries of her favorite highlights from the most recent episodes. This Mash-Up is short and sweet yet packed with inspiration and a hope for a better tomorrow.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Real talk about the importance of the film series “When They See Us.”
• Politicians calling for policy change to America’s judicial system after “When They See Us”
• The complexities of interracial adoption on Red Table Talk with Kristin Davis
• Inspiring quotes on life and race by Dr. Zaire Dinzey-Flores
• The universality of the mixed experience inspired by Tetsuro Miyazaki of Hafu2Hafu
• Kellie Wagner’s ability to overcome adversity and tragedy to become a positive change maker
• The power of art and real talk

LINKS:

When They See Us 

Red Table Talk 

Zaire Dinzey-Flores 

Hafu2Hafu 

Kellie Wagner 

This week on Radiant Mix, we are so excited to feature Dr. Zaire Dinzey-Flores, Associate Professor of Sociology and Latino & Hispanic Caribbean Studies at Rutgers University.   Zaire has dedicated her life to studying and teaching about race.  This interview is a glimpse of two friends in deep conversations about race, class, family, parenting, fashion, life as a Dominican Black Latina growing up in Puerto Rico, identity, structural racism and so much more.  Zaire’s story really resonated to Hope’s mixed experience. Their lives..so different, yet so similar.

Dr. Zaire Dinzey-Flores’ scholarship focuses precisely on how the built environment reproduces and archives race, class, and gender inequality. She is an author of her book "Locked In, Locked Out: Gated Communities in a Puerto Rican City" . In addition, she is one of the founding members of Black Latinas Know Collective, which an impressive collective of Black Latina Scholars. Get ready to be inspired.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• What life is like for Zaire as a “Native Outsider” - one who always feels out of place, in their own community
• Unique experiences navigating injustice and fairness among racial lines
• One woman’s experience being a Black Latina
• The complexities of identity and conformity 
• What is structural racism and structural inequality?
• A professor’s thoughts on Colorblindedness - “I don’t see race, therefore everything is good.”
• Expert tips on talking to kids about race
• Advice on how to practice anti-racism work in one’s individual life
• The importance of self-care, fun and personal style for those that study, fight against or live with racism every day

Links:

Instagram: @Zaire.Zenit

Black Latinas Know

Book: "Locked In, Locked Out: Gated Communities in a Puerto Rican City" 

On the Radiant Mix podcast this week, we feature Tetsuro Miyazaki, the Hāfu (half-Japanese, half-Belgian), photographer living in the Netherlands, who recently launched a gorgeous photography book, Hāfu2Hāfu, highlighting the mixed experience of half-Japanese people from all over the world.

Hāfu is the Japanese term to refer to somebody who is biracial, while in America the nouveau term for biracial/multiracial is “mixed.” The label Hāfu derives comes from the English word ‘half,’ referring to half foreign and half Japanese. In this episode, Tetsuro Miyazaki shares about his inspiration for the Hāfu2Hāfu project, which offers us a glimpse inside the beauty and hearts of half Japanese people on a global scale.  Hope McGrath and Tetsuro both get real and open up while they challenge themselves to answer all kinds of insightful and fun questions about the mixed Hāfu experience that were posed in the Hāfu2Hāfu project.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

• Expand your mind and get inspired by insightful stories of the international Hāfu experience
• Tetsuro shares his learnings and experiences about the advantages, privileges, opportunities, difficulties, of belonging to two different societies
• The importance of highlighting the mixed-race perspective
• What is life like for biracial/Hāfu individuals in Japan, the Netherlands and throughout the world
• White privilege and the Hāfu life
• The power of belonging and freeing oneself from stereotypes and gratitude

Links:

www.Hafu2Hafu.org

Instagram/Facebook/Twitter: @hafu2hafu