My father is black. My mother is white. I am biracial. We’re all Jewish. In my mind, it’s as simple as that. The reality, however, is far more complicated.

I find my biracial blood and multicultural family tree to be a source of strength and uniqueness, but I am frequently reminded how fragile of a tree it truly is. If my parents’ union occurred two decades earlier, it would have been illegal in many states. White lawmakers had long sought out to prevent racial mixing. A last ditch emotional appeal was made to prevent racial mixing by claiming the irresponsibility of bringing biracial children into the world. It would simply be unfair to the kids, lawmakers assumed. “Too white to play with black kids, too black to play with white kids.”