Census does not have enough categories to allow citizens to accurately classify their race
I am a black American.
My cultural history also can be traced to the American Indian Blackfoot tribe and, even further, to African ancestry.
Even though I primarily identify with one ethnicity, I am like many other Americans, a jumbled-up hodgepodge of cultures, ethnicity's and multiracial backgrounds.
This helps define America as a true “melting pot” of colors.
To be un-politically correct, many people can be considered to be Amexicas (American and Mexican), Eurasians (European and Asian), Halfrican Americans (half black, half mixed), Cablinasians (white, black, Indian and Asian), Hapas (mixed Asian); and many other unique names that can describe cultural identities.
Putting down one’s racial identity on the 2010 Census forms can be more than a 10-minute task.
Since America is a diverse nation that is constantly changing, the Census forms need to adequately reflect this.
In a recent Chicago Tribune article on Census snapshots, several examples of multiracial families that represent the greater scope of Americans who may be unsure of how to categorize themselves.
On the form, people can check more than one race box, but there is no “multiracial box” to check off.
The 2000 Census was the first to allow Census-takers to answer more than one race, according to censusscope.org.
Nationally, approximately 2.4 percent of the population, which is over 6.8 million Americans, chose to identify with two or more races on their answers, also according to the site.
In Michigan alone, 2000’s Census form stated there were 523,589 state residents, or 5.3 percent of the total population, that were foreign-born, according to city-data.com, a city profile analysis website.
Are some of these foreigners’ children, who may be American-born citizens, counted as one culture or the other?
Their answer could depend on their personal preference, cultural identity and many other factors that influence their answers.
One’s multi-racial identity can be a source of continuous pride and honor.
We are a gumbo pot of diversity, that is ever-evolving and when it comes to filling out Census forms, there should be more choices available to mark off.
