A Voorhees woman has written a book that she hopes will help parents of biracial children deal with unique challenges.
“Color Blind” is life coach Tiffany Rae Reid’s attempt to provide a guide for parents, caregivers, and family members raising biracial children as well as for educators impacting the lives of biracial children.
Originally from northeastern Ohio, Reid’s mother is Hungarian and her father is African American.
Raised in a very conservative Hungarian household, Reid had no exposure to her black side.
“For me that was a problem,” she said. “I feel that anybody’s color needs to be recognized and acknowledged in order to provide that child with all of the resources that are available to help them really gain a better understanding and accept an identity that works for them and not for the people around them.”
Reid did not know her black grandparents and never knew her dad until she was in her late 20s. In fact, until she was 26 years old, Reid identified herself as Hungarian and loved the food and the culture.
“I was surrounded by color all of my life but I didn’t have that connection,” she said. “It was very difficult.”
Reid said she thinks biracial children should have access to people who look like them and who have similar experiences. She wants “Color Blind” to bridge the gap of confusion that can sometimes exist in families, communities, and schools.
Although she identified herself as such, Reid was not considered Hungarian by many when growing up.
“The world can be very hard in that way where they judge you by the color of your skin and your outward appearance,” she said. “Unless you’re raised by biracial parents, biracial children have a very unique life experience that their mono racial parents don’t understand and can’t relate to.
“Sometimes you’re not black enough for black people and you’re not white enough for white people,” Reid added.
The book, which was released in September, is selling well. In several weeks “Color Blind” will be available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Reid said she wants to create and foster dialogue in the community by speaking and reading at book stores and libraries. She also acts as mentor to many biracial children.
“Color Blind” is her first book. Reid is working on a second, called “The Mirror and the Mask,” which is about the evolution of her biracial identity.
One story from the upcoming book is how as a child she would cut school pictures with a knife because the image she saw was not what she felt like inside.
Reid wants parents of biracial children to know they’re not alone.
“It’s okay to have questions about the differences that your child exhibits in their life experience,” she said.
Reid’s website can be found here: www.tiffanyraecoaching.com.
