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Table of Diversity Element: Multiracial

The Table of Diversity Element Multiracial (Mc) is in the first column, Race, on the Table of Diversity.

Fun fact! While nearly all groups saw population gains between 2010 and 2020, the increase in the Multiracial population (people who identify with two or more races, increased by 276%!
-2020 U.S. Census.

Articles to Read

Check out these articles to learn more!

01

Definition of 'Multiracial' -Merriam-Webster

Multiracial (adjective)

1. Composed of, involving, or representing various races.

a multiracial society
multiracial families

"This is real music by real musicians," exclaimed Prince in the midst of "Controversy," one of roughly two dozen songs he performed before an adoring multiracial, all-ages, pansexual, sold-out crowd. -Ernest Hardy

2. Having parents or ancestors of different races

Junior high and high school, with their harsh social delineation, can be particularly tough. But multiracial teens who run the gantlet often emerge with a stronger sense of self. -Lynette Clemetson

02

Who Is Multiracial? Depends on How You Ask -Pew Research Center

"In 2014, as Pew Research Center prepared to conduct the first major study of the views of multiracial Americans- a group that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau is poised to triple by 2060- we faced a fundamental and unavoidable methodological challenge: how to define and measure the concept 'multiracial' in a public opinion survey context.

Racial identity is far from a straightforward concept, and when multiple strands of identity come together this has the potential to increase the complexity. An individual's racial self-identity may take into account a range of factors beyond genealogy, including family ties, physical appearance, culture and how others perceive them. In other words, being multiracial is more than just a straightforward summation of the races in an individual's family tree.

Consider, for example, a man whose mother is Asian and whose father is white. This may seem like someone who could easily be categorized as multiracial. But if this man was raised with little or no interaction with his white relatives or had experiences that were more closely aligned with those of the Asian community, he may well select "Asian" and nothing else when describing his race. Furthermore, some adults may have relatives of different races farther back in their family tree. While some people may think to include a more distant relative of a different race when asked about their racial background, others may not even if they are aware of their family history."

Definition of 'Multiracial' -Merriam-Webster

Multiracial (adjective)

1. Composed of, involving, or representing various races.

a multiracial society
multiracial families

"This is real music by real musicians," exclaimed Prince in the midst of "Controversy," one of roughly two dozen songs he performed before an adoring multiracial, all-ages, pansexual, sold-out crowd. -Ernest Hardy

2. Having parents or ancestors of different races

Junior high and high school, with their harsh social delineation, can be particularly tough. But multiracial teens who run the gantlet often emerge with a stronger sense of self. -Lynette Clemetson

Read More
Who Is Multiracial? Depends on How You Ask -Pew Research Center

"In 2014, as Pew Research Center prepared to conduct the first major study of the views of multiracial Americans- a group that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau is poised to triple by 2060- we faced a fundamental and unavoidable methodological challenge: how to define and measure the concept 'multiracial' in a public opinion survey context.

Racial identity is far from a straightforward concept, and when multiple strands of identity come together this has the potential to increase the complexity. An individual's racial self-identity may take into account a range of factors beyond genealogy, including family ties, physical appearance, culture and how others perceive them. In other words, being multiracial is more than just a straightforward summation of the races in an individual's family tree.

Consider, for example, a man whose mother is Asian and whose father is white. This may seem like someone who could easily be categorized as multiracial. But if this man was raised with little or no interaction with his white relatives or had experiences that were more closely aligned with those of the Asian community, he may well select "Asian" and nothing else when describing his race. Furthermore, some adults may have relatives of different races farther back in their family tree. While some people may think to include a more distant relative of a different race when asked about their racial background, others may not even if they are aware of their family history."

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