Who am I, What am I
[A longer-than-usual post; written for a PCC class Summer 2020] "Hi Julie, it's Mom. I’m looking at this 2010 Census form, and wondering if I should mark the Native American box. I’ve never done that before, but it would probably help the tribe, right?” I tell Mom what I know about how the Census is used, especially that federal funds are often distributed based on census data. It’s also a marker for historical purposes leaving a trail of family lineage. We could have tried calling the Census Bureau: Is your question who am I? Or what am I? Are you interested in hearing me tell my story, or do you want me to answer your categories to put me in a box you understand? Authors Wendy Willis and Thomas Chatterton Williams approach their multi-racial quandaries in sometimes similar, sometimes unique ways. Wendy Willis, in “ Boxed In,” tells us she is a middle-aged white lady. She also has Cherokee heritage, through a beloved grandfather. When presented with