Mission

Why HypheNation?

For anyone who doesn’t fit the “perfect American mold”:

Ladies, gentlemen, children of all ages; you’re sick of your history not being valued, highlighted, or even touched upon in Social Studies textbooks, your daily experiences never being reflected in math examples, and the non-existence of public role models who share your background(s). In all of the newest books, your experience is nowhere to be found. You don’t think you’re necessarily that “unique” but America keeps telling you that you are.

For interracial families:

Parents, you’re sick of having your kids’ relationship to you questioned, you hate them thinking you can’t relate to them because of more than just a generation gap, and you want them to learn about all the sides of their heritage and own them equally. Oh, right, and WHAT are you supposed to do with that hair?

Swirl generation, you want to pick up a book, and it’d be nice if the main character (or even a side one) could relate to having a hard time getting a date because all of a sudden the girls realized he was not “just” White, or a magazine, and see makeup tips that actually worked with your skintone plus stories that you could relate to. Or, you’re all grown up now, and trying to figure out how to find someone to share your life with who “gets” your experience instead of ignoring it, or not recreate the confusing parts of your childhood with your own kids. And yes, you CAN be “both” AT THE SAME TIME.

For people who are interested in making change:

Perhaps you’re phenotypically Caucasian, and have friends who are Black, Asian, Latino, or something else non-White. Perhaps you don’t feel like you have privilege, and you grew up poor, or disadvantaged. Perhaps you’re fairly liberal and make sure you don’t see color or act with bias. HypheNation, especially this site, is for you. Here is where you can work to learn, discuss these topics, and do something about it without crushing the people who you’re trying to fight for–which by the way, includes yourself, because nobody benefits the way things are set up now, even if you think you do.

In summary, we work to bring to the forefront media and personal environments where discussions of racial identity in people of all ages (in what’s supposedly a post-racial America) are honest, realistic, and raw.