O’Brien was raised in a household where both parents spoke Spanish — but not to their children. They are Mexican immigrants and made a collective decision to ensure the next generation mastered English without the hint of an accent. Spanish was the secret language they used when they argued or talked about Christmas presents.
Tag: race
Written, directed and starring Vin, Multi-Facial is substantially auto-biographical, as the 18min short film serves as a meta-commentary on Diesel’s attempts to break into the biz. The title is a play on words; Multi-Facial=Multi-Racial, and the plot is comprised mainly of Diesel going to acting auditions and failing to be considered for gigs due to not meeting some form of type-casting criterion. Coming from an Italian/Black ethnic background Diesel finds himself at the distinct disadvantage of not being dark enough, or gangsta enough, or guido enough for whatever role he auditions for. Despite his impressive musculature, Diesel desires to be taken seriously, and tries to impress with his range and commitment to the craft. Ultimately, to his frustration, he finds that casting directors of commercials and music videos don’t rate such ambitions very highly.
NYC First ‘Latin’ Mayor
If you’ve ever wondered what it is like to grow up as a third culture kid, this is the shit we have to deal with. It is very difficult to be accepted / seen as part of “our culture’s general population.” This frustrates me every damn day.
“Clearly, one’s ‘racial’ roots and one’s cultural heritage are very different,” Thomas J. Basile said. “Mayor Mitchel had Hispanic ancestry by virtue of a connection to Spain, but was certainly not Latino. Mitchel didn’t identify himself culturally during his public life with the broader Latino population globally or in the city. It’s not just about who someone’s great-grandfather was but much more about how you connect not only racially but also with the culture, people and lives of those who share that common heritage. It’s not just about where you’re from but how you live and perceive yourself in relation to others of that heritage.”
Recently, I’ve been thinking that I’m not Latino enough to check other people’s “diversity” checkboxes. Because I grew up in the midwest, I am seen as another privileged white guy. Yet, I am a college drop out and have struggled to be where I am. It is frustrating to live in the middle and not be accepted by either side…
In reality the pilot of the plane was trained by the U.S. Air Force and was a decorated veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where she flew aerial refueling missions for transport and reconnaissance aircraft. She has been flying for American Airlines for four years, and is one of that airline’s most experienced 737 pilots.