Dear kid whose parent has a different skin color than them,

It doesn’t make you any less of their child.

A uniform look does not make a family, no matter what the advertisements for Disney cruises tell you. No matter what your situation is, whether you’re adopted, biracial, or have some other special circumstance, it is a privilege to have a parent, biological or not. Think of this as an advantage; it’s really cool that you get to have racial diversity within your own home.

I am biracial. My mom is from Spain, and I share her light complexion. My dad, is from India. His skin is much darker than mine. I have his eyes, his dimples, his ears, and his hands. But, even if I was a carbon copy of all of his other features, I’d never stop getting a million questions about my identity and his.

People ask questions without malicious intentions, some just much more ignorantly than others. Nosiness is an ugly trait, not to be confused with genuine curiosity; that is beautiful. I’ve gotten asked if I am adopted, if he is my step dad, and if I have a skin disease like Michael Jackson. The answer is none of the above.

My family is the beauty of the American dream. Two people from two different continents came to this country with little in their pockets and a lot in their hearts. These immigrants fell in love and made it work. They made a life in this country and gave life to an American child. Our uniqueness as a family should be celebrated.

This country is not a melting pot.

We don’t all just come here and become the same. We are not all the same. My mother has gone through unique challenges that come with being a Hispanic woman in this country. Her strength and perseverance deserve to be praised, not overlooked in an attempt to create uniformity. My father is a dark-skinned man in this country who has made it into a very high corporate position, despite the color-based racism we still see every day. His strength and perseverance deserve to be praised, not overlooked in an attempt to create uniformity.

Our differences should be celebrated. Uniformity is boring.

Child of a parent with a different skin color, appreciate that your family fought hard and succeeded in this country enough to be able to give you a good life. Celebrate that you are a part of a very special and unique family. Embrace that you have a mini little rainbow of skin colors within your own home. That is endlessly cool.

With great love,

A light-skinned girl with a dark-skinned dad