Identity :

 my cousins,my sister, and myself with my grandparents

                                                                                      My sister and I

                 In fifth grade I was asked “the” question. I was taking a standardized test in my school and the ethnicity box only let you choose one choice. I was in fifth grade and it was my first time taking this tests. I remember vividly the feeling of being very confused. So like any fifth grader I raise my hand and asked the teacher" why cant I choose more than one”. She responded with ”go by your mother’s”. Soon after it was spring and we took these tests again. Once again I was faced with this question with only the one choice to choose when I clearly couldn’t. At that time, in fifth grade there was no other option or mix ethnicity option. So I'm the second test I went with my father’s. From fifth grade to eighth grade I went back and forth between checking white and checking black. When high school came along I met a group of friends and they asked me "What do you identify yourself as?” As a high schooler you don't think much of the question, I just answered I grew up pretty much Italian if thats what you’re asking. Now, in college, that question has 1000 different answers than it did when I was in high school. 

        We put multiple things on the board surrounding identity. These things included race, job, culture, name, birthday, clothing, religion and traditions. My name is Jayde Moira Frederick.  I always hated my name, got annoyed when everyone forgot the “y” but now its fun being different. It’s unique to me. I am 18. I was born on March 19,1997.  I am Irish, Italian, and African American. My mother is white and my father is black. I couldn't have a more mixed family if we tried. We have many different ethnicities in my family from Guyanese to Japanese; we all look different but come from one big loving family. I grew up with the mindset of family means everything. My mom and my sister are my best friends. Being in a very Italian-American Community, I grew up with most Italian-Irish traditions. I make cheesecake with my grandfather, christmas cookies with my grandmother, who still by the way doesn't let me touch the oven, and eat pasta like it’s my religion. We celebrate St. Joseph’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day like they should be actual holidays and get mad if we all aren't off to be together. I am Roman Catholic and very spiritual. I play softball and volleyball. My life is amazing and I love the life I live. 

             I’m often told that I don't “act black enough” by many people I come in contact with, the arrogance and stereo typicalness of that statement makes me sick now. “The” question doesn't bother me at all, nowadays there is most likely an “other” or “mixed” option. I learned through myself that you cant always judge a book by its cover, the text and inside of a book is always better. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am student. I am a friend. I am a peer. I am tall. I am black. I am white. I am american. I am an athlete. I can name thousand things that I am and a thousand things that I am not. You might not be able to tell these things right away but they all make me different from you and you different from me.