Half Breed (Mutt)

During my undergraduate years at Gallaudet University (the only liberal arts university for the Deaf in this country), I was often asked what racial identity I preferred. As the child of an European father (Greek) and an African mother (Nigerian), I was in limbo. Too white for some, too black for others, and then not enough for either race. I was an oddity on campus and sometimes popular because of this anamoly. I simply wanted to be me.

As a biracial Deaf, gay man, I just viewed myself as myself. I rejected the dispersion about my parents. After all, they were the two people who created me. I had both black and white families that I loved. Why did I need to make a choice? This question wasn"t limited to my collegiate peers. Everyone that I encountered seemed confused. Regardless of race, it felt that everyone I met looked at me the same, although most were too polite to inquire.

All this changed in November, 2008. I finally had a role model based on his credentials and not his celebrity. Mr. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected as the President of the United States of America. I now had someone who mirrored my own life in the most powerful position on this planet. Not surprisingly, the questions concerning my identity ceased.

Thank you, Mr. President Obama, for being the success that many of us need. Not only have you achieved the impossible, you have also inspired millions to strive for perfection.