Hanswahini SinghHalle Berry
Halle Berry has been in media attention for being the first black woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress. She bagged fame for her performance in ‘Monster’s Ball’, a romantic drama. Halle Berry was brought up in a biracial family. The mother of Halle was of German and English descent and father was an African American. She has been vocal about her racial struggle and same which her daughter is also facing right now. Berry has a beautiful daughter Nahla. She had a daughter with her ex-husband Gabriel Aubry and they both had some issues and since then questions about Nahla’s race have been raised. Berry argued, “I’m not going to put a label on it. I had to decide for myself and that’s what she’s going to have to decide; how she identifies herself in the world.”
Aubrey Plaza
The outstanding star Aubrey Plaza is an American comedian and actress. Initially, she started her career by playing supportive roles and finally in 2012 she did the lead role in ‘Safety Not Guaranteed’, a comedy movie. She became popular for her appearance in the NBC television sitcom ‘Parks & Recreation’. While talking about being biracial, she said her father is from Puerto Rican and her mother is from Irish English ancestry. She struggled with her traits in her high school which was of all whites. She stated the details, “I was winning the diversity awards and people were always calling bull**it on me. I won the Hispanic teenager of the year and I felt terrible. I always felt like I didn’t deserve to win because I was really half Latina.”
Boris Kodjoe
Actor Boris Kodjoe is best known for his role in film ‘Brown Sugar’ (2002) as Kelby.Kodjoe is Austrian born and was brought up in Breisgau. He is partly German through mother’s descent and half Ghanian from father’s ancestry. He learned English accent later and nailed every role. He considers there is no bias in the United States in racial terms. Kodjoe said, “I was born to a white mother from Germany and a Black father from Ghana. And I represent both cultures. But at the end of the day, when I walk the earth, I walk the earth as a black man. That’s what I’m being perceived as that’s what I look like and that’s what I feel like.”
Alicia Keys
Originally named Alicia Augello Cook, Alicia is a phenomenal singer, actress, and pianist. Alicia’s first hit album was ‘Songs in a Minor’ which sold over 12 million records. In 2003, she spawned her second album ‘The Diary of Alicia Keys’ in which singles ‘Diary’, ‘I Ain’t Got You’, ‘You Don’t Know My Name’ swept a huge success, sold millions of copies worldwide. Her work has garnered numerous awards such as 17 NAACP Image Awards and 15 Grammy Awards and is also considered as best selling artist. The artist grew in New York City, Manhattan. Alicia Keys is of African American descent from father’s side and white Sicilian through mother’s ancestry.
On being biracial Alicia argued, “My mixed-race background made me a broad person, able to relate to different cultures. But any woman of color, even a mixed color, is seen as black in America. So that’s how I regard myself.”
Jordan Sparks
Jordin Sparks is shining in her career since the age of 17 when she became the American Idol in the sixth season and is known to be the youngest winner in the history. Her debut album ‘Jordin Sparks’ noted remarkable success, selling over three million only in U.S. Recording Industry Association of America respected her work by the certificate of platinum. Also, this album made her win her first Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration. Jordin is half African American through her father’s descent and half Caucasian from mother’s ancestry.
Once a fan commented on her biracial traits, “I knew u were mixed but it’s still so strange to see that your mom is an average white person.” She fired back in the response and said, “My mom is anything but average. She is my beautiful, strong, hilarious, protective, savvy, will whoop your ass in a heartbeat mother. You must not see yours as such since you can so easily call someone else’s ‘average.'”
Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter is a former baseball shortstop, businessman, and CEO of Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball. Derek earned popularity playing baseball with New York Yankees in MLB. He is the star of Yankees success in 1990 and 2000. He carries biracial traits as his father is of African American descent and mother is of Irish ancestry. Derek has been vocal about his biracial journey and said, “Times are a little bit different now than they were when I grew up.” Further, he argued, “You know, you got stares. Yeah, if you’re with one particular parent, you get stares. With the other one, you get stares. If they’re both together, then you get a lot of whispers. But it taught me to get to know people on the inside.”