Interracial Family Organization

The Johnsons

// October 27th, 2009 // written by Kat Robertson

AUTHOR BIO:

Hi! I am Rebekah (Becky) Johnson and I am a 31 year old wife, mother, homeschooler, and college student. I am married to the fabulous Lonnie Johnson, 34, audio engineer extrordinaire. We currently reside in the very diverse Washington D.C., but are about to relocate to the predominantly white Las Vegas. OH BOY!

How I started this journey: Since I was old enough to date, I have considered myself to be an “equal opportunity” dater. I like MEN, and it never mattered to me if they were black, white, Asian, Latino, or anything and everything in between. ;D

I joined the Army right out of high school, and let me tell you, men in uniform are fine! When I arrived at my first duty station (Camp Humphreys, South Korea), one man in particular happened to win my heart from the very first day. He also happens to be a black man. While we were dating and newly married, we lived in what I call the “military interracial bubble.” Life in a military base is very different from life in the real world, and acceptance of interracial couplings is common. However, shortly after marrying my own soldier, we found ourselves in North Carolina and I got my first real glimpse of racial tension and hatred. Apparently I had been living a sheltered life.

It has taken me a lot of years to open my eyes to what life is like for my African American husband. We have been together nearly 12 years now, and will be married for 11 years in February (2010). We have three beautiful biracial children who are ages 9, 6 and 5; a charming little man, and two precious little girls. Being the mother of non-white children dramatically changed my life. Because of them – and my fierce love for them and my desire to make the world better FOR them – I have had to shake myself out of apathy.

I have become an advocate for my own multiracial family and for raising awareness about the racial issues that still plague America.

I have a long way to go.