Chanpon

There are those of us who defy categorization not as a matter of aesthetic or political principle but rather by the fact that we simply do not fit in. We are not white, nor are we simply asian, latino, pacific islander, what have you. Being multi-racial means that we are lost in a world in between, unable to be assigned to a neat, crisp racial category. It is this quality of being bi-racial that is explored by White Balance, a Shockwave movie hosted by Canadian Broadcasting. Featuring a series of portraits photographed by Sarah Shiu, White Balance literally gives voice, through a series of interviews and group discussions, to people of asian and caucasian decent. This site is an effective mini-documentary, fluidly integrating images and sound to reveal thoughts and feelings behind bi-racialism.

The photographs show the complexity of race by revealing the infinitely graded scale of grey that exists between white and black. The interviews explore the world in between, challenging the notion of "whiteness�h as the normalizing factor in measuring race. Where do bi-racials fit in a community that insists on clear racial demarcation? If you are half asian, you cannot indicate "white" as your racial identity, and the majority of people will refer to you as "asian," as if that part of you has somehow canceled out the caucasian. Still those who are �gpureblooded�h asian will recognize that you are not fully asian. The people in White Balance are not alone in their feelings of isolation, and we find that they share a common dream of creating a community among themselves. White Balance is the reflection of such a community, and gives witness to the fact that the question of race is deeply nuanced. There is a valuable lesson to be learned by listening to the testimony within. No one can be categorized simply in white and black. To do so means that we risk alienating each other. This is true of all aspects of our lives, whether it is related to issues about race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality. White Balance plays a crucial role in our exploration of the human experience by celebrating our diversity. Only when we have begun to break down the borders that define racial identity can we begin to reach towards one another with acceptance and understanding.