12 Intriguing Portraits that Challenges the Way We See Color

Funny enough, I can recall numerous occurrences when I had been asked the dreaded: “What are you?” question which I would simply answer back with : “Black,” and they would annoyingly persist with “But what else are you?”

Although extremely sad, it is, unfortunately, a painful reality for many black people, especially for those who do not necessarily fit society’s perception of what a black person is "supposed" to look like.

However, here are just some of the 12 portraits, brought to you by (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race. Beautiful portraits that  reflect the many faces of "blackness," an inspiring list putting every ignorant person who refuse to open their minds to shame:

La Block – “Biracial/Mixed”

"I always wanted to be darker because I didn't want to have to tell people that I'm Black. I just wanted them to be able to tell … Now I say that I'm Biracial just because I think it's important to embrace cultures and I think the language of 'Biracial' reflects everything that I am."

Andrew Holmes - "Black"

"I've never been put in a situation to have to think about how I identify. I don't exclude my Biracialness. I fully embrace my Caucasian roots, just as I do my Jamaican roots. When I'm at home and I'm looking at my mom and my dad and my siblings, I don't necessarily see a Black family or a White family — I just see my family. But if there's a need for me to bubble in what I am, there's no hesitation — I bubble in 'Black.' That's just how I feel. I'm definitely not a White guy. People don't look at me and say, 'Hey, look at that White man!'"

Zun Lee – “Black”

"When I applied to grad school or for jobs, all of a sudden the boxes come up. I had to make a choice, so for the first time, I checked 'Black.' And I didn't think long about it because for me, it was based on personal circumstance. I just chose the box that I felt most at home with because I didn't relate to any of the other options. From then on, if I were asked, I would answer, 'I'm Black.' Of course, people told me I couldn't do that — that I couldn't choose that box. But I had spent all of my life being pushed away by people. In Germany, I wasn't even given the option to check anything because I wasn't welcomed there. I had no box. For the first time, I was being given the option to identify myself. Now I had a box, and I was happy in that little box."

Deborah Thomas – “Mixed/Jamaican”

"I was telling my students the other day that the most frequent question I get is, 'What are you?' People just randomly on the street, 'What are you?' I used to get really annoyed and militant about it. I've never been sure why people are so bold, because I would never. So I used to respond, 'Human!' But now I just try to figure out what it is somebody's trying to know."

James Bartlett – “Black”

"Most of the time, I can tell — somebody's either just looking at me or they just flat out ask me, 'What are you?' I can't tell you how many times I get that question. It's funny, because now most people either say, 'I thought you were XYZ when I first met you,' or 'I didn't know what you were until you started talking and then I knew you were Black!'"

Brandon Stanford – “African American”

"My consciousness never really allowed me to think of myself as anything else but Black or a person of African descent. Anyone who has had the opportunity to get to know me never questions my race. They never question me being Black. Never. Regardless of my complexion. But for those who don't necessarily know me, based on my phenotype and their perception, I've had some interesting experiences."

See More Portraits at: Policymic