Multiracial families struggle with identity and acceptance

Families across the country are becoming more diverse. According to Pew Research, one baby in seven is multiracial. That's triple the rate in 1980.

But that term — multiracial — can mean a lot of things. It includes as much nurture as it does nature, as Pew found out in another study. Identities for people who are multiracial develop over time and are complex. People who are technically multiracial either don't identify themselves that way or don't identify with one or more of the races in their makeup.

MPR News host Angela Davis talked about what it means to be multiracial in Minnesota. She was joined by Norah Cooper, a mother and founder of Loving Lion Books, a company that publishes children's books customized to match different family makeups. They were joined by psychotherapist Lola Osunkoya, whose practice focus on adoptees and multiracial people. Osunkoya is also the director of programming at MidWest Mixed, a volunteer run organization that "works to expand our understanding of race and identity through courageous conversations, arts engagement, educational outreach, and a biennial conference." They talked frankly about couples of different races, the kids they're raising and the what it's like to identify as multiracial in Minnesota.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.