Artist Statement
For my social justice project I decided to research and create a website about the correlation of two sensitive topics to me: Interracial marriage and religion. Within my website I provided a detailed history on the illegal and legalization of interracial marriage in American and how even though the Catholic church never publically said they were against it, they have been supporting a community in opposition of it for centuries. I also wrote two poems about my point of view on this topic and provided a book that should be read by all because it brings a lot of light to some of the darkest times in racial history,
I researched these topics because I’ve been in a relationship with a black man for a few years now and though some of my happiest days have come out of it, so have some of my saddest and most challenging. Growing up in a country where they believe that we are well beyond the days of racism, when we are not, has caused me to question society, the church, and overall our country's morals. I grew up in a very conservative catholic family, in Indiana, and my parents happened to have been born before interracial marriage was legal. My dad and I used to be super close and I cherished that relationship like no other, but it all went away when I brought home a black man.
Like many people in interracial relationships, I’ve lost many family and friends and have spent countless hours crying and questioning if love is worth it all, because of the race of the person I fell in love with simultaneously built and tore my life apart. It never made sense to me, and still doesn’t, how skin pigmentation can affect people from seeing all the good about someone, in this country. It never made sense to me why stereotypes and judgment still are targeted towards interracial couples. Overtime, I have realized this judgment does not only come from my white family/community, but from his black family/community as well. Upon further observation, it came to light how both his family and mine use interpretations of our same religion to tell us that we shouldn’t be together.
This drove me to research the practices and community surrounding the Catholic church and how that has affected interracial marriage over centuries. I wanted to see if there was any correlation between the church and the specific times in history interracial marriage was and was not accepted in the United States. I was surprised to find that not only were they connected, but the Catholic church has never used its vast power or support to help fight for the right of interracial marriage. Negatively, the Catholic religion creeped into politics and has been too literally interpreted by some politicians, which causes vast harm for the 14th amendment and the legal right for interracial and same sex marriage.
I will continue to speak out about the judgment and lack of support for those covered currently by the 14th amendment. I will continue to educate on the history and current issues associated with interracial marriage, and I encourage you to do the same. The Catholic church shouldn’t remain in opposition of interracial marriage when there is no biblical scripture or rules against it. Interracial marriage is an ongoging fight for both gender and race that everyone, involved in this type of relationship or not, should help fight for. The church should help to bridge racial communities together, rather than tear them apart, because everyone deserves to love whomever they want without judgment.