WeAreHapa.com - The Social Support Network for Multi-Cultural Individuals

Philip

how bout mixed.com ? :P

17 months ago

Gene

I'm proud to be Hapa.  The best of both worlds.  I even looked for a Hapa tshirt when I was in Hawaii.  Couldn't find one.

17 months ago

Athena

Good arguments all around.  It is important that we create a community that is as inclusive as possible and if we are using a term, that we use it correctly.  

Many Hawaiians use the word, "hapa," short for "hapa haole" people of Caucasian and Hawaiian background.  It was originally used as a negative word in reference to the pure blooded Hawaiians being overtaken by settlers and the product of those encounters, much like the history of the word "mulatto."  The word "hapa" has changed since those times and started being used to refer to half Asian people.  

Our site does have a multitude of mostly part Asian members, but there are quite a few members on here that are not of Asian descent, but mixed nonetheless.  We wish to include them under a more universal name and hopefully other mixes will be more encouraged to join as well. 

We can still maintain the conversations about being part Asian or part whatever ethnicity through the subsets of communities on here.  There are already groups such as "I've got some Japanese in me" and "I Love My Kimchi" that have dialog going on about similarities and common stories among smaller groups within our collective whole.  

We can achieve two objectives, I believe, of being both inclusive of all people while still taking pride and finding commonalities among people like us.

Thanks for voting everyone and taking part in the conversation :)  We enjoy your feedback!!  :)

17 months ago

Nina

Oops. Hit the add comment button too soon! I agree with Takeru. A name like WeAreMixed.com is more inclusive and will attract a more diverse social community of people of mixed ethnicity. I also like mixedpeeps.com

17 months ago

Paul

WeAreHapa!

I will delete my account if the name change goes through..

17 months ago

Takeru V.

i honestly think the name change will not only garner more members of all walks of mixie life a greater online community as well! lets go with the revamp! 

17 months ago

Cynthia

Honestly, I came here to find a hapa community. I've been a part of general mixed race communities and still, oddly enough, still felt alienated because the talk that dominated was mostly white/black.

17 months ago

Amy

we need more members, so change it.

17 months ago

Michael

When I joined Wearehapa.com I loved the idea of mixed Asian site, I am one of the few hapa kids I know and having a source where I know there are other made me feel good people were proud. I personally do not like the name change it takes away the meaning of why I joined and why I love this site. I understand the reason for the change and to a degree I can agree with it but I don't agree with it. I know my reasons are selfish and are easily countered but that is how I feel but no matter what happens I'm not leaving the site.

17 months ago

diana

I am always in favor of becoming more inclusive and culturally sensitive, so I voted for the change to "WeAreMixed.com." But, I do see value in the existence of an online community (and a label) that is specific to being some part Asian. So much scholarship/research as well as text outside of academia has defined the words "bi/multiracial" and "mixed" solely within a Black/White paradigm, leaving out the blasians, wasians, hispasians, and so on. Ideally, I see us creating/adopting a new word for identifying as a mixed person of Asian descent, but to do so collectively would be a huge challenge.

17 months ago