Roger & Tiffany

“Way back when, he used to play at some of the clubs where black people weren’t allowed to actually be inside, he had to play behind a curtain in those days.”

Roger’s story:

I’m from New Orleans. I’m mixed, black and white, but most of my life I’ve kind of had the black experience. I think that’s going to be important for my child to have that unique perspective. He has so many different heritages and it will give him the ability to understand things from different angles. Having skin in the game from all these different backgrounds is going to give my child a unique perspective.

My family never really talked much about our heritage. My mom talked about growing up in Indiana. My dad was a Jazz musician and a piano tuner and had a business that my mom used to help him with. Way back when, he used to play at some of the clubs where black people weren’t allowed to actually be inside, he had to play behind a curtain in those days. I’m a DJ in the city and I walk some of the same paths that my dad used to.

My dad taught piano and vocal lessons too and a lot of that rubbed off on me. He would always try to get me involved in music, to pick up some type of instrument, but that never really stuck with me. I was always more interested in the technical stuff. I did pick up a lot from being around him though. That connection to music is something I hope to pass down.

Tiffany’s story:

I’m from Long Beach, California. I was born in the Philippines on an Air Force base. My dad is half black and half Japanese. My mom is full Chamorro from Guam. My parents always taught me to surround myself with positive people.

I came to the U.S. when I was about two, after my dad got out of the Air Force. I don’t know as much as I would like to know about my Japanese heritage. It’s kind of hard to maintain without being in it everyday. I do remember that we always had to take our shoes off when we walked into the house. And the dishes always had to be put away before we went to bed. I want to make sure my family is always surrounded by Roger’s family, so there is a coming together of different experiences. That is the most important thing. Our son is mixed with all of that.