In the controversy and debate over race relations in the last few years, one important group has been left out — those of mixed heritage.
Eli Bonilla Jr., author, global youth and young adult pastor of Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and national millennial director for the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, addresses this issue and how we can own our “unique distinctions” and “celebrate cultures without creating division” in his recent release, “Mixed: Embracing Complexity by Uncovering Your God-led Identity.”
“Mixed” was an indirect result of the racial controversies that erupted during the summer of 2020. Bonilla became vocal about the implications of what happened but then realized there was another layer no one was discussing.
“I’m half Dominican and half Mexican, and my mother — she’s Afro-Latina, so she’s a black woman from the Caribbean. My father’s from Mexico. I had a moment when, I was like, ‘These people (from the Black Lives Matter movement) look like my family. I’m black, but I’m Latino,” Bonilla said.
Seeking ‘soul-deep solutions’
“I started to voice certain things, and one comment I got back from the Mexican community I grew up around was, ‘Well, you’re getting loud for this, but what about the kids in cages at the borders?’” Bonilla noted.
Feeling very strongly about both issues, Bonilla faced a quandary. He didn’t want to give up talking about what happened to George Floyd but also didn’t want to dilute that issue by bringing up injustices with the Mexican border.
Knowing he was part of both cultures, he decided there had to be a healthier way to have these conversations without leaving anyone out.
“We really need to consider that an oversimplified conversation will only handle skin-deep symptoms and not soul-deep solutions,” he said.
Outsider
Because Bonilla is the national millennial director for the NHCLC, he was invited to be on a panel about race reconciliation. The panel consisted of half-white panelists and half-black panelists with two exceptions — an Argentinian and Bonilla.
He brought up a point in the panel. “I’ve been really confused over the last year or so because so much of my community does not fit in this conversation, and they are the majority. The Latinos are the largest minority ethnic group in the United States. I don’t believe we have the luxury to just have a black-and-white conversation after being a nation of immigrants.”
After the panel was over, Bonilla continued to think about what needs to happen for differences to be celebrated instead of dividing, and he concluded that it involves relating to the “other” the same as to oneself.
One point he made is that everyone is an outsider in some way. The mix Bonilla speaks of is not simply about race or culture.
Many don’t fit the mold or expectations of peers. Some might be the outcast of the family. It’s also possible to not be “white enough, black enough, Hispanic enough or American enough” to the others in their communities.
“You might not be mixed racially or ethnically, but you are a person of mixed experience,” he said.
Another step is reconciling a person’s own identity by developing a healthy view of self through knowing God, the Creator.
“It’s not as simple as, ‘Man, I want to be able to love my neighbor,’” he said. “There are two prerequisites for learning to love the other. First, you have to love God. Then, from loving God [comes] the proper way to love yourself. Then from loving yourself, then you’re able to love the other, regardless of who that other is.”
Takeaways
Though “Mixed” discusses deep subjects with no easy solutions, it’s an easy read, with Bonilla’s personal stories intertwined with biblical teaching.
“Mixed” doesn’t have an accompanying workbook or any written questions. However, it could still be a springboard for group study due to its relevance in today’s culture, especially with young adults or anyone wanting to learn about their identity in Christ and how to relate to those who are different.
Bonilla said in “Mixed,” however, the reader shouldn’t have false expectations about the book’s takeaways.
“Honestly, my goal with this book was not to provide clear-cut answers as to why you were born with the set of variables you’ve had to grapple with. You probably won’t walk away believing you have it all figured out.
“My hope is that people will take their time with God,” he said. “That’s my biggest thing. If I can get that point across with the book, that it’s good that things are not that simple. It’s the beauty of the complexity that God has designed.
“He’s the God of details, and He loves details. If we’re always in a rush, we’ll miss the beautiful details of His creation. At worst, we’ll miss the details of our own design, and how tragic that would be — to live this life in this body that was crafted by God and completely, completely miss out on the pleasures He wants us to share with Him in living to the fullest life that He has purposed for us.”
“Mixed: Embracing Complexity by Uncovering Your God-led Identity” can be found on Amazon or wherever books are sold. To learn more about Eli Bonilla Jr, go to elibonillajr.com or contact him on social media at @elibonillajr.
