Alexandria Gurule

Frantzen

Interview Paper

October 12, 2016

Nicole is a girl who in an interracial relationship with her boyfriend Jonathan for almost a

year. Nicole is a Hispanic woman and Jonathan is African American. A lot of differences has

come up because of each other’s cultures. They have a way of doing things when it comes to

Holidays and life decisions. Nicole’s family is very tight knit family that spends every holiday

together. Jonathan’s family however is very spread out and it is very rare that they spend time

together. Holidays for them are usually not celebrated with family but more with friends. Being

able to connect these families together hasn’t been challenging because both families are very

open to changes. Both families are very accepting of their relationship which started their senior

year of high school. Both families accepted each of the kids and treat the other kids like their

own.

Culture differences has been a challenge in the way that each other was raised and what

decisions has been made concerning their future. School is pushed in Nicole’s family and they

want all their kids to go to high education. Her family has made it clear that going to college is a

high priority in success. While Jonathan’s family has made school important, college isn’t

pushed as hard. While they would approve of Jonathan going to college, they left it to his

decision. Another difference that each family puts timeliness on different important levels.

Jonathan’s family has been notorious for being late to everything. They are always late to school
or social events. Nicole’s family on the other hand likes to be on time or even early to events.

This creates a challenge between the two because they argue about when they leave.

Living in New Mexico, there are not many African Americans who live there. Being in a

relationship with someone other than Hispanic or white man is already an offset to the norm.

Nicole and Jonathan both agree that occasionally they will be looked at differently or treated

differently by some. Both agree that it doesn’t bother them, but Nicole says that she thinks it’s

sad that it’s 2016, and they still have disapproval of their relationship because of their races.

Being in a relationship that is interracial is challenging but both decided that other’s opinions are

worthless to them.

Jonathan has learned a lot of new things about Nicole’s family and culture. Nicole’s

family has a lot of cultural values that are important to her family. The main thing that they have

learned about the other’s culture is family interactions. Nicole’s family has a very tight knit bond

that is very strong. They celebrate all holidays together and do a lot of activities together.

Jonathan’s family has a different way to spend time together. Instead of being all together, they

have dates with only a few members of their family. Holidays are usually spent alone or they are

only together for a short time.

Both Jonathan and Nicole agree that they plan on getting married in the future and have

children together. They want to have both a Hispanic and African American culture for their

kids. Being able to know where they came from and why they live the way they live is important

for them. They want their kids to know why the celebrate holidays and they want to be able to

realize that it’s okay to come from two different cultures. Even though both cultures are

completely different, they want to be able to celebrate all different stances and backgrounds with

their children.
 Obviously every couple has arguments but Nicole and Jonathan come from very

accepting families. Both were taught that even though someone may be different culturally or

racially, they should treat everyone with respect. They can agree that they have arguments, but

none of these arguments are about the others race. Nicole does say that Jonathan teases her

sometimes playfully, but she also said that the teasing doesn’t bother her because she knows that

it’s all in fun. They have a very strong relationship that relies on respect and laughter.

There are many positive aspects to being in an interracial relationship. Some of which are

getting to know another race and culture. Benefits of the relationship between Nicole and

Jonathan include getting to know another race and the different aspects of their lives. Being able

to see another person’s view can help one create an open mind. Not only is Nicole and

Jonathan’s interracial relationship beneficial to them but also to the people around them.

Although we live in a society where many are open minded and accept many different

relationships, there are many who still do not agree with an interracial relationship. Showing that

they are happy and have a healthy, stable relationship helps show that interracial relationships

are not bad. People have many reasons to not agree with a relationship that has two different

races, but by showing that their opinions are valid but not correct in many circumstances.

Race is something that is involved in our everyday lives. Although it does not affect

others as much, it always finds its way into conversations, discussions and relationships. Nicole

has gotten to know more about the African American race and knows that she loves that she not

only got an amazing boyfriend, but also got to know about a new race. The biggest thing that she

has learned is the way that African American’s do their hair. It sounds like a simple task, but

understanding small things like this leads to understanding larger cultural topics. Jonathan’s
family has taught Nicole about many different ways to do hair either for girls or guys. Teaching

her these things makes her feel welcome to their culture and more importantly, their family.

The main thing that Nicole’s family has taught Jonathan is Hispanic food. Food is a big

deal for Hispanics and being able to prepare it is just as important. Knowing how to cook

traditional food like chili, enchiladas, or arroz con leche is all a necessary skill. Nicole and her

family has taught Jonathan about many different recipes that he has learned how to cook.

The most common thing that both Nicole and Jonathan’s families have is their love for

God. Both families want their children to have a strong relationship with Him and to be able to

share Him with others. Both families agree on this belief more than any other. Being able to have

an open mind and to be able to connect to other cultures and races is the first step in making a

connection with others. Being able to use that connection for others to know God.