Never Enough;
Always Too Much
A Cultural Snapshot of the American biracial experience
Debunking the idea of a common biracial experience in america
I wrote and designed this book about the experience of being mixed in the U.S. Specifically Never Enough; Always Too Much is about understanding different perspectives of racial identity. Highlighting real people’s experiences with colorism, being raised by two parents from different cultures, and racism from a personal conversation. Being able to have these conversations and open up opportunities for dialogue between different parties with different backgrounds leads to actual societal progression.
Color
All colors of this book are shades of brown, there is no true white, or true black within this book. There is no entirely white person, and there is no one who is entirely anything. This book is supposed to tell everyone’s story, no matter their color.
Layout
This book is ergodic, meaning to put effort into reading. Much like the conversations in the interviews of this book, these topics can feel uncomfortable, and often foreign in perspective. The reader must literally change their perspective and put extra effort into seeing the whole story. In this case, the book must be turned to read certain spreads and understand more that one experience when answering similar questions.
Interviews
The interviews range from my family to my newest friends. This is to ensure a specific level of comfort that can only be created over time. There is a level of discomfort when asking your parents whether their race was an important factor in your upbringing and shaping your personality or racial identity. Communicating the importance of these conversations through the dialogue of these interviews, leaving in the pauses and repeated words shows the discomfort for both parties. This creates a sense of importance for these conversations, people who are still trying to figure out their answers to these questions. People communicating despite the awkwardness and discomfort in order to have progress.
