What comes to mind when you see #blacklove? The hashtag exists because positive examples of successful Black relationships need to be seen. The media doesn’t always portray what many couples are experiencing. But when only 1/2 of that couple is black, do you still fall into that #blacklove space? Is #brownlove a thing?
In this episode, we have our first guests Ashleigh and Rajesh, to talk about what it means to be in an interracial relationship and how that affects everything from how others see us and how we plan on raising our kids. And get ready for the new hashtag – #brownlove!
What We’re Sipping on This Episode:
Flo Red Blend – Flo describes it’s Red Blend as a “smooth, silky Merlot and blended Cabernet Sauvignon to add a backbone and lengthen the finish” and as red wine drinkers we think this one is a winner. While we didn’t taste the peppery finish, we did get the fruit notes from the Zinfandel and thought that this was a good blend overall.
About Our Guests:
Rajesh is one of Sasha’s high school crew friends and they have know each other for 20 years. Fun fact – they even ran from Prom Prince and Princess their senior year of high school (they lost). After high school, Rajesh moved down to North Carolina to attend UNC-Greensboro where he met Ashleigh. After many years and even over many miles, they tied the knot in 2016. They welcomed their little girl in last August.
About The Episode:
This episode, Shara and Sasha, along with their guests dived into the topic of interracial relationships and what it means to experience black culture without actually being black.
Sasha has struggled with not really knowing if her relationship was included in the hashtags she often sees her friends post about like #blacklove. Since Rajesh and Ashleigh are the flip of Sasha and her husband (black wife, Latino husband), Sasha and Shara thought it be a great opportunity to talk about if they see themselves as #blacklove or something else.
Both Sasha and Rajesh also struggled with knowing exactly where they fit in growing up. Growing up in the DC area, there weren’t many Spanish folks around so it often came down to where you fit in culturally, which in the early 90s meant black or white. Both Sasha and Rajesh gravitated and heavily embraced black culture but never felt included in things like #blacklove.
The Takeaways:
Interracial relationships and marriages are becoming more and more of a thing. Since having children, Sasha and Shara, along with their guests, have felt the need to ensure that their kids know ALL sides of their culture. In fact, some of Sasha’s spanish-ness has even rubbed off on how Shara talks to her son! In the end, it’s all about what makes you happy. But for those who may not feel like #blacklove includes them – don’t worry – we’ve got you covered – #brownlove is just for us!
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Play, Tunein, or wherever you get your podcasts or listen below!
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Find out what we’re sipping on: The Wine List
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Hi! We're Sasha & Shara - the co-hosts of the Swirl and Sip Podcast! 