Bill Allows NYers to Identify As Multiracial
New Yorkers may be able to identify themselves as more than one race under legislation introduced in the City Council on Tuesday.
The measure would change dozens of official documents, including applications for public housing, registration with the Department of Small Business Services and complaint forms with the city’s Commission on Human Rights. Documents required of more than 300,000 city employees would also need to be changed.
Currently, city forms that ask for ethnicity or race have five options: “black, not of Hispanic origin,” “white, not of Hispanic origin,” “Hispanic,” “Asian or Pacific Islander,” and “American Indian or Alaskan native.”
“I am 50 percent Irish, 25 percent Korean and 25 percent unknown,” said Corey Johnson, a city councilman from Manhattan, who championed the bill during a rally.
New York City has the highest multiracial population in the country. More than 325,000 residents identify as more than one race.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s own children could be affected — he is white, but is married to Chirlane McCray, who is black.
This article appeared in print on page 31 of edition of Hamodia.
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