Living Interracial: Laci Marchand and Anthony Johnson

Race is not an issue
for me,

not at all.

whenever I met him,
since the end of high school,

middle of high school I
been in interracial relationships,

so when it came to him,
I've dealt with it for a long time

now.

So it's something that I don't see
as a problem anymore.

(male speaking) My family,
they don't see color so...

I think, like, she was well
accepted.

It wasn't a big deal,
it was kinda like "hey, this is Lacey."

It wasn't like "Oh lord, he done
brought a white girl here."

[giggles]

My grandmother loves her,
my mom loves her,

All my family accept
the whole interracial deal.

I don't have any problems
within the family

or pressure or anything
about it.

My family, when it comes to
interracial relationships,

at first, I think I was
more nervous about

coming out to them about
it.

I heard so many stories
from other friends.

A few friends that were interested
in black guys and um,

some stories that had happened
to them,

like, their parents would
kick them out the house,

and, you know,
they said "if you ever like,

bring him home again,
I'll disown you."

(Lacey) and, I felt that,
from everybody else's

bad experience, I would
be disappointing if I came

and told them that I was
into a black guy.

I just, it was something I
prayed about.

I was at church a lot in
high school.

I never really was into
the clubs,

and the whole night life scenes.

So, I spent a lot of time before
coming out to them, I guess,

talking to some mentors
of mine, some friends

at church.

Just a lot of praying,
and they showed me in

the bible where it said,
you know, it never says

when a man chooses a white wife,
or a black wife, or an Asian wife,

you know, its just a wife.

God never specified a color.

It's just, when you choose, when
a man finds a woman.

So I think the more I talk
to people and surrounded myself

with positive people,
I gained the courage

to tell them,
and when I told them,

it went well.

(male) She's actually learning
how to cook soul food right now.

[both laugh]

Tell them what you were doing
in the kitchen this Sunday.

My cornbread dressing for
Thanksgiving.

Yeah.

But, my grandmother was
willing to teach her some stuff.

So she can carry on the...

All guys like grandmother's cooking,
nobody can cook like a grandma.

and it's been said that, you know,
white people can't cook like

black people.

They put soul in their food.

[chuckles]

I still haven't figured out
what the soul part is all about,

but... I'm willing to learn
from his grandmother

how to cook the food
that he likes, to make him happy

and to keep him happy, so.

I'll be in the kitchen with grandma
learning how to make pig feet

and all kinds of stuff
I never grew up eating.

(Lacey) As far as the child's
concerned, being an interracial child,

I do always have concerns about
it.

I think about it a lot.

I think it'll be something
whenever she does get to the age,

where she starts understanding,
and seeing the world.

you know, the world is a
cruel place these days,

and especially when it comes
to a topic like this.

(male) I'll do my best-
we'll do our best-

as parents to make sure
we put her in the right

environment.

but, even if we put our daughter
in the right environment,

it doesn't mean anything
can't happen.

But, I do worry,
just thinking about-

'cause there's all possibilities, like
things that could go wrong.

Some can be sad,
and taken the wrong way or

just... anything.

(lacey) I think as parents
we're gonna do our best

to explain to her,
what she has to look

forward to and expect,
and kinda prepare her

the best that we can
for it.

and just as long as she
knows that she can come

to us if anyone has hurt her,
or said anything.

then we go from there.

We'll worry, but I mean
what parents don't worry?

You know, it's just something
that we're gonna have to

prepare her for.

make her strong
and support her.

And we'll get through it.