In a colorblind world, unless people come forward and self-identify, it’s hard to get confirmation on a person’s race or ethnicity.
Of course, it doesn’t really matter.
But when you write for the ethnic media, or for publications focused on diversity, race is everything.
You need confirmation.
I couldn’t just go on the fact that Jon Meis looked at least part Asian American.
Certainly, the man who is being hailed as a hero throughout the world for limiting the latest school shooting to just one fatality had that look. You could tell by his face ― Seattle Pacific University student Jon Meis had some multiracial facet in his life.
And then I did get confirmation from at least two family friends. Meis’ father was an engineer at Boeing, but his family had some Asian American blood.
