How does Mock negotiate her identity as both native Hawaiian and black? Are these at odds?

Growing up, Mock’s identity as both native Hawaiian (from her mother) and black (from her father) are at odds and she tries to separate herself from her blackness in order to find a sense of belonging in Hawaii’s racially ordered society. But by the time she writes this memoir, she has come to fully embrace her dual-racial identity and she demonstrates how it is important to be proud of our heritage and embrace our multi-faceted identities.

What place do labels have in our society? Are they empowering or disempowering?

While Mock demonstrates the powerful potential of words and storytelling for truth and self-expression, she demonstrates how strict labels and designations can be damaging and dehumanizing. For example, derogatory terms such as “freak,” “faggot,” “nigger,” and “tranny” are hurled at...