Common Sense Media Review
By Sabrina McFarland
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Multiracialism is explored and explained in meaningful docu.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed
What's the Story?
1000% ME: GROWING UP MIXED is a documentary that focuses on the experiences of multiracial kids and adults and their families who reside in California's San Francisco Bay Area. Through firsthand interviews and archival footage and photos, these individuals share their personal stories that range from celebrations of cultural traditions to forms of exclusion within society by other individuals.
Is It Any Good?
Filmmaker W. Kamau Bell (United Shades of America) provides a critical, at times comic, but oh-so-worthy perspective on the ever-timely topic of race. In 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed, viewers get a mixture of shared stories from multicultural kids, teens, and their families. "The shades of skin tones were always mentioned," remembers native Filipino Paolo Aunscion, who grew up in the Philippines and is now married to a White woman. "People were told to cover up because the sun's out" he says. "You'll get dark. Nobody will marry you."
Giorgio, who identifies as Filipino and African American and is now in his 30s, notes that when it came to the subject of racial identity as a kid, "we never had those conversations, but I feel like now in today's world, where we really start opening up that box of conversations and letting those walls down." Mila, a 10-year-old with African American and Chinese roots, offers the opinion for future generations that "it's better…to learn about race and learn kind of what race means, how race affects you, when you're younger rather than later."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the communication of the cast in 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed. How do they also demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
In the documentary, Erica says that there's a lot of danger in not talking about racism. Do you agree or disagree, and why?
Why do you think that it's important for kids, teens, and families to learn about and discuss the topic of race?
How do you think the topic of multiracialism was presented by the filmmaker? What did you learn from watching this documentary?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 2, 2023
- Cast : W. Kamau Bell , Paolo Aunscion , Sami Bell
- Director : W. Kamau Bell
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Actor(s) , Polynesian/Pacific Islander Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : HBO Documentary Films
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 59 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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