A Biracial Experience

A Biracial Experience

What drives someone to seek a life where every piece of their identity finally fits? Horizon Heart to Heart brings together host Shakira Henry and guest Karl Shallowhorn for a candid chat about growing up biracial, living with co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders, and slowly piecing together a sense of self.

Karl shares how being adopted by Black parents meant he grew up identifying as African American, even while his lighter skin and straight hair left some people unsure where to place him. Things shifted dramatically in 2017, when an ancestry DNA test and a surprise email connected him with his white birth siblings and, eventually, his original birth certificate. Hearing him describe seeing his birth name, "Kevin James", for the first time is both funny and quietly emotional.

The conversation digs into what it means to tick a box like “multiracial” on forms while still feeling pulled by other people’s expectations. Karl recalls childhood moments of bias, being teased for how he spoke, and learning to change his speech just to fit in. There’s a powerful thread around stuffing feelings, trying to survive schoolyard cruelty, and later finding healing through 12-step recovery.

Shakira adds her own biracial experience, highlighting that being seen as "not Black enough" and "not white enough" can leave someone feeling like a permanent question mark. Together, they unpack race as a social construct that still shapes daily life, identity, and belonging.

By the end, Karl’s message is simple and steady: "you’re okay the way you are." He talks about the importance of unconditional love—whether from faith, family, or community—and encourages biracial and multiracial people to find others like them and to stay rooted in who they are. If you’re curious about identity, recovery, or just want to feel less alone in feeling “in-between”, this conversation might be exactly what you need today.