When Garcelle Beauvais and her family moved to Massachusetts from Haiti, she had to struggle with being the only Black child in her school and feelings of being different. While she credits this early experience as teaching her to be accepting of others, she hopes her new book will help other children feel like they belong no matter their race. In I Am Mixed, a book inspired by Beauvais' own twin sons, siblings Jay and Nia discover how to enjoy their mixed heritages while addressing the "funny" questions they get asked by other kids in school.

"It was an opportunity to help my children understand what makes them special, to know their heritage and learn self-acceptance. I really hope it will start conversations for other families as well," the 46-year-old actress told parenting site Elizabeth Street. 

"I want my children to have compassion for all human beings regardless of race, age, or any other differences. Having respect is a big part of what I want to instill in them. And most importantly, I want them to be proud of what makes them who they are!"

I Am Mixed will be the first in a series of I Am… books written by Beauvais. The others will tackle topics such as adoption and divorce.
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(Photos from left: PNP/ WENN.com, Stranger Comics)