SCVNews.com | Opinion/Commentary: What Race Are You? | Doctor’s Diary with Dr. Gene Dorio

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1967 - Local voters approve formation of community college and elect COC's first five-member board - Dr. William G. Bonelli Jr., Bruce Fortine, Sheila Dyer, Peter Huntsinger, Edward Muhl [story]

What Race Are You? | Doctor’s Diary with Dr. Gene Dorio

Dr. Gene Dorio | Friday, Jun 26, 2020

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Most people can’t determine my race when they look for features to categorize my skin, hair, eyes and nose.

For years, I have been aware of my biracial background, and now I can identify with the fastest growing “race” in the Untied States – the mixed race. This was extended further with DNA analysis as I’ve discovered I am triracial.

This, of course, should not matter. Who a person is should be based on what is carried in their heart, soul and spirit. Are they good people caring for those around them with sympathy and empathy? Will they help those who are downtrodden and pick up those who need help? And are they honest and forthright, doing the best they can for family, friends and community?

If so, then you are a part of the human race – so, looks, color of skin, and DNA should matter. The designation of “race” will one day only be in history books, shelved away for antiquity.

Science and medicine will slowly evolve, along with social change.

This might be the right time, though, to speed up the process in light of COVID-19 and BLM.

Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D., is a geriatric house-call physician who serves as president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults and Assemblyman to the California Senior Legislature. He has practiced in the Santa Clarita Valley for 32 years.

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1 Comment

Susan Graham says:

Saturday, Jun 27, 2020 at

Project RACE (Reclassify All Children Equally) thanks Dr. Gene Dorio for recognizing the necessity of self-identifying as biracial or multiracial. For too long, medical forms have ignored our population. The data from these forms is important for medical research. Project RACE advocates for the multiracial population and the right to self-identify as more than one race.

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