When Barack Obama sat down with former NBA player Matt Barnes, a biracial American with Black and Italian heritage, their conversation turned to questions of identity. ♬ original sound – Matt Barnes – Matt BarnesIn Hawaii, being different was the norm. “Part of the thing I figured out around 19, 20 was there’s no one way you gotta be; there’s no one way to be Black,” he reflected. A friend from East St. Louis called him out, challenging Obama to remember his own identity and background. Obama called it a “good correction” that reminded him that Black identity isn’t something that fits neatly into a single box.