Society will have to grapple with more complex racial issues as the number of individuals of mixed-race -- especially mixed-race Latinos -- increases, according to a UC Davis law professor. Kevin Johnson, also associate dean for academic affairs at the law school, uses his own experiences as a mixed-race Latino to explore questions of racial identity, assimilation, affirmative action and racism in his recently released book, "How Did You Get to Be Mexican?" He will sign copies at the UCD Bookstore May 7 and at Borders Books and Music in Davis May 25. Johnson writes that he lives in the "borderlands between two worlds" as the son of a Mexican American woman and an Anglo man. A tall, fair-skinned man with an Anglo surname, Johnson says people often are unaware of his Latino ancestry and make racist remarks in his presence. Others have challenged Johnson's claim to be Latino, illustrated by the job interview question that gave rise to the book's title. Some have accused him of identifying himself as Latino only to take advantage of affirmative action while others have accused him of denying his Latino heritage to try to "pass as white." While some advocate assimilation into the dominant Anglo culture, the author questions its desirability. "Finding and becoming comfortable with one's racial identity is probably one of the most difficult things a member of a racial minority will ever face. Denial of one's background exacts a psychological toll that may outweigh the benefits of the higher status and prestige accorded to whiteness." Johnson says the United States has a long tradition of ignoring the existence of mixed-race people, but changing demographics make it all the more important to consider the circumstances of mixed-race Latinos. As immigration and intermarriage increase, so will the complexity of racial issues, Johnson says. "Rather than the demise of racism, the increase of multiracial people may result in new forms of racial subordination. Society will construct new races, perhaps based on lightness or darkness of skin color, language, culture or religion."