Photos: Chuck B

As children of military parents, Christopher Lewis and wife Jennifer Bhagia-Lewis both called many cities home. While living in Atlanta, they met at Georgia State University in 1999, but didn’t start dating until 2002, when they both participated in the GSU Choral Society (Jennifer for fun and Christopher as a requisite to graduate).

Their son, Cameron, was born in 2006 and the couple recently moved downtown to a high-rise in the Fairlie-Poplar district. They live in the same building where Jennifer was living when the couple started dating seven years ago. “We love being back in the city, living in a walkable, historic community with so much integrated art and diversity,” says Jennifer. “And Cameron gets a kick out of having an elevator ‘in’ his home and says he loves that he can ‘see the whole world’ from his room.”

As a mother in a multiracial and multiethnic family, Jennifer hoped to create a normative space outside of her family for her son’s multiracial identity and joined Swirl Inc., a national multiethnic organization created to challenge society’s notions of race through community building, education and action. Jennifer spearheaded the effort to create an Atlanta chapter of the organization. Find out more information at www.swirlinc.org.

Parents’ names, ages, occupations?
Jennifer Bhagia-Lewis, 28, SAHM, and Christopher Lewis, 29, bartender and music producer

Child’s name, age?
Cameron Dean Lewis, 4

Neighborhood you live in?
Fairlie-Poplar

Ethnic background?
We are a multiracial/multi-ethnic family. Jennifer is Puerto Rican and Indian (Mumbai); Christopher is African-American, German and Irish.

What type of cars do you drive?
Nissan Maxima and MARTA!

How would you describe your parenting style?
I suppose the technical answer would be authoritative. We hope to nurture Cameron’s independence and creativity while trying to maintain clear boundaries. We both believe strongly that he is ready and able to learn anything, regardless of his age. Our job is to find a way to teach him those things.

How are you different from other parents?
Cameron has five grandparents of four different races/cultures that speak three different languages. We actively encourage diversity of all kinds in our lives with Cameron. We never shy away from discussing the similarities and differences that create people and families.

What do you do for fun?
We love to go to the movies and go to the park to play baseball. Cameron loves sporting events so we try to get to Braves, Hawks and Thrashers games whenever possible.

Favorite rainy day activity?
Reading, painting, drumming, making music with Daddy, and bowling.

Favorite playground?
Centennial Park is our favorite, especially in the spring and summer. Cameron loves to people-watch there and we have lots of fun in the Olympic Rings fountain.

Favorite event of the year?
Cameron’s preschool has a Fall Lantern Walk where the children make their own candlelight lanterns and sing songs for us in Grant Park. We get to see how much he’s learned and grown as the children cook snacks and show us their classroom.

Favorite dinner?
Rice and beans, Puerto Rican style!

Favorite kid-friendly restaurant?
Cameron loves nothing more than drumming, so RuSan’s wins every time. The music is always fun and chopsticks are instant drumsticks! We always have fun there, plus we all love miso soup and sushi!

Favorite family board game?
Cam isn’t really interested in board games, no matter how hard we try. He’s a digital kid so our fav family game of the moment is Beatles Rock Band. As you might guess, Cameron hogs the drums.

Child’s favorite CD/music?
Cameron definitely has an ear for Michael Jackson and The Beatles. He also loves They Might Be Giants.

Child’s superhero abilities?
Cameron Dean is DEFINITELY a charmer and he reads his audience well. He has a way of making people melt in his hands, and while I admit we are biased, the kid’s got something you just can’t put your finger on!

If you were a book, what is the one thing you wouldn’t guess from your cover?
Jennifer: I have terrible stage fright and fear of speaking in front of large crowds, even virtually. This interview process was even a little nerve wracking for me!
Christopher: I love classic country music. I have been known to argue its merits as the perfect musical genre and example of songwriting.