This is Angel. She fell in love with Donny.
But the couple was surprised to discover they were judged for being in an interracial relationship.
Angel: When I got with Donny, I pretty much lost all of my friends.
Donny: They were actually trying to set her up with different guys.
Angel: It was very unnerving.
After dating for three years, the couple couldn't wait to tie the knot.
Donny: We decided to elope.
But this caused even more trouble.
Donny: There was definitely some rift.
When Donny’s family turned their back on their relationship.
Donny: My mom, she was surprised at first.
Angel: She’s a bit more jealous of our relationship.
Donny: My name is Donny Lin, and I'm 33 years old.
Angel: My name is Angel Marks. And I'm 29 years old.
Donny: We moved in here November of last year, so it's been about five months now?
Donny: The most challenging aspects of an AMBW relationship is
the judgment that we face from everyone.
Angel: AM BW stands for
Donny: Asian man Both: Black woman.
Donny: I get looks, she gets stares.
I've never dated a black woman before. She will be my first. A beautiful woman is beautiful.
Angel: I feel like when we first came out here,
we were speaking to people strangers. And they were looking at us funny, pretty funny.
I dated black guys, although, I feel like I've always been open to dating just any race or guy.
It didn't matter long as he was just a good person. Danny's my favourite. My first.
Donny: First and favourite.
Angel: First and favourite.
Donny: We met at our old job at WalMart. We’d just see each other around the store
and just hit it off in the break room.
Angel: At the beginning, it was very unnerving for a whole room to turn when you walk in.
It’s kind of like whoa.
It's because they are looking at your relationship and they think it’s so different. Well, what is that?
You can't really be prepared for it, because you're not expecting people to care about your relationship.
When I got with Donny, I pretty much lost all of my friends.
We didn't argue, we didn't have a discussion. They just all stopped talking to me.
I mean they were around for all the bad guys,
all the bad ones and they just didn't stick around for this relationship.
Donny: As a matter of fact, they were actually trying to say set her up with different guys.
Angel and Donny’s interracial relationship elicited some strong opinions from their friends and family.
Angel: I remember my sister remarking. I like Donny, you know, I like Donny, he's really cool.
But I kind of see you with a muscular black guy. And I was like, Well, I mean, I'm with this guy.
I’m with this guy and he's the one who makes me happy and makes me feel good about myself.
Donny: Oh man, thats the stuff right there. New tennis balls.
Angel: New tennis balls.
In order to tackle the stares and judgment head on Angel and Donny started a vlog.
Donny: What made us decide to start vlogging was just to share our experiences.
Because we feel like there's a lot of preconceived notions or just people just don't understand.
Angel: Hi everyone it's Angel and Donny: Donny.
Angel: And today we're going to be coming to you with is the sex different?
Donny: Oh my God, let me tell you.
Angel: The most thing we get is comments like I didn’t know Asian guys were into curvy girls.
Donny: Or other off handed comments, like can he handle all that?
Oh damn babe, oh, damn.
Angel: He don’t know what to do.
Angel: We’re in a
Donny: jiggling mood. Angel: Jiggling.
Angel: I thought Asian guys didn't like all the extra.
Donny: Oh I love the extra.
Angel: It can be unnerving and just very invasive, how people can come up to you and say mean things.
So many misconceptions that people have about penis sizes.
I am happy, I am happy.
Donny: People see that we're a genuine couple that we’re really into each other. And people acknowledge that,
because that's that is what we're trying to showcase.
Despite facing judgment from friends, family, and strangers,
Angel and Donny decided to tie the knot.
Donny: We decided to elope almost four years ago. I think we couldn't wait either.
Angel: We were like, let's just do it. Let's just forget about all the little planning.
Donny: Let's just elope now and then figure
all that out later. Angel: Feel.
But they weren't prepared for how Donny’s family would react.
Donny: My mom she was surprised at first it took her a little bit. There's definitely some rift.
Angel: I didn't quite understand what was going on.
Originally, I thought she didn't like me because I was, you know, black.
It's because she's a bit more jealous of our relationship.
Donny: She's such a loving person. To see her kids leave the nest. I think that's really hard for her.
The couple didn't give up on trying to win Donny's family over. And finally his older brother Johnson
stepped in to help Angel and Donny begin the process of healing the rift.
Donny: He would come in and rescue us from whatever, whatever is going on.
Angel: He's always given us really good advice.
Johnson: I met Angel I think about maybe three years ago.
It was after they got married and he kind of introduced her to the family.
Donny: How is it going? Johnson: How are you doing?
Johnson: He’s kind of always done his own thing.
I would have liked to go to you know the ceremony or to the reception.
I really like Kitana from mortal combat.
Donny: Yeah. Johnson: Isn't that such a pretty name.
Angel: I kind of named her after her on account her being a legend so.
Johnson: I think they've kind of come a long way as far as you know, their love for each other.
It’s like two people who are in love with each other. I think that's all that matters so.
Donny: Love doesn't have to fall under certain look or image or category.
You can be on the opposite sides of the world.
And as long as y'all are into each other and the love is authentic, then really this colour of your skin is just,
it's just something different to look at.
Angel: It's how we feel that matters the most and not the outside.
You deserve someone who's going to really love you out loud. That includes all of this;
your skin, your hair, everything.
He's a regular guy, I’m a regular girl and we fell in love.