Interracial dating - Family reaction

My first long-term relationship was with a half Navajo and half Black guy. So, even though I technically was interracially dating then it really didn’t feel like it because of the environment we were in, which was close to the Rez, and he was light-skinned. He looked Puerto Rican-ish so there was no drastic difference in skin color. Also, the biggest thing was he was Navajo as well and went to school near the Rez so there was no huge difference it seemed as dating him. However, when I had my first serious with relationship with a full-blooded Black male, my experience was completely different. I was the first person within both of my father’s and mother’s side of the family to date a Black man and bring him home! Mind you both sides of my family are very traditional Navajo’s meaning, they do not go to church and have maintained and exercise our Navajo ways. Due to the Navajo ways, it is culturally looked down upon to date interracially, especially to date a Black male. Also, a lot of the elders grew up on the Rez so they were not exposed or interacted with other races and there is fear of the unknown. I know my elders came into encounters with mainly White people so in a weird sense, they were more “comfortable” with White people versus any other racial/ethnic group. I know my parents were extremely concerned of what my elders would say to me and them because we respect what our elders have to say. In our culture, you represent your family, and if you do anything, it will always be a reflection of your family because they are the ones who raised you. I know my family was also nervous about what people would say about me and about them. Regardless, I told my family I am dating a Black guy and explained my position. Some opposed and some supported me but in the beginning everyone seemed apprehensive. Of course my generation did not care about this stuff. I had a tough time with this experience because I had a challenge of some extremely close family members disowning me, belittling me, and being non-supportive. On the flip side, I had the exact opposite from other family members, who supported my decision and embraced my relationship and my boyfriend at the time. I figure I am a strong person and I uphold my decision, and if you don’t like it then that’s your issue, not mine. Overtime, my family came to know this person and liked him. They embraced him and skin color was not an issue anymore. I know for a fact, well in my family at least, a lot of my family members are not exposed to different racial/ethnic groups. So, they do not know what to expect. I did notice that my family members who travel a lot were a lot more open about these types of things. Also, my grandpa who was a medicine man, the one everyone respects and takes his word as bond, was very accepting. I attribute his acceptance as not only he had a good heart but he was a World War II veteran and came across many racial/ethnic groups, so he had no reservations about “different” people. My grandpa supported my relationship and when he did, it seemed that everyone seemed “at-ease” about everything after that. Although I am not with the same boyfriend I had at that time I am glad I went through all those challenges to “change” the way my family saw things. With my current relationship they did not give me any negative outlook or feedback. They just simply accepted my decisions, my boyfriend, and me.