I became interested in the University of Michigan by researching my family tree. One day, I learned that my grandfather, Lamar Edwards, worked for the university through a program specifically created to recruit fundraisers from Black colleges. The fact that the school had such a program caught my interest, and I found the university's website about their impressive history of diversity. When I saw its dedication to cultural awareness, numerous hands-on research opportunities, and five day a week Japanese classes, the University of Michigan quickly became my top school choice.
While starting my quest for higher education, I was unsure about what I wanted to study, and why I wanted to pursue higher education. I started working as an ELL Assistant, aiding students who are mostly refugees or undocumented immigrants. My kids come from all around the world, and are uninhibitedly excited to learn about other cultures and share their own. Working with them has taught me how to think globally and create a safe environment to experience new
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One of my language partners with very limited English skills once told me that he didn't understand why Black Americans didn't just see themselves as American, nor why race was so important to us. As thorough of a textbook series as it is, Genki doesn't exactly cover the vocabulary to discuss race relations. So, I was unable to explain the topic with the detail it deserved, and we left the conversation more confused and irritated than when we started. I later learned from him that in countries with largely homogeneous ethnic makeup, nationality is considered more important than race. While this seems to be a positive aspect, it also completely trivializes the effect that race plays in a country with a diverse ethnic
In America, essentially everyone is classified in terms of race in a way. We are all familiar with terms such as Caucasian, African-American, Asian, etc. Most Americans think of these terms as biological or natural classifications; meaning that all people of a certain race share similarities on their D.N.A. that are different and sets that particular race apart from all the other races. However, recent genetic studies show that there’s no scientific basis for the socially popular idea that race is a valid taxonomy of human biological difference. This means that humans are not divided into different groups through genetics or nature. Contrary to scientific studies, social beliefs are reflected through racial realism. Racial realists believe that being of a particular race does not only have phenotypical values (i.e. skin color, facial features, etc.), but also broadens its effects to moral, intellectual and spiritual characteristics.
There is a specific meaning to race and how its role impacts society and shapes the social structures. Race is a concept that “symbolizes social conflicts and interests by referring to different types of human bodies” (Omi & Winant 55). In other words, Omi and Winant get down to the crux of the issue and assert that race is just an illusion. Race is merely seen as an ideological construct that is often unstable and consisting of decentered social meanings. This form of social construction attempts to explain the physical attributes of an individual but it is constantly transformed by political struggles. The rules of classifying race and of identity are embedded into society’s perception. Therefore, race becomes a common function for comprehending, explaining, and acting in the
It is necessary, in order to grasp the role race has in immigration, to understand what exactly Americanness is. Based on the experiences of immigrants and the dominant culture of the nation, Americanness is the status attributed to an American citizen who is fully incorporated into the traditions, cultures, and lifestyle choices of mainstream America. On the surface, this appears to merely be an issue of musical preference, or religious beliefs. However, actual Americanness is transcendent and engrained in whiteness. Whiteness, curiously enough, does not necessarily relate to actually being white insofar as skin color is concerned, but rather, in being fully steeped in dominant American culture. Because of this connection, Americanness and whiteness are, essentially, one in the same.
The argument for understanding race as a social construct is that there is a lot of cultural assimilation in the United States, as a reflection of social, economic, and political worlds. There is an understanding that some groups are inherently different than others and some groups are more dominant because of this. There are social divisions of race as seen on the US census, college applications, medical papers, etc. Also, the social, economic, and political divisions that have arisen around the different categories of people in different races have amplified the social differences between groups. By example, there is more likely to be poor academic performance in inner city schools due to social factors, but this has nothing to do with biological factors. Race today is generally defined by how people are seen by other people. These perceptions can be based on ancestry or based on phenotypic characteristics but are more subjectively seen by cultural beliefs, economic needs or political affiliations. Modern racial categories are so subjective that they are ever changing as time is passing. For example, not all black people share the same origin, culture, or economic status, but they may all be grouped to categories based off of their looks rather than what they actually are like. Race is socially constructed because it is not fixed/fact. People decide who belongs to which race and these decisions can
Race, in the common understanding, draws upon differences not only of skin color and physical attributes but also of language, nationality, and religion. Race categories are often used as ethnic intensifiers, with the aim of justifying the exploitation of one group by another. Race is an idea that has become so fixed in American society that there is no room for open-mindedness when challenging the idea of racial categories. Over the years there has been a drastic change with the way the term "race" is used by scientists. Essentially, there is a major difference between the biological and sociological views of race.
“The only reason you say that race was not an issue is because you wish it was not. We all wish it was not. But it’s a lie. I came from a country where race was not an issue; I did not think of myself as black and I only became black when I came to America. When you are black in America and you fall in love with a white person, race doesn’t matter when you’re alone together because it’s just you and your love. But the minute you step outside, race matters. But we don’t talk about it. We don’t even tell our white partners the small things that piss us off and the things we wish they understood better, because we’re worried they will say we’re overreacting, or we’re being too sensitive” from chapter 31 in Americanah.
Race as a “…social and historical idea, not biological” (Palaita, Lecture 1/25/18), only works because according to Social Construction Theory, “…these categories work because our complacency allows us to presume that the identities are natural and a group’s social status relies on biology, rather than social/cultural circumstances” (Palaita, Lecture 1/25/18). Our unwillingness to challenge these identities has allowed these categories to be used to determine who will be on the advantageous side of the inequality we face here in the United States. If we no longer accepted these conditions, and change the way social groups are viewed and treated, we may create a new norm and close the inequality gap between social
Although it would be an injustice to say that one could sum up the entire history of race interrelations in the United States in one essay, a brief overview is always beneficial.
Race and ethnicity are two terms that are constantly used in today’s society. Understanding these terms can help people to recognize that color of skin or color of hair does not define a person. These terms connect with history, social interaction, and the overall make up of a person. However America is constantly obsessed with labeling people by the way that they look or the way that they act. America seems to encourage the terms race and ethnicity and continue to divide people into categories. It is interesting to comprehend these terms because they are not going to disappear any time soon. Race and ethnicity are apart of America’s history and will be a part of the future.
There is this saying, “Everything happens for a reason” and I believe certain things do. I believe that everything I have gone through my life has been preparing me for the beginning of a great career. This world can be a scary place, but there is also beauty in this world with lots of opportunities, and people who want to help make a difference. I want to be one of those people who inspire others to do better, to guide them and to teach them to not give up. If it was not for my counselors and mentors I would not be where I am at today. I was able to accomplish one of my goals of being the first in my family to graduate with my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from CSULA. I want to further my education to better myself, and help others along the way.
My interest persisted and grew as I began to see how my efforts had the ability to improve the lives of people around me. I first noticed this on a personal level as friends would come to me for advice or for me to listen to their struggles and provide comfort. No matter how mundane, horrific, unique, or common the story was, I listened to them in a genuine and non-judgmental manner. I truly enjoyed hearing people’s stories and providing comfort and advice when needed. These moments helped me realize the power of simply being there for someone, and it increased my interest of pursuing a career where I can support those who need it most. I want to become a social worker so I can provide direction to those who may not be able to get it from other sources, just like I have done for various people throughout my life.
My goal is to put myself out there in the world, while in college the best place for one to be is out your dorms and connecting with people in the same or different field as you. I say this because connecting with engineers, musicians, artist, nutritionist and scientist is a wonderful collaboration of a team of leaders who will improve the hearing and speech of our fellow ones. I will be doing research with engineers on how to build robotic elements to draw the kid’s attention to learn, research on many other experiments that will make my those kids be as normal as any other child they meet. This is what drives my
One college where admissions is based on diversity is the University of Michigan. “At the
How you see race in the United States can depend a lot on your own background.
When I was an undergraduate, I explored my interests in order to figure out what my passion was so that I could begin to build my career. During my time at Dominican University, I have become immersed in classes that