Jesus Colon: Racism In America

Deep Patel

Mrs.Massa/.Puso

English 2, Period 6

September 21, 2015

Something that has been going through my mind recently and maybe on yours too, does racism still exist in America? Racism is a very strong word to use I have to say, but there have been a lot of discriminations and favoritism throughout the many years in America. Racism is one of the world’s major problems today. Many people are not aware of how much racism still exists in our schools workforces, and on the streets. It is very noticeable that racism is horrible as it was many years ago, but it still has not disappeared. Although some parents do not encourage racism some parents do support their kids being racist. Which is what makes me very interested in this subject, the favoritism

people get from other people because the color of their skin. Therefore, a lot of people I know have experienced unfair acts because of their skin as well as now parents have to keep talking their children about staying away from the authorities because of their skin color.
In this story Little things are Big by Jesus Colon, the Puerto Rican narrator is afraid to help the white women struggling to carry her luggage and children.

Colon is very afraid to help this white woman carry her luggage. He was that the white women would think he is trying to hurt her and her kids because of his skin color. While watching the white women struggle,thinking to himself "I knew she very likely might be prejudiced against blacks and everyone with a foreign accent" (Colon). It is very sad to see a black man trying to do the right thing, but instead gets penalized because of they way he looks. However, an article I read while doing my research In the aftermath of Trayvon's death While reading this article I came across that "more families are having to talk to their kids” (Yamiche Alcindor). Teaching their children to be aware of their race, avoid people that seem racist and other types of authority figures. As most of you probably know a very young African American teenage boy named Trayvon Martin was shot by a white man named George Zimmerman. His reason behind this was that Trayvon was walking in a his friends’ neighborhood, and supposedly he was acting very suspiciously. Now in current day his family is still fighting for justice for their son, but now in African American homes they tell their children to stay away from authority figures and try and remain cooperative as possible when you know are being violated by an authority. It is very amazing to me how certain races have to act a certain way when there with the authority when authority is supposed to keep us

protected.
After doing all of my research and reading on racism, I have come to a conclusion that racism still a huge problem here in America, but it has improved a little bit over the years. However, we as human beings need to come together as one and end this madness. Colored people should not have to act a certain way when being stopped by authority. In addition, parents should not have to keep talking their children about staying away from authorities and white people because of their skin color. So we as humans need to end this, we're all the same race, the human race. No one should be judged that like.