Reflection On Race And Racism

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I spoke with six close friends about race and their perceptions regarding the topic. These conversations were open and honest, and made me think of aspects of our generation and race I hadn 't previously considered. We were all white females, but all grew up in different areas, so it differed depending on the location. One of my friends brought up an interested observation that appears way too often in our generation. She mentioned that when people are referring to someone who is black they’ll normally describe them by saying, “That black guy” verses when someone is referring to a white person they normally don’t include the race description. We discussed that it happens because we have a preconceived idea that the person is white, so we need clarification when they are a different race. We also talked about how we also might be the most racial accepting generation. Several of us mentioned that our grandparents would be shocked and concerned if we married a black man, and especially a black women. Two of my friends even said their parents would be really mad if they began to date black or Muslim men. While our generation is not pure of racism or racist ideology, I believe we would be a lot more accepting of biracial relationships. Our high school experiences were all relatively similar. We often heard the racist stereotypes and we all are …show more content…

My family is so accepting and has only preached equality for all humans. I think their experience of acceptance and love has taught me how I should act in conversations of race. I know during conversations of race you need to be supportive and understanding. I also know that as someone who is white, I will never understand how it is to be racially oppressed. During conversations of race, I need to be the learner and always open and accepting of anyone, despite our differences in

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