A Reflection Paper on Race and Ethnicity

 

A Reflection Paper on Race and Ethnicity

                                                                        

                                                                             

Race and ethnicity are what most will conceptualize as groups of people with shared identity in terms of skin color, facial features, and sometimes stature. Smedley (42) implies that in the United States and other continents, the physical appearance of a person is what identifies them to be of a particular race. These physical attributes are part and parcel of the definitive features that have contributed to the existence of race. According to Lucas et al. (366), ethnicity, unlike race that focuses on the physical aspect of people, refers to the cultural difference that is unique to every race or society. This means that in every multiracial group, ethnicity predominantly exists and our knowledge on the same determines where we belong.  Despite race and ethnicity being socially structured, it has proven to have detrimental implications with regards to discrimination. In this context, the paper discusses the effects of race based on my personal experience, the involvement of media on the topic of race and ethnicity, and my formed opinion on the reality of racism.

Growing up and living in a white neighborhood, I always perceived myself different from the other light skinned kids. No one had to tell me that I had a dark complexion or my hair was a bit tough as I was already conscious about my identity. As a result, during my junior years in school, I struggled to fit in by making my hair look straight, or I could have worn a wig if I had access to any. Moreover, my insecurities as a black kid were evident in the classroom whereby, I avoided attention at all costs. Every single move I made or every word I uttered was calculated. Besides, I stayed hyper-alert to avoid appearing blacker as a single misstep would feel like a catastrophe. Nonetheless, it only took two months to be in school before I was labeled black by one of my peers in class.

My parents were like any other African America parents when it came to giving pep talks on the topic concerning our blackness. They did advise my siblings and me on how to be better or the need to do extra to be considered as equal. As I advanced to high school, the anxiety and self-doubt transitioned into accepting my ethical background. The transformation was because as I progressed with my education, I not only became confident with myself but also got the chance to mingle with students from other racial and ethnical backgrounds. Therefore, transitioning from my tender age to my adulthood, I became accustomed to the reality of race and knew how the rest of the world viewed us. It is apparent that while growing older; I became aware of the role of media in promoting racial difference. As a child, I preferred to stay indoors and catch up on the new movies in town. In some of those films, I saw my kind being mistreated on the television and this served as a revelation on the reality of racism.

Smedley states that "media provide their audience a common perception and value based on what is portrayed on the TV" (43). Depending on how you define the statement, the fact is the media portrays experiences that are already happening in our society. Therefore, most will argue that the constant exposure to racial situations through media has a likelihood of creating the belief that racism is normal. However, we cannot always perceive the press to have a negative impact, but we can look at it from a different angle. For instance, the evolution of music has seen the emergence of new genres of songs such as Hip-Hop which has resulted in bringing the black artists into the limelight. Therefore, I can say that the media has proven not to be so bad after all.

My self-realization on racial and ethnic difference has molded me into what I have become as an adult. In this context, I understood that the same world that tends to discriminate my race as African American is the same one that has empowered me into working hard and become successful. Moreover, with the advanced media and technologies, I am recently developing a sense of appreciation for my culture without feeling inferior. Furthermore, it is apparent that racism is a pervasive concept that runs deep inside our society and has become deeply rooted in America up to now. Hence, getting rid of racial discrimination is something next to impossible and such realities is better to get accustomed to early enough to know how to live with it. Therefore, my world view on race has contributed to my growth both mentally and physically. For example, I now feel comfortable being around all types of people without feeling judged in terms of my origin.

In summary, the experiences in my youth are what made me realize that racism is a societal creation. Also, it is apparent that discrimination on race is still present in our current society. Several reasons contribute to racial and ethnic difference. Hence, according to how I perceive the world, media imparts majorly to spreading racism among the populations. Moreover, I can say that the ability to view the world differently in terms of race is what has natured my sense of realization towards my identity and appreciating my culture.  

 

Works Cited

Lucas, Todd, et al. "A preliminary experimental examination of worldview verification, perceived racism, and stress reactivity in African Americans." Health Psychology 35.4 (2016): 366.

Smedley, Audrey. Race in North America: Origin and evolution of a worldview. Routledge, (2018): 40-43