Who am I?

          There are many factors that come into play when someone decides who they are. One of those is their ethnic background. For some, their ancestors are unknown, or their past generations have not passed their stories on to maintain their family origins known. Other individuals know exactly who is in their family tree due to the intense family unity. I ecourage everyone to "dig" and research where their ancestors are from and who they are because they reveal a great deal of who you really are.

Stereotypes

According to Dictionary.com, stereotypes are "a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group."

Stereotypes are usually used to offend or make someone that belongs to an ethnic group feel inferior.  


 Here are a couple of commonly known stereotypes:

African American (Black)
1. Good at Basketball and running 
2. Lazy, poor,carefree, and on welfare
3. Criminals and violent behavior
4. Love to eat Fried Chicken and watermelon
5. Uneducated and savage-like
6. Mammy (Aunt Jemima), Welfare Queen, and Jazz musicians

Latino/ Hispanics 
1. Illegal, criminals, and involved in gangs
2. Cannot speak English well or any at all
3. Have sex all the time
4. Uneducated, poor and on welfare
5. Many children and extended family live in one household
6. Are Mexican, maids, landscapers, or janitors

Asians 
1. Drive really slow
2. Short
3. Smart
4. Know Kung-Fu and own a nail salon
5. Strict parents and very traditional
6. Are Chinese 

Caucasian/ White 
1. Rich and Wealthy
2. Well Educated
3. Serial Killers or involved in the KKK
4. Conceded and prideful
5. Dumb blond, hillbillies, or always working to make money
6. Cold/ frigid people

 PEOPLE NEED TO STOP JUDGING INDIVIDUALS BASED ON STEREOTYPES

                          

Stop Stereotypes 

 

Racist or Just Too Picky?!

In Dr. Phill's Episode on "Dating Disasters", Lexi, an African American young lady is set up on three blind dates. Usually, Lexi chooses her dates according to how good looking the guy is. Personality is not important to her. She does not like black men and prefers white guys. Lexi does not care if her date treats her badly as long as he is "hot". 

Lexi's three blind dates were: Mike (white guy), Cash (African American), and (white guy).

As she goes on her blind dates, Lexi is blind folded and is expected to choose a date according to personality not looks. Lexi tries to cheat and asks her dates questions that would give her hints to see if he was black.

In the end, Lexi decides to stay with the guy that she did not have the best time with because she knew he was black. Was her decision racist or is she just too picky? 

"Whiteness"

So what exactly is "whiteness"? Is it a race or is it also someone's ethnicity? 

"Whiteness" has do with having access to power and privileges.Rights become privileges when they are denied to others based on their ethnicity or racial classification. If someone is asked to make a list of the things they like about their ethnicity the list would look something like this: I like the family and community aspect, food, music, and holiday traditions. If someone that considers themselves as being "white" is asked what they like about being "white", their list would look something like this: I like being white because I can live in a safe community, I am trusted and seen as innocent, I can get a good education, and I don't get stopped by the police randomly. 

The list made by the individuals of why they like being white include a list of privileges that come with being "white" not cultural or traditions that come with being "white". 

Noel Ignatiev's, How the Irish Became White, discusses how the Irish where discriminated against and were considered to be the inferior of the whites. The Irish Catholics were even more discriminated against because most of the white Europeans were Protestant. At one point, the Irish were seen as less than the black slaves because the slaves were "white property" and the Irish were not even worth "caring for".  

The idea of the Melting Pot was to make everyone equal and that everyone "melted" into one. The only people that were allowed to fully  "melt" were the white Europeans. The Native Americans and African Americans were never allowed to fully "melt". 

The Irish eventually became "white" when they gave up their ethnicity. "Whiteness" is based on power, socioeconomic status not based on culture.The Irish assimilation explains that their "white colored skin" was the only marker that was similar to the other Europeans. Their ethnic markers were seen as" bad" or "less than other Europeans". 

Branch Out!

“Men hate each other because they fear each other, and they fear each other because they don’t know each other, and they don’t know each other because they are often separated from each other.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

I want to challenge everyone that reads this to reach out and experience a different culture other than their own. If and only when people get out of their own comfort zones, ordinary routines, and lifestyles will they be able to see and get to know and try to understand someone else. People place unnecessary barriers and walls that are determined by skin colors, cultures, traditions, religions, ages, genders, and even  languages. These differences should not be seen as threats but strengths that enhance the human race.

What Would You Do?

The ABC News "What Would You Do?" series tests human nature through hidden camera scenarios. John Quiñones is the host of the series that place normal people in ethical dilemmas. These scenarios include issues that deal with gender, ethnicity, age, disabilities, religion, and other controversial and provocative situations which examine many aspects of humanity. If and only when people are placed in similar or identical situations will they discover if they will stand up against injustice or just ignore it.

In this episode, there are three white teenage boys that try to break into a car and begin to vandalize it. The car is in a public park where many people are walking, running, or just passing by. There are only a few people that stand up against the vandalizers. 

 

In the second part of the episode, they exchange the three white teenagers with three black teenagers. The results and reactions of the people in the park are surprising and distinctively different.

 

After watching these two movie clips, I began to think and analyze the two scenarios and how the teenagers' "race" is the only factor that impacts what people will and will not do.The reactions are unjust because the two groups of teenagers are not treated in the same manner even though they were both vandalizing a car. It was shocking to know that there were 911 emergency phone calls to report two African American young men sleeping rather than reporting the white teenage vandals. 

It is easy to say one is going to do the right thing or stand up against injustice.The difficult part is actually taking action. I want to challenge you to think through these scenarios and really think about what would you have done if you witnessed either scenario.

Crayola Multicultural Products

Now teaching diversity and including most ethnic and multicultural shades of skin tones has gotten easier through Crayola Multicultural Products. Crayola has multicultural crayons, markers, color pencils, paints, and even model magic. The colors include: black, sepia, peach, apricot, white, mahogany, burnt sienna, red, brown, dark brown, light brown, and tan (the colors included depend on the product).



Children do not have to conform to the limited color spectrum crayons used to have.They can now easily draw themselves and others according to their own skin tone. The Crayola Multicultural Products allow for children to learn and understand that the color brown is a spectrum of shades.Not every colored individual has to be one shade of brown, they can now color and paint with the shade closest to their skin color. These products embrace and include the many skin tones of humanity.
 

The first time I encountered the Crayola Multicultural Products, I got really happy and excited! The idea of teaching and exposing children and people to use these crayola products is wonderful because they get educated about diversity within humanity. Everyone should make these products a part of their collection of school supplies because it is a great way to support multiculturalism.

The Crayon Box That Talked

The Crayon Box That Talked
by Shane DeRolf and illustrated by Michael Letzig

The Story:

A little girl goes to a toy store and spots a crayon box that talked. The crayons did not like one another but no one knew why. So, the girl buys the crayon box and takes it home. When she gets home, she laid the crayons out and begins to draw a picture with all the crayons. The crayons soon realize that when they all work together they create something beautiful and special. The colorful picture could never have been drawn with just one color. Each and every color adds a unique touch.

Analysis:

In the book The Crayon Box That Talked, Shane DeRolf claims that people of different ethnicities and  cultures need to love and work with each other. The author does this through his characters, dialogue, and the plot.

Shane DeRolf uses crayons to symbolize the diversity of people within our world. Every crayon is a different color. They are all very important and unique. Individuals in this world are composed of  many ethnicities, cultures, languages, religions, social and economic statuses. These differences should be embraced because not one of theses can represent humanity alone. The little girl in the story is there to help the crayons realize that when they work with each other they can create something special.

At the beginning of the story, the dialogue between the crayons is not friendly. They tell one another that they do not like each other. The blue crayon recognizes that there is something wrong with the crayon box because they are always fighting. The crayons do not learn to accept and understand the differences of each crayon until the little girl draws a picture with all of them. When they see the finished picture, the crayons begin to compliment on their participation and input in the drawing. 

The plot of the story serves as a way to lead the reader in understanding that the differences in the crayons at the beginning of the story were the characteristics that were not embraced by the others, but at the end of the story, they were the characteristics that made each one of them unique. The climax of the story is when the crayons see that all of them could create an amazing and colorful drawing. This was the turning point because they begin to accept the differences because the differences is what made the picture so appealing. The resolution of the book takes place at the end, when they are all together and the drawing is complete.

Shane DeRolf  wrote this children’s book to promote anti discrimination. He decided to write this story to allow parents the opportunity to speak to their children about the differences between the crayons and the uniqueness of each individual on earth. This story is a short story with a big message that needs to be shared and spoken about.  People need to stop excluding the distinct characteristics of others that are not the same as theirs and branch out to reconcile with the ethnicities and cultures around the world. People can learn so much from each other if and only when they take the time to know and understand others that are different from themselves.

Human Race

What is Race?

Race is a socially constructed idea that was created by Westerners which places people into categories based on appearance. It is a biological myth because race has no scientific evidence that supports it. The idea of race becomes problematic because it ranks individuals from less to more civilized humans.The hierarchical construct of race leads to discrimination because one group is superior than the others. Carolus Linnaeus created four race categories: Caucasoids(White Europeans), Australoids(Native Americans/Indians), Mongoloids(Asians), and Negroids(Africans). He ranked their superiority respectively. These four categories exclude many ethnicities such as the Latin American/ Latino and Brazilian populations. This is an example as to why race is not accurate.People cannot be forced to fit into categories based on appearance because people from different ethnicities may have similar physical characteristics. In the Latino population, individuals range form having fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes to very dark skin, brown eyes, and tight curly hair.This also proves that people cannot be placed in a category they simply do not fit into.

Race is a biological myth but the social construct behind race is real. The concept of race influences individuals on how they relate with others. The stereotypes and misconceptions of groups of people influence one to assume assumptions about somebody's wealth, health, employment, education, and physical ability is natural or biological. Ethnocentrism and discrimination are just two concepts that have affected individual's lives due to race. Some people believed that people belong to different races because they are different species of human. Therefore, people of different races cannot intermarry. In the 1930s and 1940s the Nazi used the science of eugenics to kill and sterilize the "unfit people". Others used science and the race concept to defend slavery and dehumanize individuals.

People need to start embracing the multicultural and diversity within  humanity and stop trying to fit and classify each other into categories that were created by man.There are many diverse ethnicities but there is only one race...THE HUMAN RACE.

Crash

 The other day, I was watching a film by Paul Haggis called Crash. This film follows many characters with multiethnic backgrounds whose lives intertwine. Every time I watch Crash, it makes me think about why is there so much controversy when one is dealing with race, ethnicity, religion, and culture. I think this film is a great example of real life individuals because each character is prejudice towards another and bases his or her thoughts, actions, and ideas on stereotypes. Everyone no matter who they are has been prejudice. This film is controversial and provocative because it discusses racial and ethnic issues openly. People are generally afraid to speak about this topic and usually talk about it behind closed doors. Crash allows the audience to ask themselves: is it ok to laugh at this scene? Why did I question if it is ok to laugh? It forces one to really reflect on one self and see where do I stand in this issue.

Talking about racism has become a taboo because people are so uncomfortable discussing it. Racism occurs when someone is afraid and insecure of someone different. The fear of talking about racism can be harmful because the thoughts and feelings that come from it get build up inside an individual which can become overwhelming. We need to learn to not fear diversity but to embrace it. Racism has become more subtle so for some it does not exist anymore. Racial tensions can be very difficult to live with because it is something everyone deals with everyday. I liked how the film did not have "good" and "bad" characters because every character had a pretty and ugly side. Just like each and every individual that lives has two sides. The way which we perceive things can lead to misunderstandings, which makes us jump into conclusions without even examining the whole picture.

This film is such a great way to talk about race and ethnicity because it challenges the audience and forces them to critically think. Paul Haggis offers solutions towards racism in the 2-disc director's cut edition of Crash. These include: admitting racism exists, stop denying that everyone is different but accept that we are equal, accept racism exists in us, examine ourselves and ask who are we really, and try to help others see it. By informing and getting more comfortable talking about race and ethnicity will relieve the hidden feelings and questions. Only through discussion and education can this topic be understood and solved. I recommend that everyone should watch this film and reflect upon it.

  Here is the link to the theatrical trailer:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEQ_ftkpb18