I am mixed with white and black. Halle Berry is mixed and so is Barack Obama. Yet all of us are considered black. It is true that are skin is darker, but that's what happens when you mix a light and a dark color together. I've never really stressed to much about the fact that I'm put in the "black" category automatically. But at this rate I think we should have our own category because mixed people (black and white) are everywhere these days! I bring up Halle Berry because back in 2001 she was the first "black woman" to win an Oscar, yet her white mother was sitting right in the audience. Barack Obama is actually mixed two, but of course he's called the first black president. Again, this doesn't bug me, it's just interesting how we label people.
Whenever I have to fill out forms for tests and jobs I never put just one race. I either put "other," or I fill in white and black. Sometimes I know your only suppose to fill out one but I don't consider myself just black. Just recently I had to fill out a scholarship and they said you had to pick out just one race to identify with. This actually made me very upset, because I can't just identify with one race. I was raised by white people and I think that really shows in the way I act. So for this question I thought well I identify more with "Caucasian" then I do "African American." But then the other thing is, if I put white and then they saw me they would probably be confused or ask why I didn't identify myself as black because of my appearance. I don't actually remember anymore which one I identified with, but it was just a bit disappointing, and my parents agreed. Fortunately the world isn't doing that as much anymore. Saying your mixed isn't a surprise, its quite normal. Mixed people of all races seems to be overpopulating the world as we speak. So hopefully some day those mixed options will pop up, so only identifying with one race will be silly.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
What is Racism?
Technical term:
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination.
Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. Different races should remain segregated and apart from one another.
When I think of race, the first thing that pops up in my head is black and white. I don't necessarily think that because I am black, but because that's what I've grown up with. American history talks mostly about racism between black and white people. Of course it's not just about black and white people, because we're not the only two types of people on the earth. Although I must say the only race-issue problems I've heard of are between some race of people and white people. For example I've never heard any problems with Native American people and Chinese people, on the other hand I've heard about race problems including both with Caucasion people.
I just realized I switched from saying "white" to "caucasion" but I think I'm going to stick with white and black (unless Tanya, you want me to say the proper names). I have a lot of thoughts about race and how its intertwined with our society, but I need to organize my thoughts. I think each week I will blog about a different subject i.e. stereotypes, now and then, Barack Obama, why we still have racism today, where do you see racism, history on racism, how is the US compaired to other countries, and of course commenting on what I watch and read.
I guess this is just a tester, my first blog, but I think I'll get into the flow of things. This week has been very busy for me with my new job and HOMEWORK! So I don't have as much to say, but once it slows down in yearbook (aka after this week) I believe I will be able to go a little more in-dept with what I really want to say.
SOOO until next week, BYE!
1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination.
Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. Different races should remain segregated and apart from one another.
When I think of race, the first thing that pops up in my head is black and white. I don't necessarily think that because I am black, but because that's what I've grown up with. American history talks mostly about racism between black and white people. Of course it's not just about black and white people, because we're not the only two types of people on the earth. Although I must say the only race-issue problems I've heard of are between some race of people and white people. For example I've never heard any problems with Native American people and Chinese people, on the other hand I've heard about race problems including both with Caucasion people.
I just realized I switched from saying "white" to "caucasion" but I think I'm going to stick with white and black (unless Tanya, you want me to say the proper names). I have a lot of thoughts about race and how its intertwined with our society, but I need to organize my thoughts. I think each week I will blog about a different subject i.e. stereotypes, now and then, Barack Obama, why we still have racism today, where do you see racism, history on racism, how is the US compaired to other countries, and of course commenting on what I watch and read.
I guess this is just a tester, my first blog, but I think I'll get into the flow of things. This week has been very busy for me with my new job and HOMEWORK! So I don't have as much to say, but once it slows down in yearbook (aka after this week) I believe I will be able to go a little more in-dept with what I really want to say.
SOOO until next week, BYE!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Introduction
For my final semester in high school, I am doing an independent project on the issue of race.
This is my outline of what I will be working with:
Essential Questions:
1. Why is racism still active today
2. What impacts will the election of Barack Obama have on race in this country?
3. What continues to motivate racism today?
4. Is the stream of information available in the popular media poisoned by racism?
5. How does the media portray racism issues though music, film and books?
*I will be referring back to these questions throughout my blogs.
Movies:
1. Crash
2. American History X
3. Shawshank Redemption
4. Remember the Titans
5. Redemption?
Book:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. Black Like Me
3. White Like Me
4. Everyday Antiracism
*I will be reading and watching all these and discussing my opinions and thoughts.
I will also be blogging about articles I read, and how race affects me in my life on a day to day basis.
This is my outline of what I will be working with:
Essential Questions:
1. Why is racism still active today
2. What impacts will the election of Barack Obama have on race in this country?
3. What continues to motivate racism today?
4. Is the stream of information available in the popular media poisoned by racism?
5. How does the media portray racism issues though music, film and books?
*I will be referring back to these questions throughout my blogs.
Movies:
1. Crash
2. American History X
3. Shawshank Redemption
4. Remember the Titans
5. Redemption?
Book:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird
2. Black Like Me
3. White Like Me
4. Everyday Antiracism
*I will be reading and watching all these and discussing my opinions and thoughts.
I will also be blogging about articles I read, and how race affects me in my life on a day to day basis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
