Rachel Dolezal's Story A Study Of Race And Identity Summary

Diversity is said to make us unique and beautiful, yet too often it creates the ugliest conflicts. History will tell us more often than not that fundamental components of human life (race, religion, politics, culture, etc) are the root of many conflicts. Yet, people seem to make our discrepancies seem praiseworthy, and that we must accept them wholeheartedly. Although acceptance is crucial in forming a more empathetic society, it is important to recognize that one’s willingness to accept others is shaped by their past experiences and upbringing.

Changes occur in every region of the world; every minute, every second. Most people generally do not approve of changes. It causes fear, mistrust, isolation, and even pain. In my youth, I liked changes. Changes were something to look forward to, it 's fun to meet new people and an enjoyable way to see new places. It was useful to learn new skills and live experiences. So at the age of fifteen, my mother told me we were headed for America. No attention was given to these words, because I was a teenager who thought that the state of Texas would be quite similar to Toronto, but never did I imagine that this will completely change my perception of change. These changes have led me to understand the different culture between the north and south, not to believe in stereotypes, and made me adaptable.

Even though people move from one county to a different country, they should not lose touch with their traditions and their cultures. If immigrants quit being themselves, then everyone would be the same. That would be very boring. Also places like America are supposed to bring everyone together for who they are . I hold onto my Hispanic culture and community by attending parties, eating traditional foods, and listening to Hispanic music.

There has been always a belief that human races have distinctive characteristics that determine their respective cultures. In most cases, the idea that one 's race is superior and is assumed to provide the right to rule or dominate others. There is also the distinct personality in which people are concerned with the persisting entity to particular individuals. The theme of racism and personal identity are evidenced in the plays; Fires in the Mirror and Twilight: Los Angeles in various instances. In the two plays, offensive and aggressive behaviors are demonstrated to members of another race stemming from racism and the inferior belief of skin color. The issues of racial discrimination happen in the two plays, and some people are treated less fairly than others similar situation just because of their race, color, and ethnic origin.

In June 2015, a local reporter at Spokane, Washington news station KXLY, Jeff Humphrey, confronted the head of the local chapter of the NAACP, Rachel Dolezal, with questions about her racial identity. What was a relatively innocuous report soon blew up into one of the most controversial and topical debates about racial appropriation, white privilege, and racism in the United States. Dolezal was confronted about her father – a man that, she claimed at the time, and continues to assert, is African-American. Soon after the report went viral, Dolezal’s birth parents were quick to provide a copy of her Montana birth certificate, which clearly showed Dolezal’s birth parents were both white, of

Imagine living in a world where everyone is the same. Everyone shares the same ethnicity, language, background, cultures. Living in Miami, for me, this is a hard concept to imagine. My whole life I've been surrounded by different cultures, people who speak different languages, eat different foods, share different stories and backgrounds. Attending Monsignor Edward Pace High School my ninth grade year changed nothing. Pace was, and still is a direct representation of the city of Miami, a cultural melting pot, filled with so many different seasoning of backgrounds. With this melting pot filled with so many different seasonings,however, it becomes easy for the hot water to rise, and feel as if there isn't any commonalities to share. As a young adult, I use my influence on my peers, to stir this melting pot to remind young people, who are essentially the futures of tomorrow, that in all our differences, there is still so much similarities.

I agree with many of your statements, that you expressed throughout your paper. It’s crazy to think that as Americans, we don’t care about diversity. But, I also can see why individuals prefer to be around others that are similar to themselves. As, Americans if we are surrounded by others similar to ourselves, we are able to express our emotions to one another. Living in the 21st century, Americans should not be afraid to become more diverse. For instance, an African American family should not be afraid to move into a neighborhood with the majority being a Caucasian population. But, as time goes on I hope as a country we can all evolve and accept the fact that everyone is different.

Like Malcolm X once said, ' you can't hate the roots of a tree and not hate the tree.' One of the biggest problem I found in today society is racial differences. This why there are many problems today not just in different race, but people from the same race are doing harm to each other. That is why I choose Brownie by ZZ Packer, she wrote this story to project how the girls came to an understanding. I feel strongly about racial differences, because of the things I go through as a Muslim child.As a Muslim in a dominated Christian society its really difficult for me. In this story I am arguing against racial difference.

According to a survey from a public high school in Queens, New York City, “about one-third of those with an opinion say that the ethnic characters they see on televi­sion affect their attitudes toward ethnic groups in real life” (Robert and Lichter). Things like movies, television shows, and news coverage all affect how a certain demographic is ultimately perceived by the public. Media teaches stereotypes; it fails to be consistently sensitive and responsive to minority groups. Many minority actors are forced to choose between earning a living and taking roles that contribute to negative public stereotyping (Cort). Dolezal’s portrayal in media serves to illegitimize transraciality, as well as ridicule the modern Civil Rights

Someone else may not come to terms with their racial identity through the exact stages that I have but, I have gone through most of the stages and that has helped to shape who I am right now. Although I am still going through the last couple stages, these realizations are helping me fully come to terms with being a Mexican American in a mainly white dominated society. The day I met my biological father was the day I learned that I was Mexican.

Dolezal identified herself as a black woman although she is white. Samuel explains, “For months, she showcased Albert Wilkerson Jr., a black man she met in Idaho, as her father on Facebook, a move that could only be characterized as misleading” (pg. 4). Dalezal states this statement as if meeting Wilkerson Jr. caused her to investigate black culture. This statement made me conclude if Dolezal had the opportunity to express her complicated childhood, and her long-time love for black culture people would understand why she considers herself a transracial person. Dolezal considering Wilkerson Jr. her father could have been because she dreamed of a father who is black. She yearn for a father as him whom she met.

Additionally, Dolezal offers a description of her black identity as relating to her son Izaiah. As she told Matt Lauer, the moment she got full custody of her son Izaiah, “he said, ‘you’re my real mom,’ and he’s in high school, and for that to be something that is plausible, I certainly can’t be seen as white and be Izaiah’s mom” (Lauer, 2015, Dolezal). Therefore, in an effort to make her adopted son more comfortable and reaffirm his identity, she stated that she recognized the need for her to also accommodate and affirm her personal identification as a black woman.

As a second-generation immigrant, I did not realize that I was treated differently than other ethnicities. Racism in my childhood was blinded by my eagerness to fit in. I look back on various situations where my peers and people who I came across on the streets displayed racist and discriminatory acts towards me. Since I never was taught to look out for racism, I went around with the belief that everyone is treated the same.

In June 2015, a few days before Donald Trump declared that he was running for president, the news cycle was dominated by a different person: Rachel Dolezal. She was the head of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, an artist, a teacher of black-themed subjects – and, as it turned out, the daughter of white parents. She said she identified as black, and was living the life she felt was authentically her own. Her critics, and there were many, believed she had been living a lie, letting people assume she was black, when years before she had filed a lawsuit as a Howard University graduate student, alleging that the university had discriminated against her because she was a white woman.

In today’s world being different is not considered a good thing. Recent movements such as “Black Lives Matter” have sparked a flame to many people that being different is tough. Today, the United States of America is still struggling to accept diversity and individuality towards todays accepted status quo.