Moving To America Essay

The diversity of thought among people from all corners of Earth breeds an air of excitement and curiosity. Flying ignites a passion to explore new places and meet new people. I love Lincoln, Nebraska, but I love the exhilaration of new experiences that come with traveling.The unique food, culture, and architecture at every unique location taunt me, calling for me to abandon my home in search of fulfillment elsewhere. Exposure to the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Los Angeles is a breath of fresh air from the monotony of Nebraskan life. Touching down in New York City at the end of a long flight is only the start of a new journey into a melting pot laced with opportunity for those who seek it. The idea of building my own path in a hub of diversity and opportunity is beyond appealing. Traveling to new places with varying demographics and cultures spoils the explorer within me who craves interaction outside of the incubator I call

All people seem to want the same basic things out of life regardless of race or religion. Universally, people want a good job, a healthy family, and a chance for their children to have a better life than the one they have. Families that already possess these things, whether through their own hard work or merely by way of inheritance, rely on the existing power structures within society to ensure that their future happiness continues . But what do people who do not belong to existing power structures turn to in order to secure these things for their families and children?

In the essay “‘blaxican’ and other reminded Americans” Richard Rodrigues states that “I am Chinese, and that is because I live in a Chinese city”. This evidence reveals that in America there are many kinds of cultures you don't need to be considered either black or white.

My pre-adolescent years were spent in a community thick with diversity. My friendships were as diverse as the environment in which I lived. It never struck me that racial and ethnic ideals separated people in society. However, upon moving to a predominately white upper-class community I began to question such racial and ethnic ideas. From my adolescent years through today I began noticing that certain people are viewed differently for reasons relating to race and ethnicity. As a result, the most recent community I grew up in has kept me sheltered from aspects of society. As a product of a community where majorities existed, I found myself unexposed to the full understanding of race and ethnicity. Prior to the class I had never fully dealt with issues of race or ethnicity, as a result I wondered why they would be of any importance in my life.

In recent years racial and socioeconomic differences have grown more prevalent in our society, and many wonder why. Growing up in Ethiopia, the concept of race was never popular or significant, as there was little to no racial diversity. Coming from a country where I did not even look at the color of my skin to a place where the only thing people saw was my color, astonished me. Living in the United States and learning about slavery in middle school, I thought of it as something that was long gone, something I would never have to worry about, but as I grew older I began to see the lingering shadows that remained. A petrified twelve-year-old me once asked my mother why we were moving to America and to that question she replied “America is the land of the free; the land of opportunities”. America did feel like an embodiment of her statement my first few years here but as time passed I began to see some clear differences in how society viewed me. I wondered, if this really was the so called “land of the free”, why are minorities incarcerated at a higher rate? And why are there such significant socioeconomic and educational gaps?

The common bond of slavery is what draws Black Americans together, but is what drives Black Americans and African immigrants apart. Many African immigrants have only read or heard about racial discrimination, but have never faced it first-hand. They admire what Black Americans have done, but when they come to this country they and maintain a separate identity from native-born blacks. Because of the separation, whites were more willing to serve Africans and Black Americans thought African immigrants were receiving better treatment from society (Reddick, 1998). Being Black in America is already a complicated existence, but being a Black immigrant is a very different existence. Black Americans often do not know the country their ancestors came from and feel more American than African or Caribbean. African immigrants are often in an identity complex because often they are not considered Black enough for the Black community and not being American enough for the white communities. They are often overlooked when discussing immigration policies though they are the fastest growing immigration population. Even though African immigrants are more educated and find success they also struggle to find jobs in their field due to racial discrimination (Omara, 2017)

Meet Rachel, a sophomore studying at Howard University who is also mixed with both black and white. Rachel transferred to the Historically Black University from a Predominantly White Institution because she felt as though she was not “white enough” and Howard would better suit her. Unfortunately upon her arrival, Rachel could not help but feel as though she was not “black enough” to attend Howard University. Rachel’s feeling of not belonging are not isolated, they are shared by millions of biracial Americans who, at one time or another, felt as though they did not belong to either culture. These feelings have been brought on, over time, by the way, America, although believed to be a “melting pot” of cultures, often wants people to categorize themselves as one ethnicity and the pressure placed on Americans to solely identify with one race divides the country more than anything else. The only way to rectify this problem is for Americans to stop separating themselves into racial categories and come together to be classified as simply American.

"Saying Goodbye California Sun, Hello Midwest" made the most sense to me in why people opt to move. Essentially, the example the authors gave is a family that moves from crowded California to open Missori, where cost of living is cheaper. People are leaing California due to the increase in cost of living; people are moving out to find a more economical way of life. Similar to the article, "New to Oregon: The chase of a fresh start rewards a refugee with a richer life," the author expalins that their inckling for travel stems from the idea that, "Moving is, sometimes, a search for absolution -- a hope that what we've found vindicates all that we've left behind." Perhaps in that sentence is why anyone moves at all. That's what creates demographic change. People seeking job opportunities in other places to find one they are satisfied with, or people finding family and community that supports

The United States of America is known as a country of independence, liberty, and rights; within the lines of our national anthem the Stars Spangled Banner, it is clear to see how the phrases "the land of the free and home of the brave", symbolize the ideals that have been centralized into the American Society for hundreds of years. Despite being recognized as a world power; for its military structure and the "believed" system of possibilities in terms of self advancement, the United States of America houses a very dark and inhumane secret; a sociological failure that perhaps is called that way, given the as a nation, we neglect, fail to address, and persecute those that because of their inherited skin color, look different than the accepted sociological norm of whiteness. It is shameful, to me at least, that the term "American" is a representation of the world 's largest incarceration rate; it’s even more shameful, how we prosecute, isolate, and declare what President Nixon once believed was the proper measure to take on poor communities; the war on drugs. For hundreds of years, we as a country have idealized with what Mustafa Emirbayer & Matthew Desmond have identified in their book Racial Domination, Racial Progress the Sociology of Race in America, as a mistake; mistake that has cost thousands of minorities their reputations and has impacted not only their tranquility, but their overall success rate in the promised land of opportunities.

When people grow up in different countries or cities, they might think another part of the world is different or weird. It is clear when reading Two Ways Two Belong in America, Everyday Use and When Worlds Collide that where you grow up does affect how you view others and the world.

In today’s time, the United States of America have drifted off its course of trying to reach a utopia. Social problems are rising for many people of color and non-color people. The problems have been illuminated in politics, education, employment, and social media. Problems such as discrimination of a certain group of people, and economic hardship are the most common issues. Reflecting back on America’s history, America has had a long history of white versus black ever since the slavery era, which took place during the time of the civil war. Ever since then, the United States have striven and persevere to change its society ethics. But, America is now slowly shifting back to a world where white supremacy and people of color are immensely separated

Being black in America involves a process of moving through and adopting from many different cultures. As an African American, I am a descendant of one of the most unique diverse groups of people in America. Nearly all my ancestors carry some European and Native American DNA. Although slavery greatly restricted the ability of Africans in America to practice their cultural traditions; somehow, many of their practices, values, and beliefs survived, but over time have incorporated elements of European American culture. Black culture on another hand exists on multiple planes due to racism, economic and social condition, and location trends that draws from a variety of influences born both in and outside black communities.

Our diverse country has beautiful coasts, large cities, and miles and miles of rolling hills in the Midwest. However, part of the problem we are experiencing is the lack of awareness of the isolation certain portions of our country create. The “Other America” Harrington references exist in the dirty slums of the

The United States has Changed from a Melting Pot to a Vast Culture with Varying Racial Backgrounds

even though it didn't occur overnight, i came to the understanding that instituationalization and public-reinforcement of race is very real in the United States. and that I didn't have to conform to one race because that is what society expects of me.