How To Write An Essay Regarding My Ethnic Identity In Early Childhood Education

Childhood Education Regarding My Ethnic Identity My ethnic identity is comprised of Italian and Greek Cypriot on my mother’s side, and mainly Irish on my father’s side. My maternal grandfather is Italian with his parents emigrating from Tuscany before he was born in New York. My maternal grandmother was born in Cyprus and immigrated to the United States when she married my grandfather after meeting him in England. The ethnic heritage on my paternal side is less well known, however, the majority originates from Ireland. Essentially, and according to the federal census, this makes me Caucasian; although I do not identify with the term because it is an inaccurate euphemism used to describe white people, which is the term I am most comfortable using. Growing up, I was not taught much about my ethnic background. My maternal grandmother lived in England for many years before moving to the United States with my grandfather, and she assimilated into both cultures almost completely. My maternal grandfather was born in the United States and so it never seemed as if any cultural ties his mother and father may have kept from Italy ever passed on to him. While I don’t know much about my father, nor his side of the family, I believe that there was a long line of American citizens; any …show more content…
I can find strength in a legacy of hard work and perseverance through hardship, as well as humility in a history of racism and xenophobic behavior. I feel it is my duty as a representative of my race and ethnic groups, and as a future social worker, to honor members of all backgrounds for their own individual strengths and to assist in social justice. It is important to me personally to act respectfully and to be service to others in an effort to right the wrongs of systemic oppression orchestrated by white