Why Is It Important To Have Racial Stereotypes

My mother moved from Colombia to the United States when she was in the second grade. She was placed into elementary school without knowing any english but eventually became fluent in english and french. Her family stayed very connected with the Catholic Church but they assimilated into American Society by dropping most of their traditions. My mom married a white man who did not speak spanish so at home she only spoke english. It was only when I visited my grandfather or my late aunt that spanish would be spoken in the household. Needless to say, I cannot speak spanish. This defining quality makes me feel separated ethnically from my mother’s family and their culture. I does not feel like mine. My mother is “mixed” racially but I am much lighter skinned than she is. For this reason in combination with my lack of connection with my latin american heritage, I tend to feel only white in a racial and ethnic context. …show more content…
The effects of this phenotypic representation are profound because of the ways this race is constructed in United States history. The privileges and advantages I receive day to day in the classroom, the workplace, and in public are astonishing. It is incredible to know that not everyone experiences what I do based solely on the color of their skin. The most influential factor that these stratified experiences can impact is education. The privileges afforded to my race grant me many educational advantages, including an education focused on my race’s achievements and faculty support to promote my success and pursuit of higher education. Race is not the only factor of my identity that contributes to my educational opportunities. My social class and parent’s education determined my educational experience just as substantially as did my