Darin Yrigoyen

Dr. Parks
Race and Ethnicity
14 February 2016

Personal Narrative

Societys concept of race and its use to categorize humanity is

a concept which continues to be pushed and challenged in 21st-century

thought. Although we as a people have certainly made strides in breaking

down our racial barriers in recent history, this systematic discrimination

which we categorize as racism is still very prevalent today. This naturally

brings about the discussion as to, How did we get to this point?, of which I

believe can best be analyzed through ones own personal lens.

For me, the concept of race is one which I was accustomed to at an

early age, made obvious by the fact that I dont remember experiencing a

non-racial world. My earliest memories are that of pre-school and

kindergarten, where I distinctly remember having and recognizing my

classmates as white or non-white. Living in a major metropolitan area

provided me the opportunity to experience some diversity of race and

ethnicity in everyday life, which I believe has helped me to have a more open

perspective when it comes to racial issues. Going further with this, I could

contrast my experience to that of my parents, whom grew up in more rural

areas, and werent necessarily exposed to diversity like I was. Because of

this, I can say that they seem to be less willing to compromise on certain

issues and see the world through a much more racial lens. `
 Additionally, growing up as a white male of European descent, I

quickly learned that I was a member of both the racial and ethnic majority,

which carried with it some sense of entitlement thats hard to quantify. The

identity that came with my concept of these social groups was one that was

shaped both through observation and hands-on experience. I saw that much

of the worlds most successful individuals, based on wealth, happened to

be of the same race and ethnicity as my own. Also, it was obvious that those

in this group generally held most leadership positions, which certainly

shaped how I viewed myself. As a direct result of this, I believed that I, too,

should seek to be in a management position someday making good money

and get the necessary accreditation to do so.

Through my own experiences, my identity was largely shaped by my

upbringing, which was in an upper middle-class white home in suburban

Philadelphia. Although I did have interactions with people of different races,

they were largely isolated to school settings and didnt occur frequently. My

family members and friends were of the same race and similar ethnicity as

me, making it easy to ignore the boundaries of race when not faced with

them.

Still, race has certainly affected and continues to affect our lives in a

variety of ways, some of which we dont even realize. We have talked about

the concept of identity that clearly speaks to the impact that your race has

on how you see yourself. Also, the boundaries that society has helped to

construct put those of different races at odds, regardless of your own

opinion. We have grown accustomed to the assumption that personality and

physical traits stem from an individuals racial/ethnic backgrounds, an

assumption which continue to separate us across these lines. Biologically, it

has been proven that race has little to do with the things that make up a

persons identity, however the social and cultural significance attached to

race has made an undeniable impact on how we see ourselves.

For specific examples, which help to quantify my racial scope, I have a

story that I could consider both my most positive and negative experience

regarding race. In seventh grade, my friends and I traveled to the local

community recreation center after school for our traditional after-school

basketball game. We frequently would engage in these games with

whomever happened to be on the court that day, regardless of race and

ethnicity. On this day, however, our group was the only one interested in

playing while a small group of African-American children chose to sit in the

stands and watch. Following the game, we noticed that the spectator

group had since left and we began to gather our things. One of my friends

was the first to speak up and notice that his wallet was gone, a fact which

was quickly noticed by each of my comrades. It was the first and only time in

my life I have been robbed and I can distinctly remember that it changed my

views on race.

Although this was clearly a negative experience, it begun to open my

eyes to a few different misconceptions about race, of which I am still

discovering. First, my assumption that all African-Americans couldnt be

trusted after this incident helped to show me the value of treating people on

an individual basis. As I progressed in high school and college, I met people

of all different races, some whom could be trusted and some not, but this

made me realize that race is not a determining factor of this. Also, being

robbed by kids my own age made me think about their motive behind the

action, as it was something I would never consider. I began to think about

the circumstance that those kids may be faced with, and what this could

mean about their family situation. In my adult years, I have grown to

understand more about race and the lack of opportunity that impacts those

with low socioeconomic status. However, it was this negative experience

that sparked my interest about the realities of race, which I why I have

come to see it as positive.

In connecting these things with the United States culture which I was

raised in, I believe I have an advantage based on my race and ethnicity.

White males have long been the dominant majority in the U.S., and this

continues in todays landscape. Because I am part of this societal

grouping, I have always had opportunities to participate and grow that may

not have been afforded to those of other races. Ultimately, the boundaries

of race that developed in the early years of U.S. settlement still exist in the

21st century, although less directly. It is clear to me that my idea of race has

come from this historical opposition between the white majority towards

everyone else. Now, it seems time to attempt to repair that and create the
colorless society that we know is most logical. After all, race is a socially-

created term, meaning it can eventually be socially destroyed.