The Importance Of Ethnic Work

The article titled "Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?" written by Marcy C. Waters was a fascinating read. Being a student who studies sociology, I try always try to analyze the differences between categories of people like race, but I have never thought about symbolic ethnicity. Also, I never thought about the idea of being able to turn off and on your cultural backgrounds. In all, Waters brought new ideas to the table. I assume since I am White, I have never had to give it much thought. So, when people do ask me about my heritage, I tell them that I am German, Irish and American Indian. Now, when saying this to people, I do get excited because it makes me feel unique and interesting to others. After reading the article, I can see how

Later as I grew a little older I began to start to identify with my other ethnicities. During 4th to 6th grade I was going through the enmeshment/denial stage. This stage is when an individual will usually feel bad about choosing one ethnicity over another. I was feeling ambiguous about only identifying myself as white and not Native American, Spanish, French, Dutch, or Bohemian. Later during Middle School, I noticed that when asked about “what am I?”, referring to my ethnicity I would begin to list out what I associate myself with more so, as well I remember visiting cultural events to learn more about my heritage,

Race and ethnicity play a pivotal role in our lives, informing how we see ourselves and

In order for me to understand my race and ethnicity I needed to understand the historical events that shaped and culturally changed Puerto Rico. Although there is a dominant influence of Hispanic culture in Puerto Rico there is also African roots that are embedded in the Puerto Rican culture. After the genocide of the Taino indians african slaves were brought to the island for plantation purposes. My brothers factual storytelling provided me with answer as to what I identified as. Not only was I able to formulate an intellectual understanding of my identity I was able to be apart of it actively as well.

When I think of the word “Ethnicity” of course I immediately think, “Oh I’m Mexican, Native American, and whatever white my dad is.” While I do have a darker brown skin I was not raised in the traditional way it’s assumed I was. I am only a quarter Mexican, so I was not raised in a Mexican household. The reality of it is that I was raised in a small rural town, this particular tiny town goes by the name of Hotchkiss, CO. I suppose I would say my real ethnicity is Rural-Conservative American.

There is a massive amount of ethnicities in this world. You have ethnic groups that are not necessarily related to where you came from but what group you identify yourself with. As a descendant who speaks the Spanish language we are categorized as being part of the Hispanic ethnic group. My father having twelve siblings and my mother having nine, it was a huge family. Our grandparents and parents inculcated us to be a united family with all the values and beliefs they initiated. Every ethnic group is similar but different in its own unique way. In which some have music, food and believes that characterize us as that specific ethnic group. The only difference is the way people embrace it. We also have many different types of celebrations

While reading Ethnic Options by Mary Waters, I made quite a few connections between what she wrote, and my own ethnic identity. My ethnic background is Belgian and Polish, but I tend to identify with being Belgian, which Waters helps me understand why I do this. Ethnic Options helped me understand my own ethnicity and choices by reading about others and their experiences. Mary Waters made multiple good points about how we choose or identify with our ethnic identities. The concepts I related to most from her book was the meaning of ethnicity through cultural practices, the fact of assimilation through residential segregation, and how the structure of your family can affect what ethnicity you identify with.

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.

Culture, race, ethnicity, religion, and even family are key elements to our identity. Our experiences and surroundings help us determine who we are as a person. As for me, I come from a Mexican family of six members; my mom, my dad, my three brothers and me. The absence of a sister and the interaction with three brothers made it easier for me to socialize with boys rather than with girls.

If I could describe my own racial identity, I would describe myself as a twenty-one year old girl who is causation. I was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania my whole life with my two sisters. I come from a middle class working family. My cultural background is, I come from the Irish and German heritage. I have green eyes, brown hair and my skin color is light. When it comes to my extended families, racial history is most of my family members were from Ireland and came over the America to raise their families. My great grandmother was born in Ireland, but she lived Czechoslovakia for a few years, before she moved to America. So my most of my extended family that I know are Irish on my father’s side of the family, my mother’s family is German. My parents raised my sisters and I, in a house where religion was very important, my parents raised us as Catholics. My parents were really strict and old school when it came to certain things. How I feel about my racial identity is, I love the person I am and I would not want to change myself at all. I enjoyed the way I was raised; it helped me shape me into the person I am today.

My ethnic heritage is not highly influential in the way I define myself because I do not have a single ethnicity. On my mom’s side of the family, I am ethnically Scottish, Welsh, and Cherokee. My dad’s side of the family is ethnically German with a little Irish mixed in. Because of all of these ethnicities, I identify myself as ethnically American. I have always celebrated American holidays like Independence Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day, and I do not celebrate holidays specific to one of my previously listed ethnicities. I enjoy watching American sports like football and watching American teams succeed international competitions like the Olympics and the World Cup, and I enjoy American foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, and Chick-fil-a. In the way I view the world, ethnicity is not the most important thing because I live in a country full of different ethnic heritages. It is interesting and fun to meet people of other ethnicities and learn about them. Various ethnicities are what created the United States I know today, so learning about different ethnicities broadens my view of the United States as a whole and gives me a small glimpse into life in different countries. Ethnicity is important in shaping who a person is and what they believe, but it does not have a strong influence on how I see myself.

My ethnicity plays a huge part of my cultural identity. My family originates fully from different parts of Russia and the former Soviet Union. I have been to Russia twice, the first time when I was about nine months old(I don't remember anything) and the second time is when I was seven. Usually when a person goes to a place that they have never been to the experience a cultural shock, but I didn't because I was raised in a similar culture as the one I visited. As a Russian I grew up having my parents tell me that I have to speak only Russian at home so then when I grow up and marry and have kids, I would be able to teach my (future) children their native language. My parents taught me to read, write and speak in proper russian, and the same is expected of me. I also grew up eating a lot of Russian food, the most common ones I had were borsh- a beet and cabbage red soup. Blini- our version of the French Crȇpe

I don’t really know much about my identity through my heritage. However, my ‘identity’ has been found through my family’s and I’s moral beliefs and teachings. I couldn’t tell you much about before I was born, but I can say right now, I belong to people who accept me for me. Everything I am. Where I come from and who I’m going to be is because of the people I’ve chosen to immerse myself around. A quote by a man named Francis Conroy says it best, “As you age naturally, your family shows more and more on your face.” I hope this is true for me when I’m older. The values and traditions that I’ve always been around is something I am extremely proud of. The quote later goes on to say, “If you deny that, you deny your heritage.” No matter how many times I leave the family nest or allow myself to figure

I come from a small rural farm where I was born and raised all my life and where I grew up with two loving parents and one sister. Ever since I was a young girl, religion has always been a big part of my life because I was born and raised Catholic. My mothers’ side of the family is German Catholic decent and my fathers’ race is German and Cherokee Indian. Even though they are mainly German combined I have always found it interesting that I have Native American blood running through my veins. It is obvious that my parents are both Caucasian and were middle class individuals when I was growing up. I would now classify my parents to be in the higher class because they are worth more now then twenty-five years ago. Even though my parents have more money now than what they did when growing up on the farm, a strong work ethic was important to my parents. I am thankful they instilled this within me because I have always worked hard for everything in my life and I know that this will payoff for me one day. My parents also told me that education will get me further in life and it has. I am the first of my family to graduate from college let alone getting my masters as well. So when looking

My ethnicity is multi-ethnical, I'm part of the 2nd generation in my Japanese family, while also being split between quarters of European and Mexican ethnicities. Part of the beauty of having multiple ethnicities is that you really get to experience the multiple cultures of people maintaining a bond. I was that bond! As I said earlier I don’t believe I grew up unfortunate. I family is very loving and I spent time with all my family whether it meant spending time with my seven Hispanic cousins on the holidays or having an oriental Thanksgiving. In addition, turkey stuffed with water chestnut rice stuffing is something else, everyone needs to try once.