#9 - Race & Ethnicity

Ethnicity is defined as a shared cultural heritage, often deriving from a common ancestry and homeland. Cultural heritage can consist of traditions, languages, celebrations, customs, and foods.  Race on the other-hand is defined as; a category of people widely percieved as sharing socially significant physical characteristics such as skin color.

Race is socially constructed- it is man-made. Why was race created? Race was created for control, driven by slavery and capitalism. Race still 'matters' today because the census is determined to see where money and resources are distributed. Once we begin to separate and divide people into different races, we are setting up a boundary for inequality.

In the article titled "Race Matters", written by Cornel West, the author spoke of the LA riots that were driven by 'race'.  I thought that the authors views for breaking down the barrier were inspiring. In the article, West states "To establish a new framework, we need to begin with a frank acknowledgment of the basic humanness and Americanness of each of us.have created rootless, dangling people with little link to the supportive networks—family, friends." I find it admirable of his seemingly simple and yet somehow unattainable ideals of basic human decency that is not as apparent in everyday life.