RACE IN MY COMMUNITY

Race in My Community

Race in My Community

“I was born in a small town? and I live in a small town. Probably die in a small town? in a small community.” These words made famous by John Cougar Mellencamp can on the whole sum of my entire life. I was born in a small town of Korea? everyone I know lives in a small town? and I will probably never leave this small town. My town is covered in cornfields on all four sides. That being said I can say that race has never been a major issue in my community? but it does exist without question. A few of the issues that lead to racism in my community include: all white leaders? a 'super-max” prison? and no education regarding race. While my community consists mostly of white Americans? the issue of race is still a prevalent and unfortunate issue.

The largest majority of people in my community are white? only a small percentage is of other races. Specifically? 86.63% of the residents in my town are white? 9.79% are black? .70% is Asian? 2.79% claim other? and 3.89% claim they have Hispanic heritage (Sperling's? 2007). These numbers can easily show that the people in my community mostly look like me in that most of the people that I see everyday are white Americans. That is not to say that everyone that I see on a daily basis looks like me? because that is not true. First of all? everyone is an individual. Even other white people do not look like me in some cases. Social class and economic status have just as much to do with white people looking different than race does in my community. However? in regards to race? on a regular basis I work with people of Hispanic heritage. My brother in law plays high school football and everyone in town knows that a few of the best players we have happen to be black. However? when I think of football I do not think about “the black kid”? and when I go to work I do not think about working with “Hispanics”.

Life is to this day still tough for Korean immigrants when they first arrive in the United States. Koreans are discriminated everywhere in the work place? public recreational facilities? and restaurants. In the year of 2002? while I was working for a printing company I requested for a username and password for the Xerox machines. My white American employer refused to give it to me and instead gave it to a white female co-worker who was going to be there for a shorter period of time. She told me that my boss gave it to her without any hassle. I felt that I was being discriminated against and that I was in a situation where I could not stand up for myself because of the risk of losing my job. In addition? in 2003? I went to Foxwood to watch a Vietnamese ...