My name is Denise Belmonte, and I am currently a graduate student studying education at Umass Lowell. I received my Bachelor’s degree this May in Biology, and I hope to teach it at a high school level. I currently work at a daycare, usually with infants ages 3 months to one year. On my free time, I enjoy running, shopping, watching movies, and spending time with my friends.
This week’s readings interested me. The first one I read was “White Privilege” by Peggy McIntosh. I had never thought of the things she listed as privileges because I am in the norm. I am an average white female, so it is absolutely true that I do not even think of my neighbors judging me because of my skin color, or being heckled while I shop for groceries. I like to think that we have come a long way since 1989, but unfortunately, there will always be a few close minded individuals who will try their best to make “different” people’s lives a living hell. It is depressing to think that for some people, the idea of being treated fairly and honestly is seen as a privilege. This also got me to thinking about other forms of privileges. This idea can also be applied to religion, in the idea of Christian privilege. I have never had someone judge me as “strange” or even “dangerous” because of the religion I practice. I would be so hurt to have someone judge me differently because of what I believe or do not believe.
The one thing that stood out to me most in “Relating Ethnic and Racial Identity” was the idea that “children need direction rather than control”. This relates to a story that one of my classmates shared with us last semester. As he visited a class for observation, he was appalled that the teacher spent almost all of the class time telling his unruly students to “be quiet” and “sit down”. This is unfortunate because it created an unpleasant classroom setting where the students then felt it necessary to disobey. Perhaps if this teacher had approached the situation differently and offered the students some direction rather than a stern request. As the article says, “all children in the classroom [should] feel comfortable and supported.”
“Racial Formation” got to the root of the issue. We see race as a “problem” that we need to “get beyond.” Shouldn’t we embrace the differences of other races? Won’t that help us to better understand them? I remember one time, I ordered food at a place where a Black organization was having a meeting. They shared poetry and music about their culture that dealt with issues of gangs, HIV/ AIDs, and racism. This was incredibly remarkable to me in many ways. First of all, I was the only white person there. This gave me some perspective as to what it would feel like to always be the one of a different skin color. Second, it was really interesting to hear about the issues that these people were facing on a day to day basis. This was eye opening to me to hear them discussing the problems they face in such an artistic way.
“Ethnic Identity Development” makes an important observation that I am definitely guilty of. It states that “groups least affected by racism and most represented in positions of sociopolitical power tend to begin their ethnic identity construction later...less concerned about ethnicity and perceive it as an issue of little or no importance.” I, being a white female, never really think much of my race. To me, it is uninteresting and never gives me any issues. I absolutely take it for granted like Bowers and Flinders say. I also apply this to my friends of other races. For me, race does not define a person. It does not impact how I feel about them. However, because I do this, I could be ignorant to some of the issues that they may face because of their race. In a way, it should impact how I feel about them so I can be more sensitive to their culture. Essentially, I do not judge people by their race, but I should care about it.
