Dear Mom and Dad,
There are billions of families in this world, each and every one different in their own way. And while I haven’t even come close to meeting a fraction of those families, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t trade our family for any of the others. You two have given me the type of childhood that was filled with love and knowledge and culture. I’m sure you two realized far earlier than I did how successful Matteo and I would grow up to be. While we are both still teenagers, I have no doubt that we will be “successful” in our individual ways, whatever that may be. Not many parents can say for certain that their children will grow up to impact the world, but you have told us that we will, time and again. And now, having spent time researching families and the foundations upon which they are built, I have come to realize that the only reason Matteo and I will lead healthy, happy lives in the future is because of the environment you raised us in and the values you have instilled in us. Far and above the most important aspect of our childhood has been the multicultural undertone that has accompanied everything you ever taught us. We were taught to embrace our Italian and Cherokee heritage and never shy away from it. Instead of it becoming just another fact on a piece of paper, our multicultural heritage became a part of us; it became the basis of our being. The more time that passes, I realize more and more how significant a role our multicultural heritage played in our upbringing. As I look back on my past and as I look forward to my future, I can picture neither without acknowledging the constant presence of my Italian-American heritage. I can say with unfaltering confidence that I would be a lesser person than the on...
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It has been said that the physical variations in the human species have no meaning except the social one that humans put on them. Society has placed stigmas on race dating all the way back to the 1600s. Still in the 21st century the American society is still trying to work through racial boundaries. With such stigmas being placed on them, biracial individuals often self-identify or be identified by others differently, depending on the social context. A biracial individual’s racial identity development is contingent upon many factors, both internal and external. With the dramatic increase in the number of individuals with a bi or multiracial background it is important for us to recognize the complexity of the racial identity development of this culture. It is critical to understand the hardships as well as the advantages of being biracial, to help them avoid any negative behaviors which could yield lifelong consequences. The healthy development of one’s racial identity is imperative for a biracial child to be able to achieve and maintain a positive psychological and social adjustment throughout the lifespan.
Growing up in a Mexican-American family can be very fun and crazy. Having two different perspectives on two different cultures almost daily really shapes you to become a certain way as you grow up, which is what happened to me. Ever since I was about three months old I have been taking trips to my parents home town for a month time each time we have gone. Practically growing up in both Mexico and the United States for six years has really helped me understand my cultural background and the different parts of my whole culture, such as the food, heritage, language and culture.
Although the practice of counseling has evolved considerably since its inception, the concept of multicultural competence remains novel. Engrossed in the lives of every clinician are underlined biases and prejudices that act as filters in which every interaction with a clients is affected. Current research on the topic of multicultural counseling has shown that although multicultural awareness is on the rise there is still a remarkable gap in research regarding the use of counseling service and outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities (Kerney,Draper, & Baron, 2005). Insights such as these have encouraged researchers to investigate multicultural counseling, on many different levels of delivery. One such level is that of the university counseling center setting. Kerney, Draper, & Baron (2005) suggest that in order to address the need for research on the effectiveness of therapy for minorities, one must examine the current effectiveness of therapy on university campuses and the coinciding utilization of counseling services by racial and ethnic minorities. In order to do this the researchers examined the differences among African American, Asian American, Latino, and Caucasian students in therapy attendance after intake, and the severity of distress at both intake and last session (Kerney,Draper, & Baron, 2005). The current paper will critique the research conducted by Kerney, Draper, & Baron, in order to gain further awareness into multicultural competent methods of working with ethnic and racial minorities.
Growing up in a marginalized minority is a difficult task because there are a lot of differences between cultures. In the Mexican American culture, family is crucial, this is where one comes when one needs someone to talk to. In my experience, I had was raised being stuck in the middle of two different cultures I had to know what my identity was through, family, school, and through my travels.
A multiracial individual is a person with parents from different racial or ethnic backgrounds. To some of us that are not multiracial we may think it is no big deal because the times have changed and the racial discrimination may not be as severe as it used to be. There was an increase in biracial babies in the United States starting in 1967, this was the year the last laws against mixing races were repealed. Now one out of seven marriages involve partners of different racial or ethnic backgrounds. (Sue & Sue, 2013, p. 427) Yet there is always an underlying identity question in the United States of ‘What are you?’ which can affect the identity development of a multiracial individual. Identity development, specifically multiracial identity
Qn 1. In Chapter 3 of your course text, Ramsey states: "In short, caring is a powerful emotion that energizes concern for ourselves and others and our willingness to confront and change inequities. Thus, it is an essential component of multicultural education" (Ramsey, 2004, p. 44). Drawing on what you have learned in this course and particularly this week, explain why this statement is true, citing the Learning Resources to support your ideas.
The world is made up of many different types of people, each one having his or her cultural background. Over the years, the United States has become increasingly populated with cultural diversity. This influx has prompted school administrators to recognize the need to incorporate multicultural programs into their school environment including classroom settings, school wide activities, and curriculum as it becomes more evident that the benefits of teaching cultural diversity within the school setting will positively influence our communities, and ultimately the entire nation’s future. The purpose of this paper is to share the pros and cons of multicultural education in the classroom. Additionally, I will express my views compared to those in the reading requirements for this assignment, as well as, new knowledge obtained through the research. Finally, I will share situations where I was challenged introducing a multicultural issue during a class.
This paper emphasizes the importance of cultural diversity and the impact that it has on Elementary school students (Burt, 2013). Attending a school with a diverse student population can help prepare children for citizenship in a multicultural democracy (Morrissey, 2014). America is known as the melting pot because of the immigration of people who entered the country in search for a more stable life. Immigrants brought their own unique cultures with them. Census Bureau predicts that by 2100, the minority population will be the majority.
Diversity is a topic in which i'm very familiar with, I have grown up within a hispanic family for most of my life. Even though my Mother and I are both Caucasian, my Biological father also. But he left my mother and I and we were then stuck living in a little apartment in Astoria, only barely hanging on. Then she met another man through these years of hardship and they connected and our lives soon intertwined. Years later he was my step father and we had moved into the apartment he had grown up in next to his own mother’s house. At first the move was heartbreaking, but after a while it was worth every pain to move because how amazing it felt to be apart of a family and all the things I learned. Although it took a while and was very new at
The methodical study of human behavior in situations in which people from different cultural backgrounds interact defines multicultural psychology. Many consider multicultural psychology a fourth force in psychology study. Communication, interactions, research, and investigations into human behaviors give insight into how different cultures interact socially and how they live among the different ethnic groups. Many issues have emerged in multicultural psychology. Two issues discussed in this paper, cultural identity and baby boomers, describe some of the effects on multicultural psychology.
Growing up, my family consisted of my mother, father, and my three brothers. My father was of German decent and my mother was of Irish. There was a stigma attached to being a German American back in the late 1940’s and as a result, my father would have nothing to do with this German heritage. He changed his name from Willie to William and as a great disappointment to my grandparents, refused to learn the German language. Even with his attempts to keep his ethnicity out of his life, my father retained many of the German traits of his parents. He is extremely hardworking and thrifty. The thought of going into dept makes him physically sick to his stomach. He would never own a credit card. To make a major purchase such as a car or appliance, he would take a 2nd and sometimes a 3rd job so he could pay cash for the items. I like to think that I inherited my father’s work ethics. But I know for a fact that I don’t have an ounce of his thrifty ways, nor do my daughter. I miss the German foods that my Grandmother used to make. Now that she is gone, I wish I had some of her recipes. The only German foods I can make are potato pancakes and German Potato salad, which my daughters love, or at least they say they do so they don’t hurt my feelings.
To the outside world, I appear to belong to the Traditional White Nuclear Family culture, but my family included co-cultures and subcultures that were rare in the suburban south.
Students in the United States experience varying degrees of Multicultural Education. To my benefit, I was brought up in a learning environment that was culturally accepting and engaging. I was enrolled in the Franklin Pierce School District for my entire public education career and at Pierce College during my last two years of high school. Since the beginning of my academic career, I’ve been exposed to a learning environment filled with a rich amount of diversity among students which in turn produced well-roundedness in myself. In my experience as a FPSD student, I’ve shared experiences with fellow peers of different races, cultures, and socioeconomic standings. Pierce College boasts an even more specific type of diversity within the student
The class activity was simple: draw a self-portrait. As Ms. Caldera began to look through her students' work, one stood out to her. The drawing was of a young fair-skinned, blond-hair, and blue-eyed girl. Normally this would not be a problem, but in this case it was. The girl who had drawn herself was actually quite the opposite: rich dark skin, brown hair, and brown eyes (Caldera). Considering that the United States is such a large melting pot of cultures, it is normal for children to have difficulty balancing between two cultures. Culture, is really important for a child's development because it ultimately influences their morals and values. Although it is difficult for children to balance the traditions and such of two cultures, they are recompensed with a greater knowledge about the world, and understanding of people.
The thing about multicultural education that surprised me the most was how much opposition there is to multicultural education. I would think, by now, people would be able to see how unbalanced the current educational curriculum is and welcome the inclusion of aspects from other cultures. I have read arguments ranging from, multicultural education is inherently racist to multicultural education promotes Islam and is indoctrinating our youth with terrorist ideas. Like most hot button issues in this country, people in positions of power will use everything possible, including fear-mongering, to further their agenda.