Since then, however, I have learned that my lies only serve to perpetuate prejudice in America. By being ashamed or afraid to talk about their roots, people of color allow the dominant culture to continue the myth of ra

The unfair treatment I have experienced is nothing compared to what my mother endured. As a single mom from Puerto Rico, she arrived in a country that was hostile in many ways. Forced to rapidly learn English and adapt to unfamiliar social customs, my mother overcome a wide range of problems related to her being perceived as inferior. I believe that many people living in poverty in the United States suffer because getting a good job or finishing school is tough for people of color.

My culture is a huge part of my personal identity. I know that now. I first became conscious of that fact when I met other Latino students at my almost all-white college. My ability to relate to them was due in part to the fact that our families endured similar experiences of poverty, oppression, and prejudice. Our common languages also linked us together. I value several aspects of my Puerto Rican heritage, and language is one of them. Being bilingual is genuine strength that I know I can use to my advantage once I graduate and enter the workforce. I am also proud of my culture's customs: our food, our social relations, and our religion. Nothing about my heritage makes me uncomfortable, which is why I am sorry that I ever hoped to erase my identity to blend in.

Now that I look back on my upbringing I can see how prejudice and racism has not always been so subtle; people of color have continually been beaten down so that poverty is a reality for many of them. The neighborhood I grew up in was ethnically diverse. I didn't feel different. However, problems like poverty, crime, and substance abuse were everywhere in the neighborhood. I know now that part of the reason why Latinos and other ethnic minorities suffer from social and psychological problems is that they have been haunted by prejudice. Poverty becomes a vicious cycle, as many Latino parents can't afford to send their children to good schools.

I don't believe I have ever consciously treated anyone unfairly because of their ethnic or racial characteristics. However, unconsciously I may have prejudged a person based on what they looked like. For example, I once went to a job interview in which all the staff members were white. I felt instantly threatened and on the defensive, assuming that the people who interviewed me would be prejudiced. I prejudged them because they were white. They hired me and that ended up being one of the best jobs I ever had; people on the staff treated me well and honored my heritage by asking me questions about my background. Similarly, I have unconsciously drawn conclusions about people at parties based on what they wore or how they spoke, and I have occasionally avoided making eye contact or small talk with people from other ethnic backgrounds. I have made a conscious effort to change my behavior, however. Becoming more proud of my own ethnic heritage has allowed me to become more interested in the backgrounds of other people too.

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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1971
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)