Analysis Paper: Diversity and Oppression

Analysis Paper
Diversity and Oppression
Wayne State University
Chelsey Pasha
September 17, 2013

Analysis Paper: Diversity and Oppression

As humans we all think about how we are perceived at one point and time in our life.
Everyday I wake up wondering how can I change someones stereotype of me? No matter how
much my mother told me growing up that I was beautiful, intelligent, and charismatic, no matter
what color I maybe, it never really seems to be perceived that way by my white counter parts. I
look back at everything my mother said to me and tell myself that she surely knew what she was
talking about. My mother grew up in the 60s, a time when there were riots, boycotts, and fights
because of segregation issues. A decade where right here in Detroit the riots took place just steps
away from the front door steps of my mothers childhood home.
Growing up my parents worked hard to provide me with the best education they could. In
the second grade my parents decided to remove me from the Lutheran school I attended and
place me in a Catholic school. I continued my private school education all the way up until my
senior year of high school. It wasnt until I started high school that I began to face issues of
racism. I went to Regina high school in Warren, Michigan. In my freshman class there were 112
girls, 10 of us were African- American. It wasnt hard for me to thrive in an environment where I
was the minority, because I had been in private school where the ratio of African- Americans to
Caucasians was very small. Freshman year of high school was fun, exciting, and cool. I always
imagined high school as this scary unknown. I remember telling my mom to send me to Martin
Luther King because I wanted to be around my family, because I knew they would be a safety
net for me. Freshman year completely changed my beliefs about that. I made a ton of friends and
had a lot of great opportunities, but Regina also had its challenges.

Analysis Paper: Diversity and Oppression

I am a very vocal person and I always have been. My parents always taught me that if
you stand for nothing you will fall for anything. Everyday that saying still comes to mind
especially when I hear about things that happen in society. During my senior year of high school
right before graduation the class nominated me to go around and take a poll of the music we
listened to as freshman and the music we listened to as graduating seniors. It was lunch tine and I
went to a table of girls in my class. I decided to go to this particular table first because I had
often hung out with these girls outside of school and I knew they would give some great answers.
I sat down and asked one of the girls what her favorite song was, and I could tell by the look she
gave me she was going to say something very unpleasant. She looked at me and the first thing
out of her mouth was No one listens to your black nigger music so get out of here! At that
moment all I could do was get up even though my anger wanted me to jump across the table. I
was hurt, disgusted, embarrassed, and shocked. I kept replaying those infamous words my
parents told me growing up Stand for nothing fall for anything. I decided to return to the table
where I regularly ate lunch. My friends who sat and ate lunch with me were all AfricanAmerican. I told them what this particular student said and no one looked upset. One of the girls
who sat at an adjacent table told the student that she had a pass because she was one of us. I
looked back at my friends and they still showed no emotion. How could they let this girl get
away with making such a statement? For the remainder of the school year I decided not to make
eye contact with this girl. In reality this is how a lot of people feel, especially the older
generation. They carry hate in their heart, and it doesnt allow people of color, regardless of their
nationality to have a fair chance at being productive citizens in society.
I am guilty of stereotyping at the end of the day. I believe we all are. It is not against
another race or sub group, but against my own. Societys image of the black community becomes

Analysis Paper: Diversity and Oppression

harsher and harsher everyday. When you turn on the news at night here in Detroit it is filled with
horror stories that happen daily among the young black men and women. Recently I have been
hanging out a lot more in Royal Oak, Michigan. I stopped going to places in Detroit, like
restaurants and bars. I am afraid that something bad could happen to me especially in the
downtown area. I have night class on campus and every Monday I think about being robbed or
attacked by some young black man, I hate to think like this, but I realize black on black crime
happens daily. I cringe at those types of thoughts. I was raised to always be proud to be AfricanAmerican, but sometimes I loose hope in the future of the young black males growing up in the
city of Detroit. I hold my purse a little tighter when I am surrounded by a group of black males,
and I make myself look angry when I am around black women so they know not to test me. I like
to shop at Somerset, its one of my favorite malls and recently it has been targeted by thieves. I
am guilty of judging people who I feel dont belong in the mall. I often whisper to my mom that
we need to get what we came for and get out. Am I any better than someone who is not of
African-American descent? In my thoughts you cant do better if you dont know any better. I am
human at the end of the day and I am not oblivious to what happens around me.
I work with a pretty diverse group of people. I work in a nursing home in Sterling
Heights, Michigan. At my job there are Albanians, Filipinos, African-Americans, Russians and
Caucasians. I work in the dietary department where I have a boss who is Caucasian. My boss has
a very extraverted personality. Over time she has become comfortable with all of her employees
and she makes remarks that she feel are appropriate for the setting we work in. I have witnessed
her make remarks about the guys who work with us who are of Filipino descent. Making remarks
such as youre my little Filipino and Filipinos are everywhere. I dont believe that these
remarks are funny; they are hurtful, and upsetting. I dont think that we can make a change

Analysis Paper: Diversity and Oppression

unless we start with the household first. I was always taught that hate is learned in the home first
and then imitated outside of the home. It is sad that In this day and age we cant accept each
other for our cultural decisions. I hope someday we come close to being more open-minded.