Are your parents of the same race? Same ethnic group? Are your brothers and sisters? What about your extended family — uncles, aunts, etc.?

Description
You will write a minimum of a five-page paper in which you will discuss events and conversations about race, race relations, and/or racism that may have impacted your current perspectives and/or experiences, and how these have impacted your consumer choices. This assignment will help with your final project in which you will research a particular consumer group.
Paper Focus
This paper will help you identify and articulate your perspective as it applies to race and its impact on the social construct in the U.S.
The questions below will help you identify some of the landmarks on your racial journey. Draw from memories or ideas that seem relevant to help you evaluate and write about your personal experiences as it relates to race and/or racism. Identify how race and/or racism has impacted your consumer behavior.
Begin with what you can recall about the earliest events and conversations you had about race and/or racism. How did it impact your perspective? Describe what happened?
Family:
Are your parents of the same race? Same ethnic group? Are your brothers and sisters? What about your extended family — uncles, aunts, etc.?
Where did your parents grow up? What exposure did they have to racial groups other than their own? (Have you ever talked with them about this?)
What ideas did they grow up with regarding race relations? (Do you know? Have you ever talked with them about this? Why or why not?)
Do you think of yourself as White? As Black/African American? As Asian American? As Latino? As American Indian? Or just as “human?” Do you think of yourself as a member of an ethnic group? What is its importance to you?
Neighborhood:
What is the racial makeup of the neighborhood you grew up in?
What was your first awareness of race – that there are different “races” and that you are a member of a racial group.
What was your first encounter with another race? Describe the situation.
What messages do you recall getting from your parents about race? From others when you were younger?
Elementary and Middle School:
What was the racial makeup of your elementary school? Of its teachers?
Think about the curriculum: what Black Americans did you hear about? How did you celebrate Martin Luther King Day? What about Asian Americans, or Latinos, or American Indians?
Cultural influences: TV, advertisements, novels, music, movies, What color God was presented to you? Angels? Santa Claus? The tooth fairy? Dolls?
What was the racial makeup of organizations you were in? Girl Scouts, soccer team, church, etc.?
High School and Community:
What was the racial makeup of your high school? Of its teachers?
Was there interracial dating? Racial slurs? Any conflict with members of another race?
Have you ever felt or been stigmatized because of your race or ethnic group membership?
What else was important about your high-school years, racially speaking — maybe something that didn’t happen in high school but during that time?
What is/was the racial makeup of your hometown? Of your metropolitan area? What about your experiences in summer camp, jobs, ?
What was the racial makeup of your circle(s) of friends?
Consumer Behavior:
Describe how race and/or racism has impacted your purchasing behavior.
Do you buy familiar items according to your family purchases?
Are you limited to product offerings and services because of the neighborhood you live in?
Main shopping areas (strip mall, mall, free-standing stores)
Types of stores (Ralphs Grocery Store, Trader Joe’s, etc.)
Do you choose items that appeal to you as an individual or that appeal to your racial or ethnic group?
Have you felt discriminated against while shopping and/or traveling because of your race or ethnicity? Have you felt privileged because of your race?
Conclusion:
Reflect on the content/stories you provided in the paper.
Summarize your overall feelings and thoughts as it relates to race in America.
Describe the most important image, encounter, experience, you’ve had regarding race.
Format:
Write a clear and concise paper to help the reader interpret your experiences as it relates to race, race relations, and/or racism. Provide storytelling to highlight some of your experiences. This paper is one that you will reflect on as your racial consciousness evolves.
Mechanics:
Proper grammar/syntax
Correct spelling
APA Format | Minimum of 5 pages
Paper Title: Your Name Racial Autobiography
Ex: Milo Dakota Racial Autobiography
No Abstract Required
Body (4 -5 pages)
Conclusion
Cite References
Family members, friends, etc.
Approved fonts: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica or Times New Roman
Save completed paper as a PDF.
Requirements:
Submit/Upload PDF in Canvas: Creating Your Racial Autobiography
Due: Thursday, September 16 EOD
Evaluation:
The paper will be evaluated in terms of how clearly, completely, concisely, convincingly, and sincerely you write about your experiences and perspective as it relates to race and its impact on the social construct in the U.S.
Please refer to the rubric, located in Canvas, to make sure you fulfill all the expectations of the paper.

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