The world is filled with people, and like snowflakes, each person is not the same as another. Each person identifies with different aspects of their lives to create their own personal identities. I personally identify with my Italian side of my family to help form who I am today. I have found myself connecting with this side more so than the other parts of my identity. It affects how I live my life by becoming the center to the culture surrounding me. However, my ethnic identity as an Italian American also influences how I live when it comes to my religion, and how my religion affects my life alongside my ethnicity. I will expand on this issue on how I express my ethnic and religious identity in regards to each other.
My religion has often
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I share the stereotypes of loving to cook, as well as having giant family get-togethers, as well as some others, but I did share the volume that I notice most of my family had when discussing. I have been told that I am very soft spoken, quiet and shy, which makes me stand out sometimes when I am at these family parties. I am usually just the person who is listening instead of trying to talk over everyone, which is why everyone ends up with such a loud volume on a normal basis. I have also been told that I could not possible be a part of the family, because I do not have some of the same stereotypes that are stuck with my family. This makes Markus statement true about identity, that “a person’s identity depends on her own view of herself, but it also depends on others’ views of her” (Markus 180). I try to see myself as an Italian American, but since some people notice that I do not fit with the assumed stereotypes that come with Italian Americans, they tend to think that I connect more with my mother’s side more than my father’s side, who are the Italian Americans. I came to the realization that I am missing some of the stereotypes that are connected with the Italian ethnicity, but I do the ones that make me who I am. The ones I enjoy and am grateful to have, such as my love for family connections, a love for cooking and different types of cuisine, and my ability to be late to almost everything no matter how hard I try to make it on time, which is also a trait that is often associated with the Mormon church as well, which is why I realize that both my ethnicity and religion has formed my
Everyone comes from different backgrounds and people are often, at least partially, a product of the environment they were raised in. Some of the factors that can influence individuals as they are being raised include the family’s economic status, political affiliation, and religious beliefs. For me, one strong influence on my childhood and life now is being raised in a family of devout Mormons. While I am no longer associated or a member of the Mormon Church the differences in culture still left long lasting impressions on my life. Being raised as a member of the Mormon Church and later leaving the religion influenced the way I think, specifically in regards to the differences of other peoples and cultures and the way that I act in my life.
As an Indian-Americans, I grew up with two very different cultures influencing me in to distinct worlds: my home life and my school life. It wasn’t until I became a freshman a few years ago that these two cultures fused into one. I used to think using my mother tongue in public was weird, and that I had to be just like my Caucasian friends to be “cool”. As an early teen, I never acknowledged my own religion, culture, and ethnicity; sometimes I disgraced them. But, as I matured, I realized that my religion, culture, and ethnicity is a gift.
Although my family dealt—and still deals— with it every day, the racial identity never was pointed out. As a little kid, I never understood why my dad sometimes was treated differently for me he always was just my dad. Later on I would understand why, but my idea “you are whoever you are” still was my life credo that I never doubted. I have never questioned myself on what I identify as before the conversation with the person that I met once and thought I would forget the next day, but it became the turning point of my life.
I was the only great-grandchild so every grandchild they had at the time was old so image that for me. Im African-American. and so is the rest of my family. All my family speaks English and also French. My cultural identity is made up of food,race, and language.
My outward appearance definitely reflects my cultural identity. I am African American and black, as such the following things reflect that; some of the makeup I wear is made specifically for my coloring and my hair is in its natural state; full of tight, dark brown curls. My clothing is that of a typical American in her twenties, who works in retail most of the week and goes to casual events during her days off. My behaviors and practices definitely reflect that I’m American.
Understanding my Own Diversity A questionnaire to Clarify my Thinking Name: Flor D. Acevedo 1. Do you have a culture: Yes. My culture and Heritage is Hispanic and even though I have lived here in the United States for 15 years, I keep all my traditions intact in my heart and mind.
Being a future first generation college student and a second generation Taiwanese immigrant, I find my ethnic identity to have played a crucial role in my life. Having grown up in a household where nobody spoke English, I believe it would be an understatement to say that my ethnic identity has defined me, for it is much more complex than what people perceive it to be. Rather, it has shaped me to become an individual who values education above all else. In Taiwan, education represents the pinnacle of success, and I strive to reach that pinnacle through an undergraduate education at Michigan. The Michigan Taiwanese Student Association will not only cater to my educational values, but serve to further my knowledge for a culture that remains relatively
Everybody is unique, they have this one thing that makes them stand out among others. This unique part of them, really helps define who they are. In order to better understand me I feel it’s important to fully understand where I come from to see who I really am. I come from unique from parents; my dad is from Punjab and my mother was born here in the United States. Being half Punjab and half American gives me a unique identity.
My commitment to diversity began at a young age from my experiences of being marginalized, underestimated, and undervalued as a result of who I am. I was born in Minneapolis, MN and moved to Seoul, South Korea at age five. Readjusting to changing society and economy of Korea was hard for my parents; for me, trying to fit in anywhere I go was a challenge in itself. However, all the difficulties and challenges I experienced during my formative years going back and forth between South Korea and the United States shaped my interests in identity and culture and desires to be a role model for those who feel undervalued and invisible. I became aware of identity politics at a very young age.
My commitment to diversity began at a young age from my experiences of being marginalized and underestimated. I was born in Minneapolis, MN and moved to Seoul, South Korea at age five. Readjusting to changing society and economy of Korea was hard for my parents; for me, trying to fit in anywhere I go was a challenge in itself. However, all the challenges I experienced during my formative years shaped my interests in identity and culture and desires to be a role model for those who feel undervalued and invisible. I became aware of identity politics at a very young age.
The most unique perspective I hold is my cultural background. I am a first generation immigrant, and that fact alone offers me a perspective that differs from much of the demographic at the academy. My Indian American parents have indirectly taught me about how an “outsider” looks at the United States because I have grown up learning American culture with my parents instead of from my parents; my brother and I served as a bridge between American culture and Indian culture in my home. Therefore, I have grown up more attentive to differences in culture than someone who has lived here for generations. This unique perspective has helped me throughout even my high school career with keeping an open mind -- and helping my peers keep an open mind.
In the past, I found myself identifying myself to have commonalities with people surrounding me. When I was surrounded by a diverse group of people, I would find that I would gravitate towards those who appeared to have something in common with me. I believe I was drawn towards people of the same age range, race, and culture the same as my own because it is something familiar. Although I still think that I gravitate towards individuals like myself, I believe I try to branch out and meet others individuals that differ from me more than I did in that past. Now, I shape my own identity.
At the race track it smelled so great they had popcorn. Hotdogs and nachos but the best thing was before he broke his leg the first 2 races he came in 1st. He lost the last one because he broke his leg. There was a kid he was 18 years old and I lived in Ohio his name was smit He raced dirt bikes at Lawrenceburg Speedway. He wrecked his dirtbike and he had to go to the Hospital.
Sometimes identity is not your choice. Your background also makes up your identity. Who your parents are, your religion, and your race affects how people see you. Your religion may stop you from doing certain things and people may see you as a conservative person.
We all have raised at some point in our lives the question who am I? Typically, when we are introduced, we are asked to describe or provide relevant information about ourselves; and it is considered basic to know how to answer that question with certainty. Culture is a very important part of who we are, our habits, our values, our manners and the social norms that we follow. Perhaps, we are not fully aware of how we relate to others until we are confronted with a cultural shock by meeting someone different from us. It is here that our culture allows us to congenial or defer with other people.