My White-Class Experience

Whatever the educated and often professionally successful person previously thought her position in society was, now she is challenged, as random white persons casually but powerfully degrade her. This moment is always insulting and even a relatively minor incident can have a significant impact. (Anderson 253)

Anderson is simply restating, how a competent and successful individual will face discrimination if their race is different from the white-ruling class. He describes how anyone from a different race will be forced to self-evaluate their social status as an individual. His description of self-evaluation is similar to the time when I was in high school, every time that I felt I had finally, become equal to my peers and enjoyed the same

Although I felt victimized and belittled by my peers and teachers, I believe that the pressure of not conforming to the stereotypes that were held against my Pakistani identity, helped me to work arduously in school. I learned how a dominant white-ruling class dominates society, through racialization, and how the use of micro-aggressive statements allows a group to maintain hierarchy. I become aware of the insensitivity and dismay other races, different from the predominant race were held at, by both students and faculty. This school, helped to put into perspective the issues with racialization and how a dominant white community can use group categories to benefit themselves. Although at times, the comments that were based off of complete ignorance and discrimination, made me want to rid my Pakistani culture and identity. I abhorred the micro-aggressive questions that required me to associate with my Pakistani side and began to avoid it by identifying myself as only, American. I soon realized as I began applying for colleges, that my Pakistani ethnicity makes me unique from my peers and is a part of my identity I should not be ashamed of. The experiences that I have had at my school with predominantly, white-class Americans, has greatly influenced the person I am

Going to a school where, I had to change myself, as to be of similar standing to my peers to gain recognition from my, teachers compelled me to work harder in school and in life. During my four years in high school, I was hard on myself, pushing myself to the limits. I was either studying for tests or completing a project studying for entrance exams, giving myself no time to lounge with my family. I pushed myself to work harder, become a well-rounded student and try to change how immigrants are perceived at my high school. In proving myself equal to my peers, I became a victim of racial slurs. I was unable to identify with a social class and felt at a loss of identity and culture. Although at the time, I felt confused and bitter for attending a high school with no diversity in the student body, today, I believe that my first-hand experiences of discrimination and prejudice have compelled me to change how race is viewed in this country. My hard work in school has lead me to attend a top research university, University of California Davis, where I major in Microbiology with a minor in Religious Studies, and plan to pursue a career that will allow me to create more racial tolerance in