Multicultural Interview
I am a Mexican born female living in the United States. Living in America has allowed me to pursue my educational goals. In my last employment, the manager was a woman. She was in charge of several dozen workers. More importantly, she was so competent that she had risen through the ranks within a few years from a line worker to a manager. I also learned that she was a single mother to two teenage boys in addition to being a part-time graduate student. She commanded respect from all the workers regardless of their age, gender, or position in the company. Working alongside her made me proud to be a woman.
One year ago, my cousin and I were driving around town when a drunken Caucasian woman hit our car from behind. After she noticed what she had done, she did not try to escape. Instead, she pulled over her car and started approaching us. However, her attitude changed when she saw that she had hit a car with two Mexicans. Instead of asking if we were hurt, the first question she posed to us was if we were living in America legally. To the woman in question, all Mexicans are illegal immigrants.
I am Mexican but I am not a job stealer. On this note, I did not come to America away from Americans. Instead, I am working very hard to contribute meaningfully to this country, which has been a very good host to me. It is my hope that I will one day establish my own company and employ many Americans, regardless of their ethnicity.
For me, stereotype comes from negative socialization. For example, many Americans grow up being told to always be conscious when they are around African Americans or Latinos by the mass media. A recent study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs revealed that Hispanics are almost absent as characters, anchors, or correspondents in the entertainment sector (Latinos Portrayals in the Media, n. d.). I think that the media has a big role to play in ensuring the negative stereotype against minorities is reduced or eliminated. Mexicans are depicted in a negative way in most of the videos I have watched. For example, Mexicans are portrayed as illegal immigrants or drug traffickers. If American media start portraying Mexican Americans as successful lawyers, scientists, business people, the negative stereotype against this group of individuals will slowly fade away.
To sum up, there are very many negative stereotypes directed at women and members of minority races. These stereotypes may have damaging effects on the lives of the victims. I have been on the receiving end of the negative stereotypes directed at women and minorities in America.
References
Latinos Portrayals in the Media. (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.umich.edu/~ac213/student_projects07/latinoad/Latinomedia.html
References