Race and Your Community - Research Paper Example

I am an Afro-American, living in a White dominated community in Maryland, US and can vouch from personal experience that the racial discrimination is still very much in vogue, though in a more subtle form! In the community I am living, there are overt and covert means of racial discriminations. There is distinct air of superiority displayed by white members. There are two Churches and blacks are discouraged to attend the Sunday congregation in the Church where the white members go. Once, when I was new to the area and had inadvertently attended the Sunday mass in their church, I could sense the displeasure in their stiff faces and silent stares that had made me very uncomfortable.

I had later realized that the Sunday mass was conspicuous in its absence of any black church goer, barring myself, of course. Afterwards, I was subtly informed by the white priest that it would be better for me to go to the other church where I would be able to find more ‘friends’. Maryland has a long history of racial intolerance but after getting educated and gainfully employed, I was fairly certain that the old prejudices against the blacks would have considerably reduced. But living in the present community which has people coming from diverse background but still dominated by white population, was an eye-opener.

Few of the Asians and Hispanics, who were my neighbors, were also wary of displaying any open friendly gestures. Though, they talked and were not averse to be helpful when I needed something, they did not come forward to make friends with me, on their own. They had probably been fed erroneous information about us from the white leaders of the community. It has been about a year since I have moved in this area. Two major and many minor religious festivals and occasions have passed. The various community based functions, rallies and charity walks were held during the period.

In all those occasions, no invitations for participation