As Americans, we all came from somewhere where we weren’t happy to make a better life for ourselves. Even the original settlers came from England before they were ever American. When you add the hard working immigrants, their children, and so on, they have the same goals, feelings, and dreams. Coming from another place is part of what makes America so special, yet we still discriminate against each other and have a racial hierarchy.

Personally, I believe that it is interesting and meaningful to be around the other cultures and experience a wide range of things. It allows me to make better decisions, as I have the chance to consider many different perspectives before making my choices. Being around all of these different people offers me the chance to learn new skills as well. These skills can be anything from cultural dances to learning how to cook new foods. Over all, it helps me flex my empathy muscle and understand other people in a new way.

As a white female, I have never experienced the negative effects racism first hand but I strongly believe that I need to do more to stop it. This means not only treating EVERYONE with kindness and respect, but also calling out anyone out does not. I believe that we each need to look in the mirror and think about how both our positive and negative affect the rest of the world. Once we do that we can start to make change as a nation, rather than as individuals.