Walnut Creek vs Emeryville

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Thanks!

I personally believe everyone should have an equal shot at everything. I don't think the color of skin should hurt or help you. I want to see businesses hire people they see the best potential. To be honest, a problem among young Black and Hispanic people are the way they dress and talk. You can't act and look like a rapper and expect to be given a professional job or internship. That is why Asians succeed in this country, even more so than Whites. Most Asian parents would never let their kids out of the house if they don't take school seriously or try to mimic Lil Wayne. I agree with Obama. There is every opportunity for people of all races in today's day and age. People need to stop making excuses and take responsibility for their lives instead of expecting a handout.

You're stereotyping Black & Hispanic youth. They don't all look and talk like rappers. Only the ones you notice do. You're not noticing all the ones on the bus, in the library, going to museums, bagging peoples groceries, tallying people's purchases at the cash register, or at home with their nose in their books. You don't notice all the Black tech whizzes working for Microsoft, or working as the IT specialist at the downtown stock brokerage. You don't notice the young Black college grads working at science labs, working on a cure for cancer or AIDS. You don't notice the Hispanic 14-year-old buying groceries for his disabled grandma who is raising him alone. Open your eyes and your heart, and your view will expand. (Funny how that works.)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jade408

It is typically more related to class than anything else here in the US.

At the grocery stores in my town, everyone dresses neatly, and I live in an Hispanic state. The only guy who doesn't dress appropriately is a young white guy at Whole Foods, who somehow manages to rig his pants so that they permanently sit below his rear all day without falling off. So all day he's going around with his rear and underwear completely exposed. Nobody else in town of any race dresses that way, especially at work. Some young guys wear baggy pants, but they don't go around exposing their rears as part of their style. I'm surprised Whole Foods allows that. It doesn't seem to have to do with class, I don't know what it has to do with, except trying to be cool.

FAIL!

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

At the grocery stores in my town, everyone dresses neatly, and I live in an Hispanic state. The only guy who doesn't dress appropriately is a young white guy at Whole Foods, who somehow manages to rig his pants so that they permanently sit below his rear all day without falling off. So all day he's going around with his rear and underwear completely exposed. Nobody else in town of any race dresses that way, especially at work. Some young guys wear baggy pants, but they don't go around exposing their rears as part of their style. I'm surprised Whole Foods allows that. It doesn't seem to have to do with class, I don't know what it has to do with, except trying to be cool.

FAIL!

This pant thing is hilarious and cuts across all races. It is dumb for anyone but I'll give you a pass up to age 20. After that if you are still sagging? Well there are no words.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You're stereotyping Black & Hispanic youth. They don't all look and talk like rappers. Only the ones you notice do. You're not noticing all the ones on the bus, in the library, going to museums, bagging peoples groceries, tallying people's purchases at the cash register, or at home with their nose in their books. You don't notice all the Black tech whizzes working for Microsoft, or working as the IT specialist at the downtown stock brokerage. You don't notice the young Black college grads working at science labs, working on a cure for cancer or AIDS. You don't notice the Hispanic 14-year-old buying groceries for his disabled grandma who is raising him alone. Open your eyes and your heart, and your view will expand. (Funny how that works.)

Um, no I'm not. You don't understand.

The ones who study and work hard usually end up successful. That is my point. A minority in today's day and age can make it in this world if he or she works and studies hard.

[04kL4nD]

*Assuming they have the resources/support and aren't the victims of institutionalized racism

FTFY

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

You're stereotyping Black & Hispanic youth. They don't all look and talk like rappers. Only the ones you notice do. You're not noticing all the ones on the bus, in the library, going to museums, bagging peoples groceries, tallying people's purchases at the cash register, or at home with their nose in their books. You don't notice all the Black tech whizzes working for Microsoft, or working as the IT specialist at the downtown stock brokerage. You don't notice the young Black college grads working at science labs, working on a cure for cancer or AIDS. You don't notice the Hispanic 14-year-old buying groceries for his disabled grandma who is raising him alone. Open your eyes and your heart, and your view will expand. (Funny how that works.)

You just gave me an idea for song lyrics.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Um, no I'm not. You don't understand.

The ones who study and work hard usually end up successful. That is my point. A minority in today's day and age can make it in this world if he or she works and studies hard.

I've posted about my own experiences growing up in another thread but I will tell you, all though that sounds pretty straightforward, you'd be surprised how often "black and brown" kids are discouraged from following the "success path" in our educational system.

When I moved east, to a new school district, my parents faced an uphill battle to get me into the right classes. The school administration in the new district actually accused my parents of forging my transcripts. And tried to put up a roadblock by saying I needed to take an IQ test and that state's standardized tests in order to "qualify" for the up leveled classes. Mysteriously enough all of those "requirements" disappeared when my parents threatened a discrimination lawsuit.

Now let's say you have parents who aren't armed with enough info to know that behavior was wrong? Who will be your advocate in the school system? That's the biggest challenge. Many of the decisions that are made from ages 8-12 determine where you end up at 18.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by jade408

I've posted about my own experiences growing up in another thread but I will tell you, all though that sounds pretty straightforward, you'd be surprised how often "black and brown" kids are discouraged from following the "success path" in our educational system.

When I moved east, to a new school district, my parents faced an uphill battle to get me into the right classes. The school administration in the new district actually accused my parents of forging my transcripts. And tried to put up a roadblock by saying I needed to take an IQ test and that state's standardized tests in order to "qualify" for the up leveled classes. Mysteriously enough all of those "requirements" disappeared when my parents threatened a discrimination lawsuit.

Now let's say you have parents who aren't armed with enough info to know that behavior was wrong? Who will be your advocate in the school system? That's the biggest challenge. Many of the decisions that are made from ages 8-12 determine where you end up at 18.

And this is exactly why it's risky to institute an education system that steers students into vocational ed vs. college prep, as is done in some European countries, and has been occasionally proposed here. Most of the kids who'd end up in the voc program would be the brown kids, most of the ones in college prep would be white kids. In European countries where populations are a bit more homogeneous (though that's been changing), that type of system works. It would be a massive fail in the US.

Good for your parents, Jade! Thanks for posting your story.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by jade408

I've posted about my own experiences growing up in another thread but I will tell you, all though that sounds pretty straightforward, you'd be surprised how often "black and brown" kids are discouraged from following the "success path" in our educational system.

When I moved east, to a new school district, my parents faced an uphill battle to get me into the right classes. The school administration in the new district actually accused my parents of forging my transcripts. And tried to put up a roadblock by saying I needed to take an IQ test and that state's standardized tests in order to "qualify" for the up leveled classes. Mysteriously enough all of those "requirements" disappeared when my parents threatened a discrimination lawsuit.

Now let's say you have parents who aren't armed with enough info to know that behavior was wrong? Who will be your advocate in the school system? That's the biggest challenge. Many of the decisions that are made from ages 8-12 determine where you end up at 18.

Nice story, I'm glad things worked out for you!

[rkwalton]

Originally Posted by jade408

Now let's say you have parents who aren't armed with enough info to know that behavior was wrong? Who will be your advocate in the school system? That's the biggest challenge. Many of the decisions that are made from ages 8-12 determine where you end up at 18.

I agree.

I remember my mother being very proactive and rallying for me when I was in elementary school. I was always ahead of my class because my parents were big on education and taught me before I was in preschool.

Something similar happen to me but it was in elementary school. They were going to put me in a class with a notoriously bad teacher and my mother fought to make sure I wasn't placed in her class. That rubbed some folks the wrong way for sure, but that move put it in my head to always push for myself. I think I got so good at it that by the time middle school hit my parents rarely needed to get involved. (Distinct from your situation as your family relocated.)

It armed me at a young age to push for myself. I remember in high school people just assuming that I was supposed to be with the regular kids instead of in the AP courses. I had the presence of mind to step up right then and got placed in the right classes.

That followed me into university where counselors were trying to discourage me from taking a double-major. It followed me into grad school too but what's nice is at that level people are generally supportive.

I basically learned at a certain point to just tune anyone trying to tell me what I couldn't do out. If that isn't modeled for you when you're young, it's probably very hard to self-motivate later on.