For many, the topic of race is either very difficult or not important. For example, people who identify with "White" or "Caucasian", there is not too much explanation or exploration as to what nationality your definition of "White" or "Caucasian" is. This can also be said for the other racial labels like "Black", "Hispanic/Latino" or "Asian" (this is not a comprehensive list, but the point is that our racial identity is more than a checkbox. It carries meaning and can also have tones of injustice, ignorance or pain affiliated with the checkbox).
A question to consider is: beyond _____ (racial grouping label), what/who am I?”.
Knowing that racial identifiers are created to manage or grouping people. There is not a reason for a more specific designation because it defeats the purpose of the grouping. But we are individually more than just the group identifier that we check on various forms or documents. So sticking to the label and letting the label be the end of our self-exploration and validation short changes our own identity.
For many, engaging our race has many implications on how we engage with society at large. For some white people, there is insecurity about being white. For some who are white, denying white’s power is in efforts to deny the power that has been and is selectively distributed in society. After all, we cannot change the color of our skin and that is never going to be the answer. We do not need more of any one demographic. We (people on earth) need you to be you, not what society expects or defines you to be, but the genuine expression of you.
Many of the injustices around the social construct of race come from unaccepting and resisting the origins that you and I come from. Being insecure or angry about your race or status is a great place to start asking questions of why and how (ex: Why is my racial identity not important to me? How do other people see my race versus how I see my race?).
Exploring what your race means to you can help you feel more connected to yourself and others. Instead of being ashamed, there could be meaning. Instead of feeling condemned, you could feel a sense of rich (which can include pain with insights) history of who you are.
Gaining a sense of connectedness to yourself allows you to better understand yourself. You cannot truly know others until you know yourself. So with that being said, how’s your relationship with yourself? Have you considered yourself as different than others? What about your experiences- how can your racial identity change how you work, play or engage with the world in comparison to someone with the same resume just with a different race?
Racial identity is so much more than a checkbox and is more than what a single noun can communicate. What I would propose is that your racial identity plays into every part of your life: relationships, work, play, eating, religious views, holidays, etc. Your racial identity has to do with who you are, and without exploring or knowing this, how could you ever move forward with accepting yourself despite your performance, loving others with compassion or understanding the nature of the problems that have wrongly marginalized anyone who is not white. So much of the injustice that takes place within racial contexts in the United States starts in the heart. If we do not see ourselves with meaning or value, how can we do that for our neighbor? One piece of the pie is racial identity and being able to accept that. Other parts include restitution, mental health needs/implications, and spiritual connection.
In the context of counseling, there is much to be said about the role of race as we are all formed by the societal norms that go unquestioned and vigorously maintained. Challenging the norms does not always look like revolt or rebellion, but first starts with radical acceptance of self so that we can love and accept others. THEN and only then, can we move out of the place we find ourselves in.
Here’s a list of journaling prompts/questions mentioned above:
Beyond _____ (racial label), what/who am I?
Who were my parents?
Their parents?
Why is my racial identity important to me? Why is my racial identity not important to me?
How do other people see my race versus how I see my race?
How’s my relationship with myself?
Have you considered yourself as different than others?
What about your experiences- how can your racial identity change how you work, play or engage with the world in comparison to someone with the same resume just with a different race?
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