Discrimination occurs on a daily basis in our society whether we accept it or not. Many people are labeled and stereotyped by others due to the groups of people they are friends with, the clubs they are involved in, the type of clothes they wear and the list can go on and on. I believe people may label me as a “snobby-rich girl.” They could have obtained this idea because I went to a private grade school and high school and am now in a sorority which also has the label of “Visa, Visa, Mastercard.” This stereotype can be a challenge because I do not think that I am “handed” everything in life and I have worked diligently to achieve all that I have accomplished. In the summer, I work from seven in the morning until four in the afternoon and then sometimes take on an extra shift at night. Also, I do not ask my parents for money and if the occasion arises, I feel uncomfortable doing so. Actually, I find it difficult to spend money on clothes and personal items because my parents have instilled the benefits of saving money from an early age. Therefore, I think a people should refrain from stereotyping people before they get to know them. Even though I like to save money, I do have some privileges that my mentee does not. If the situation arises, I could ask my parents for financial help because my parents both work and our family has some financial stability since we have been in the same location for so many years. However, I believe Vivianna’s family does not have the same financial stability since her family moved to America only a few years ago and it is difficult to find a job in the current economy.
Hopefully Vivianna has not experienced this but, people could discriminate against her because of her Mexican roots. Americans are upset because immigrants accept jobs that many Americans refuse to take. As a result, Americans can see immigrants as people who are taking away American job opportunities. One way they can discriminate against her is by thinking she cannot speak English. I have seen it happen to older immigrants. People who are not first generation immigrants may talk slower and use hand motions when talking to someone who looks foreign because they feel that the person does not understand them, assuming that they do not speak English. If the American is correct, and the person cannot speak English, the American can become upset and frustrated easily and ask to speak to another person, without given the immigrant a chance. Even though it can be a challenge, I feel that people should be patient and give the person a chance to respond, complete a task or just perform their job. Just because a person does not speak the same language as another person does not mean that the person is uneducated and unaware. I hope Vivianna will not experience this because she is extremely educated; she knows two languages where the majority of the population only knows one.
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