Just a reflective moment to stop and share....
I spend a great deal of time reflecting spiritually, emotionally & intellectually on the role I play as academic facilitator/mentor. So in my time this weekend of conducting my reflective disciplines. I realized that maybe I could have spent more time explaining biological versus social-cultural construction of the term "Race".
Darlene's question was an excellent one, "If race is not biological, why are a male and female European-American couple highly likely to have a child who is fair-skinned?" Regionally & historically we know different regions, morph from darker to lighter skin shades- nevertheless melanin is a gene that exist differently in everyone. It dictates the color of your skin, so melanin is a biological gene. Its one gene in a slew of DNA strands that we all share- over 90% of DNA that we have is common in all humans.
This is important to understand because although melanin construction is a gene that is biological, the construction of the term "Race" was not derived from that knowledge. It was derived from the false notion that because skin color was different, it meant inferiority in all areas of human capacity: potential.
I say all of this to address that historically so-called considerable biological differences between races, was a false construction, that was and is really based on a maintenance and justification of power, not in the difference in a melanin gene.
So thank you for asking wonderful questions that provoke me to further facilitate learning, in ways that clarify, create opportunists to dialogue and most importantly allow for change & growth.
The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
Joy,
Mayra Lopez,LMSW
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work
Nyack College
845-358-1710/ext. 733
mayra.humphreys@nyack.edu
Darlene's question was an excellent one, "If race is not biological, why are a male and female European-American couple highly likely to have a child who is fair-skinned?" Regionally & historically we know different regions, morph from darker to lighter skin shades- nevertheless melanin is a gene that exist differently in everyone. It dictates the color of your skin, so melanin is a biological gene. Its one gene in a slew of DNA strands that we all share- over 90% of DNA that we have is common in all humans.
This is important to understand because although melanin construction is a gene that is biological, the construction of the term "Race" was not derived from that knowledge. It was derived from the false notion that because skin color was different, it meant inferiority in all areas of human capacity: potential.
I say all of this to address that historically so-called considerable biological differences between races, was a false construction, that was and is really based on a maintenance and justification of power, not in the difference in a melanin gene.
So thank you for asking wonderful questions that provoke me to further facilitate learning, in ways that clarify, create opportunists to dialogue and most importantly allow for change & growth.
The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
Joy,
Mayra Lopez,LMSW
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work
Nyack College
845-358-1710/ext. 733
mayra.humphreys@nyack.edu
posted by SWK 254 Understanding Diversity @ 11:52 AM
3 Comments:
At 7:38 AM,
SWK 254 Understanding Diversity said…
God Bless, it's Laura
I have read what you posted and have decided to share what I see through my eyes. Race is a term that is used all over, we see it in documents, we use it when we talk, it's a word that follows us throughout life. Unfortunately it was a word made up to distinguish,the inferior. I sometimes don't like the idea of answering questions as to what race I am, it bothers me the fact I have to tell someone what color I look. What difference does this make? I'm still human and I will procede. No one should be inferior to any other human being. Although sadly it is the case that this still exists throughout the world.
At 3:35 PM,
Reyna said…
That video that we saw in class was interesting. People do not realize how much they are segragating themselves and others by categorizing peoples into race, color. "I am a human being that was born in Dominican Republic" is different from stating "I am Dominican." There is almost a sense of pride and separation from saying I am Dominican.
At 4:11 PM,
SWK 254 Understanding Diversity said…
Hi it's Readlyn,
I have been struggling with this feeling for a while, anytime race is mention, and I see what the black people had to go through I get so mad, it feels as if it's been done to me, which is one of the reason I try to stay away from the topic. I took a class with Prof.Godboalt, African American Fine Art,it was pretty amazing but what I notice it created in me was this dormant feeling of hate, which as a christian I know I'm not suppose to say I feel for anyone, because the good news is mostly about love, God's love for us and how we suppose to love each other even the ones that do us wrong, but it's a feeling I'm trying to deal with, hopefully with prayers and God's help I'll overcome it.
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