Definition of Race Race is a group of people of common ancestry, distinguished from others by physical characteristics, such as hair type, the color of eyes and skin. Race as a social construction is changing as time goes on. Our daily lives are affected by race whether we are aware of it or not. We can see all over the world that race has affected various domains of our lives. From the types of jobs we have the amount of money we make, the kinds of friends we keep, the food we eat and even the schools we will attend. The entire foundation of race is constructed on a platform based on the color of people’s skin. The construction of social reality is based on social groups and the agreements and disagreements that are made based on the acceptance of certain constructions when it comes to our existence. There is nothing biologically real about race. I have learned that that there is no certain identification of race that exists from our collective agreements, acceptance, and positions other than our existing with one another. Race is a social construction that has real consequences and effects. Race shapes the way we view ourselves and those around us. We shouldn’t have an objective knowledge about race. We can know what race is and how it works being aware that regardless of the various shifts in the meaning of race that they have occurred through history and going to occur geographically but this should not lead to skepticism and the destruction of positive social constructions. The understanding race draws upon differences not only in the skin color and physical attributes but also when it comes to language, nationality, and even religion. Race categories are often used as ethnic intensifiers that aim to justify why one group of people is different from the other group. Race has become so difficult in American society that there is no room for people to be open-minded when challenging these so-called racial categories. The old traditional racial categories were based on visible traits, primarily skin color, features of the face and the shape and size of the head and body. This old way of thinking creates a great deal of discrimination based upon the way a person looks. The expression of prejudice can develop during this process undermining the well-being of people, and creating a certain level of mistreatment based on physical attributes. Biological differences between human beings reflect both hereditary and the influences of natural and social environments. Most cases each race has there on the set of traditions that they live by this is critical to understanding the culturally constructed nature of a person’s development and awareness of the effects of our ethnical sense of self. Political theory always debates about multiculturalism largely taken for granted not knowing which race to be recognized and accommodated. When it comes to language and religion and racial justice, I want to see more races connected to the pursuit of equality because social constructions have created a divide. Traditional views of assimilation have created certain accommodations in certain cultures. Assimilation of underserves groups into overall American majority process started by affecting the interaction of several classes based on certain variables. Racial, psychological, cultural and demographic are a few variables that are in the process of assimilation. Over the years, I have discovered that as being an African American people feel that there is a lack of assimilation in the United States, during the years to physical rather than cultural traits. This explanation has been put into place based on the stresses that occur in racial, historical, structural and interactions during life. Race is showing that color affects the choices we make and are strong factors affecting the differential assimilation in society. Social media and psychological variables play an important role in the process of assimilation as well. For example, think of African American and how the black man is viewed as a lazy, dangerous individual. This creates a form of avoidance from other races that is found my images and frequently broadcasts on different levels of media on the black man. I feel that attention should be called to attitudinal factors that have retarded assimilation in specific historical situations, particularly the belief that members of one or another racial or ethnic group are unassimilable. Certain practices of segregation and even genocide have been rationalized on the ground that some groups are unassimilable shocking to read and see, and change has to come. The new definition of race in contemporary American has so many variations it is unbelievable. When it comes to assimilation the person being assimilated must forsake his or her cultural tradition to become part of a different culture. I know that isn’t fair why a person should have to forget where they come from to be a part of a new group. The differences between the minority and the majority are large. This is why I don’t like the melting pot because you are throwing so many races in the pot and the majority because it is the larger number of races will overshadow the other races. I wish that race in contemporary America would be a fusion of all races to a certain extent. Granting a positive, uplifting lifestyle that combines all races into a new diverse racial or ethnic group creating something new. The pluralist perspective gives society mutual respect for everyone’s culture, this level of respect allows minorities to express their culture without suffering prejudice and discrimination. For a person like myself I have to agree with the pluralist perspective because it gives people a true chance at life. Contemporary America makes people believe that they want the world to be one. The impression that everyone is treated fairly, and we all get along but, in fact, there is a scary truth is race is killing people. There is a lack of communication and historical events that are stopping the race in contemporary America from being a beautiful flourishing state of being.
As an African American, I try hard to define race in the right manner and not based on what society shows. If I define race based on society that means that I’m in agreeance with the level of treatment that I receive from a black woman. I believe in a better America that it going in a different direction. I don’t believe that contemporary American is built upon segregation, assimilation, expulsion and extermination. Even though this all you see on television, read in magazines and view posted pictures of on different platforms. Yes, times are hard but times are truly changing. I have read several stories and watched movies of different races treating my race badly, but I will never let these images and events change my definition of race. As years pass race slides and makes brilliant moves towards a new beginning. I honestly feel that race in America is now moving in a better direction despite what is seen. I define race as a reflection of diversity in the form of a salad bowl. The United States has been described as a melting pot of peoples. With the salad bowl creates the opportunity for every race to add its flavor to society. Even if some ingredients that are added hope to spoil the salad the freshness of the races combine will overshadow the negative taste that want to be savored over the positive mixture.

Reference
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Cruz, P. (2011). Salad bowls: a reflection on race. Retrieved from http://ndsmcobserver.com/2014/04/salad-bowls-reflection-race/
Ramon, G. (2000). Race: Social Concept, Biological Idea. Retrieved from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f00/web2/ramon2.html
Hagen, E. (2015). Biological Aspects of Race. Retrieved from http://www.physanth.org/about/position-statements/biological-aspects-race/
Fedelina, A. (2011). Racial and Ethnic Identity and development. Retrieved from http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic551690.files/Chavez%20and%20Guido%20Debrito.pdf
Song, S. (2007). Multiculturalism. Retrieved from http://iis-db.stanford.edu/evnts/5120/Song,_Stanford_paper_Nov_2007.pdf
Gale, T. (2008). Assimilation. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Assimilation.aspx