Monae Fleming

Professor Asgar

AMS 200

December 3, 2024

The Minority Experience

American culture is based on white supremacy which places people of color as the

minority. Minorities are communities that are smaller than most Americans based on race,

ethnicity, religion, or language. In America even though it is diverse, white individuals are the

majority, and other races are the minority. Through systemic racism, institutional discrimination

is based on these factors and can contribute to the changes in policies and protocols that exist

within American society. By viewing this through a sociological lens, it explains how multiple

forms of discrimination and oppression overlap and create different experiences for each group.

The minority experience in America showcases the systemic inequalities and the ongoing

struggle for equal rights and opportunities. As marginalized communities become the majority

they must learn to navigate the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status to

fight for their identity and their place in the nation.

According to White Fragility by DiAngelo White, “Race is a social construction, and thus

who is included in the category of white changes over time.” This social construct has been built

into society and structures where it places white Americans as superior and other races as

inferior. Racial inferiority was only created to justify the unequal treatment and exploitation of

minorities. However, if an individual can pass to be white, they will be able to experience white

privileges and status that can make the success rate better. Today, calling someone racist or
prejudiced is the same as calling someone bad or shaming them for their mentality. Now,

behaviors such as violence, threats, and exclusion are not supported since it has been stated that

it is against one's right to experience racism in public places of business. Nevertheless, some

individuals have condescending tones or subtle movements from individuals from the races that

make them feel like a threat or to be excluded. Since this behavior has been embedded in

American culture it is hard to teach white Americans not to act prejudicially since they are doing

so subconsciously. The way white Americans view the world is based on prejudice that has been

manifest in how they react to other races. Since they hold the most power or legal authority

positions, they transformed the racist actions of segregation and discrimination into policies that

are less forward with their racial intent. These policies or practices are more likely to solidify

their position to place prejudiced tendencies into our structures. Furthermore, it goes further than

the person themselves, but where they are positioned on the racial hierarchy, it seems natural to

be in lower positions because it appears natural to be subjected to such challenges. They view

themselves as undeserving of resources and other things which further reinforces racism since

they are not subjecting themselves to these thought processes. It is more beneficial for white

Americans or those who "pass" as white because society puts them and views them in a position

to benefit more than others. Even though it is less likely for white individuals to be for racism

since it is now frowned upon, they still benefit from the systems that grant automatic immunity

or have privileges for being a part of the white community.

Slavery established the black experience in America being African American means there

is a constant battle for equality and to be recognized as a part of society and not be villainized

based on skin. At the beginning of African Americans' journey, they were forced to go through

over 300 years of slavery to contribute to the advancements of America. They were kidnapped
from Africa and other countries, to work plantations without pay and under immense torture and

mistreatment. In 1865, slavery was abolished however, in a way, the abolishment of slavery did

not completely free African Americans because the subjugation only became new forms of

subjugation that still made African Americans' pain and suffering a form of entertainment and

oppression. The mark of slavery staining African American history has affected how they

identify and how they are viewed. They are viewed as inhumane, dangerous, and violent which

contributes to how they are treated in society. These stereotypes make it difficult for them to get

employment, public assistance, and higher education furthermore African Americans believe that

they don't deserve more. Since they understand that their place in society is to be White

America's commodity they continue to be represented not only through their pain and suffering

but also their struggle for their needs. Their oppressors only changed their style of oppression; to

expand, white people use laws and structural violence to keep African Americans from

recognizing their voices, and the power they hold in their society. This can be seen as police

brutality, mass incarceration, and over-policing black communities. Any form of resistance is a

threat to the power dynamic so when black history is reiterated through the white point of view,

they fail to grasp the hardships they experience. The African American experience includes

violence and exclusion to maintain the racial hierarchy.

Native Americans in the United States must go through the hardship of preserving any

cultural identity and regaining their rights to the land that has been taken from them during

colonialism. While giving them little space in government to seem like they still have a say in

policies with "new locals" that are the priority, the Native people are forgotten on their land.

During the beginning of the making of America, it was the highest point of white supremacy

creating spaces for slavery and genocide of Native Americans. Since settlers viewed their culture
and religion as superior to others, native nations lost their values and beliefs whether it was

through forced conversion into Christianity or through the advanced weaponry that was too

powerful against the Native Americans' weapons. The land was seen as "free land" since they

didn't view Native Americans as a community that was a threat to their advances. The settlers

created boarding schools where they would teach Native American children the civilized way to

live and conduct life which whitewashed their history. Through multiple wars like the Civil War

and Indian Wars, diseases, and failed resistances, colonialism caused the genocide of Indigenous

people. Their deaths contributed to making land available to oncoming settlers and slave masters.

Native Americans are so desperate for their land back that they previously supported the

Confederate Party with the hopes that it would weaken the country and now they constantly

advocate for more resources. Native Americans are part of American history since they shared so

many resources and skills with settlers however, they are mocked for their culture and pushed to

the side when policies are being made. Moreover, with today's focus on policies, Native

Americans are one community that constantly falls through the cracks when it comes to policies

and assistance.

Moreover, being Asian in America means there is a challenge of stemming away from

stereotypes and discrimination that narrows their place in society. The Asian community

normally has the highest income, most educated, and generational wealth. Through the American

lens, Asian Americans are viewed as hardworking and nonthreatening but in the same sense, it

confines Asian Americans into this one identity. It only positions them to work as a doctor, in an

office, or as an artist since they are not violent professions. When put in a position of power they

are less likely to be viewed as an authority figure. Racism occurs through the compliments that

the individual looks feminine or has feminine tendencies. The racist love that Asian Americans
experience is like a backhand compliment to the Asian community since they are accepted in

some narratives that have to do with education but exclude them from others. For example, a

stereotypical Asian is smart, fair-skinned, and usually a doctor, these are viewed as being a

model minority. But if someone goes against the grain then their Asian identity is questioned.

They are commonly the model minority since they are the best or the fastest. But this is racist

since it underlines the racial stereotypes that insult the community, but other communities praise

it. For Asian Americans, it is a double-edged sword where they are loved in terms of their

stereotypical attributes but hated in prejudiced views on the COVID-19 virus and the amusement

of other audiences. The stereotypes are only positive because they complement their identity by

pointing out the good attributes of the community but also hinder Asian Americans' identity by

giving the impression that they must contribute to society.

In summary, the experience of minority groups in America highlights the reinforcement

of systemic racism and their experiences of discrimination. The historical oppression of African

Americans and Native Americans as well as the effects of stereotypes faced by Asian Americans

reveal the aspects of inequality in the U.S. Since racism is a social construct, it continues to

shape policies, societal norms, and perceptions maintaining the agenda of white supremacy.

There has been progress such as laws that are against hate crimes and discrimination, and

altering practices to make sure no one experiences mistreatment based on their race. However,

subtle behaviors and limited access to resources and opportunities persist which is reinforced by

racial stereotypes. The intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status is crucial to

understanding why there is a struggle to thrive for certain individuals based on their racial

background. Recognizing the inequalities begins the process of breaking the cycle of oppression

and working towards equality.