When you are a member of an underrepresented group, it is always nice to have mentors, who look like you, act like you, are the same gender and the same ethnic background. In America, and especially Sacramento, California, Mulatto men (African American and European American) are truly represented. When I was student a Sac State, many teachers found it hard to profile me and thought I was sick because my skin was not as dark as they are used to seeing African American men, and some people will treat you like an outcast. I have African American friends, but they do not treat me like they treat their other black friends. Like, I do not get invited to their parties and clubs because I do not fit in. So I pretty much got over being included and became okay with being an individual. After all, the white people, my age, have done me far worse than the blacks. They let me know off the bat that they did not like me because they all ganged up on me and made fun of me and spread very nasty rumors, and took my resources and tried to get me in trouble and thought it was funny; that is totally fine.

 What is done in the dark will always be seen in the light.  Now, I know not to open myself up to others so easily. However, as I was watching the CBS Evening News tonight, and saw Maurice DuBois, who is an American television anchorman, for WCBS-TV in New York City, and the CBS network, was anchoring the World news desk tonight and that made me feel good. Not only is his skin the same color as mine, but his hair is the same texture and I know he has had to have had some of the same experiences as me.  So in a way one feels like they are having a conversation with someone who can truly relate to them. Just seeing Mr. DuBois made my eyes light up and made me feel better as a person. You do not see many black men on TV, especially not Mulattos, and it is nice to be represented, as it gives you hope that people will get used to looking at you and other opportunities will open up for you.

 Growing up, I never thought so much about skin color, ethnic background, or anything, we were all just a bunch of kids having fun. So to me, I was just like everyone else. However, as an adult, hearing people, who are also African America or European American, talking about your skin color because it is not as dark as they likely was a total culture shock to me. There are some benefit, like for the past four years, since I let my hair grown back, I get compliments on it almost daily–people love the natural reddish brown color and the waviness of my hair, and that is so nice. Another great thing is I am relatively tall, smart, good-looking and look younger than I am. However, no one should be made to feel differently or discriminated against. Today, being underrepresented usually means you are part of a group of people that comprises less than half of some population. Sociologist are very interested in these the status of underrepresented groups. However, when people use the term minority group, they are usually defining a category of people who are set apart for unequal treatment because of physical or cultural characteristics. While there are many kinds of minorities, including religions groups, people with disabilities and others, it is important that the term minority is not always about ethnic background. When individuals are discriminated against, this means that they are not just facing prejudice attitudes, they are facing actions from others who treat them unequally because of their group membership.

 Discrimination may be personal, legal or institutional. Personal discrimination includes attacks on minority group members, from social slights (everyone in the office gets together and harasses you because you look different), and insults to murder. In legal discrimination, minority group members are denied lawful access to public institutions, jobs, housing, and social rewards. There is also another kind of discrimination, institutional discrimination, where people are treated unequally because of beliefs and actions that are embedded in social institutions. During the 1960s, largely due to the Civil Rights movement and government action, many forms of racial and ethnic discrimination declined in the United States. However, the pendulum appears to be shifting in the opposite direction. People seem to be in an uproar about ethnic background. However, I just want to make it clear, most of the European Americans that I make contact with, in person, are very nice and polite, as well as others. It is just when you are different and seen as competition, others in the field want to crush you before you get started. And I have to really give a shout out to my mentor, she is also a reporter and has done a great job. I do not want her to feel slighted, nor do I want to embarrass her by saying her name. The things I have learned from you, I will always be carrying with me. I know she understand what I am going through and has had many of the same experiences. Thank you.