Today's segregation and self segregating  

America has always been divided by race, political views, geographic, socioeconomic and so on. However, in this past few year we have distance ourselves even more from each other. We all know the history of segregation the reason for segregation in place was to ensure the black Americans to lived apart from white Americans. Racial segregation systems were developed in the northern town and cities to secure the African Americans were inferior to white Americans. Majority of the black Americans lived in rustical location in the south, for they were slaves and form part of the plantation system. But, this is not the segregation I am talking about- I am talking about the 21st century segregation. Even though our society is diverse one is still divided for prejudice reasons. America’s society is still segregated today. Segregation still excites in today’s society whether one see it or ignores it. Many people believe to bridge the differences that divide us: we need to have better communication and empathy for others. People must get out of their comfort zone and be willing to hear other people’s view of point even if they do not agree to there point.

In the essay “ The New Jim Crow”, by Michelle Alexander states “ Employers routinely discriminate against an applicant based on criminal history, as do landlords. In most states, it is also legal to make ex-drug offenders in eligible for food stamps. In some major urban areas, if you take into account prisoners — who are excluded from poverty and unemployment statistics, thus masking the severity of black disadvantage — more than half of working-age African American men have criminal records and are thus subject to legalized discrimination for the rest of their lives. In Chicago, for instance, nearly 80 percent of working-age African American men had criminal records in 2002. These men are permanently locked into an inferior, second-class status, or caste, by law and custom. ” This is segregating the people that have been in jail or have a bad record. Yes, they made a bad choice; however, they payed for their consequences and deserve a second chances. To be able to work and provide food for there family an themselves. Another example of segregation that we have today is our neighborhoods. In the article “ America is still segregated.

We need to be honest about why”, by Richard Rothstein mentions how our neighborhoods are segregated because of social class. People who are wealthy will be living in private properties with better education. Meanwhile, people who are mid-class or low class will be living in poor areas. Rothstein himself writes “ Residential segregation exacerbates many national problems. In education, a black-white achievement gap persists largely because the poorest pupils are concentrated in racially homogenous schools where instruction is overwhelmed by children’s out-of-school challenges; these schools are segregated because their neighborhoods are segregated. Growing inequality partly reflects a racial wealth gap. ” In other words our inequality can limites the privileges that some people have. However, other would argue that America is equal and diverse. The diversity that we have is what makes America. According to Jennifer Van Hook and Barrett Lee urban areas have increased 98% and 97% in smaller cities since 1980. The World & I Diversity in America states “ the fusion of cultures here is so unique and so exceptional that citizens can be just as proud of their original cultural heritage as they are to be an American. ” In making this common, The World & I Diversity in America argues to us that we have the freedom to embrace our culture while being an American.

Meaning it doesn’t matter if one is black, caucasian, asian, or latino we all have the same equal rights. Other can also say that everybody has an equal education, for public schools are free until 12 grade. All Americans have the privilege to vote unlike other people in other countries. For some people it can be uncomfortable to interact with other culture and this can lead to self segregate. For instances, when a college is trying to figure out the students roommate; they try to pick someone with similar characteristic, yet someone with a different background. But, when the student finds out who there roommate is and they don’t think they will relate the student will find someone else that is like them and that is self-segregating. Self -segregating can usually happen during students first year of college. According to Gabriela Moro essay “ Minority Students Clubs: Segregation or integration?”, she says “ Minority student clubs provide familiar and approachable environments for minority students to thrive in their academic and social lives with peers who have similar backgrounds. These programs are instrumental for minority students to stay connected with their culture when they go college. Minority student programs are especially important for first-year students. They help ease first-year minority students’ transition into the college environment. Ethnic student organizations help students adjust and find their place at universities that have a predominately White student body. ” Although this true for most first year college/university students who are minorities at their schools, this is self-segregating and not making their school diverse. Going out of our comfort zone can be challenging at least for me it was coming to Orange College Coast College (OCC). Like Moro said in her essay for first year college student who are minority at their school having that club that feel like “ home” can be helpful. Even though I did stay local and came to a community college it was a cultural shock. I came from the Garden Grove Unified School District I would say it was a diverse district.

However, school wise it was by race. This was not intentionally I would say, but more by the area we live in. I attended Los Amigos High School and majority of the student are latinos- unlike La Quinta High school majority of their student are asians, or Garden Grove High school who majority are caucasian students. So coming to OCC like I said before was a cultural shock according to the OCC campus public safety department base on 2017 report 73. 9% are caucasian and only 14. 5% are hispanic. I felt like I didn’t belong at this school and I had wish that there was a club for a minority like me. Yes, I would of self segregated myself, but I would felt like I belong. Despite the fact, that I am a minority at OCC by staying at OCC will only increase the percentage of latinos like me and make my college more diverse. Therefore America is still segregate it might not exactly be the same as back then, but it still exist in the 21st century. Even though we are diverse our differences will always divide us until we learn to listen to each other. America is culturally rich so why not embraces every races and put our differences aside and bring America together. Audre Lorde once said “ It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. ”