My peers with in the school have also shaped my identity and views. Ever since I arrived from my grandma’s house in Mexico. I relied on my school and peers to integrate into this country. I learned social customs, language, and new holidays from my school and peers. For example, I learned to be patriotic to this country by saying the pledge of allegiance every day. From my peers and teachers I learned that America was very religious, which seem to cater protestant followers only. Growing up I never told anyone I was catholic. When I had told one of my friends I was; she shunned it because her parents had told her so. I tried to be as normal as possible and fit in with everyone else. The school system I grew up in was also very conservative and they were predominately white. This meaning three black students and four Latino students including myself graduated from our class. This being said I experienced a lot of prejudices in politics and religion as well as racial prejudices from my peers. I remember in middle school I wasn’t allowed to go to one of my friend’s house, her parents didn’t like me because I was Mexican. My belief system was steered to be conservative and protestant with prejudices instilled in me. Hence, I was made to feel like an outcast; this helped shape my beliefs in how I should treat others who were different from me. It also thought me to be a very open minded person, when it came to religious beliefs, politics and different people. As I got older and met different people in college and other towns besides the one I grew up in. I realized that its ok to be different and some people have thought me to be more open about what I truly belief in instead of hiding who I am to fit in. Since then, I have never kept my mouth closed, when I hear someone being racist or ignorant towards any issue that I have knowledge
My peers with in the school have also shaped my identity and views. Ever since I arrived from my grandma’s house in Mexico. I relied on my school and peers to integrate into this country. I learned social customs, language, and new holidays from my school and peers. For example, I learned to be patriotic to this country by saying the pledge of allegiance every day. From my peers and teachers I learned that America was very religious, which seem to cater protestant followers only. Growing up I never told anyone I was catholic. When I had told one of my friends I was; she shunned it because her parents had told her so. I tried to be as normal as possible and fit in with everyone else. The school system I grew up in was also very conservative and they were predominately white. This meaning three black students and four Latino students including myself graduated from our class. This being said I experienced a lot of prejudices in politics and religion as well as racial prejudices from my peers. I remember in middle school I wasn’t allowed to go to one of my friend’s house, her parents didn’t like me because I was Mexican. My belief system was steered to be conservative and protestant with prejudices instilled in me. Hence, I was made to feel like an outcast; this helped shape my beliefs in how I should treat others who were different from me. It also thought me to be a very open minded person, when it came to religious beliefs, politics and different people. As I got older and met different people in college and other towns besides the one I grew up in. I realized that its ok to be different and some people have thought me to be more open about what I truly belief in instead of hiding who I am to fit in. Since then, I have never kept my mouth closed, when I hear someone being racist or ignorant towards any issue that I have knowledge