Overcoming Bias And Prejudice Research Paper
Overcoming Bias and Prejudice: Becoming Self-Aware
My name is Sean Lamar Hellems. I turned 24 on October 14. I was born in 1992 to John Hellems, Sr. & Natalie-Jean Craft in Bridgeton, Missouri—a suburb of Saint Louis. Unfortunately, my mother struggled with drugs and alcohol. After acting irresponsibly, she was hit by a truck and killed when I was two years old.
In 1994, my father married Raygenea Williams. That same year, we left Saint Louis in an old abandoned mail-truck. We moved 100 miles north to Hannibal, Missouri because Saint Louis was becoming too crime-stricken. My parents wanted to build a life that would allow us to have the best opportunities. They believed that moving to a smaller mostly white community would accomplish this. …show more content…
Unfortunately, my parents’ lack of higher education effected the family greatly. We were consigned to low income housing. My siblings and I were forced to wear the cheapest clothing. In fact, I remember wearing Velcro-strapped shoes until sometime in middle school. This resulted in social problems for me. Early on, I had behavioral problems, which resulted in counseling for a short time. I attribute my subsequent changed behavior to my commitment to my Catholic faith at the time. This helped to instill values that allowed me to see the effect that my actions had on my family and community.
Ancestral History
Father’s family.
My dad was born in Saint Louis Missouri to William and Lucy Hellems. Lucy was part Cherokee and mostly Black, and William was mixed with Black and White. William was born in Stephens City, Virginia in 1893. Desiring to escape racial persecution which was prevalent in Virginia, the family changed the surname from Helms to Hellems and moved to Saint Louis Missouri.
Moreover, when the Helms immigrated to America, they did so for the same reasons as many other people: to seek economic opportunity. The United States of America was perceived to be a land of opportunity, where white men could come and build their lives and families with egalitarian protections codified in law and social mores. Unfortunately, the Helms would learn that these protections only truly extended to White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs). Catholics were heavily persecuted at this time. However, unlike most Catholic immigrants, the Helms were English. This means that they had the privilege of navigating the United States and its systems much more easily, given that there was no language barrier. Furthermore, American society was largely white, English, and Protestant. Despite the religious difference, my family was not forced to strip itself of any regional traditions or customs in order to assimilate into the broader society. Being English, my family’s existence was normative, allowing it to be affirmed with ease. Also, despite any religious persecution, my family retained …show more content…
its Roman Catholicism and passed it down for generations. The Hellems family today is still predominately Roman Catholic.
Mother’s Family.
Conversely, my mother was fully black. Unfortunately, not much is known of her family. My father’s relationship with her was fragile. (They “hooked up,” but were not in a committed relationship.) What is known is that Her ancestors were slaves. They were brought in chains from West Africa. As is true of most African Americans, my ancestors took the name of their slave master, which in this case was Craft. This represents an example of acculturation. This is especially true of freed slaves who wanted to ensure that their families had access to the most opportunity possible. Associating yourself with your African roots, by claiming an African name would result in the opposite
effect.
My mother likely did not think twice about why she had a European name. So, I will think about it instead. Blacks in the United States are expected to accept our names as something that comes with enjoying the blessings of America. Therefore, it is unnecessary for us to reclaim our African identity because to do so would be un-American. We are told that if we only jump (allow ourselves to be pushed) into the melting pot, we will come out with a new blended identity. The only problem is that this new identity generally takes the shape of the dominant identity in the United States: eurocentrism. There is no blended culture. Instead, everyone is expected to become as close to white as possible. Doing this reinforces the power structure, thereby maintaining homeostasis within the cultural system.
Moreover, People of Irish, Polish, German, and other European backgrounds could change their languages and cultural norms and would acculturate relatively easily. However, if one is black--regardless of how much that person attempted to diminish his or her ethnic roots--he or she would still be perceived as other due to skin color. This was true for my mother’s ancestors and black people across the world.
How This Background Effects my own Acculturation
Looking back on my family history awakens a need within me to continue to advocate for all minority groups who are living under institutional oppression. I look at the persecution facing Muslims today and It reminds me of the persecution faced by my Roman Catholic ancestors. I think about how my White, English ancestors could blend with society and easily navigate systems, and I am reminded that everyone should be empowered to reach his or her potential, regardless of his or her cultural or ethnic proximity to the established standard, and they certainly should be made to feel welcome in seeking resources to that end. This will be my mindset and goal when working with clients.
Moreover, when I think of myself, relative to my family history, I admit that I am ashamed. I am ashamed because throughout my past I have identified more with the white side of my father’s history. For years, I denied that I was black—even though it was conspicuous. Part of that is because growing up I was taught essentially that black history began at slavery. Who wants to be associated with something as inferior as slavery? No. On the contrary, I longed for the high and mighty society of the Greco-Roman world, the architecture of England and Germany, and the art and culture of France! I longed to be part of whiteness. To that end, I adopted a conservative ideology in high school, which allowed me to sit with white people and regurgitate racist platitudes and alternative facts about black culture and black people. I lament that too often, I was the black guy that racists would turn to for validation, allowing them to say to other black people, “see, this guy is black and he agrees with us!”
I would constantly hear “you are the whitest black guy I’ve ever seen.” I accepted that as a complement because at the time, I viewed my own worth in society as being relative to my proximity to whiteness. I gladly welcomed my new honorary white identity because it allowed me to associate with the cultural greatness for which I had so deeply longed.
The Role of Privilege, Power, Oppression, and Diversity in My Life
My Experiences of Privilege. Living in a mostly white community and attending an all-white church allowed me to benefit from white social advantages (privilege). I could attend schools that had the necessary resources for my success. My home environment was relatively safe—despite being in a low-income neighborhood. I could adapt to white norms, which allowed me to be “one of them” in my eyes. This allowed me to think of myself as superior to the other blacks around the nation who were always portrayed as poor and uneducated. I thought to myself “at least I have a good education.”
While I survive in a world dominated by a Eurocentric standard, it is important to look at the intersectional nature of my reality. I was raised Roman Catholic. Christianity is the dominant religion in the United States. So, while going to school, my religion was affirmed by my peers and by a curriculum that stayed away from teaching concepts that conflicted with the Christian norm, such as the theory of evolution. My religious convictions were accommodated by default. Accepting my Own Feelings. Prejudice and bias are a normal part of being human. We are hesitant and curious about things that are different from us because they are something to which we are not accustomed. We judge people and things according to the information that we have—regardless of the credibility of that information. Some people have more power according to their proximity to the established standards. The problem is that most people do not recognize that they are prejudiced or that they have unearned privilege. It is also natural to deny that which would put us in the negative light. For example, when a woman tells me that I am “mansplaining” I immediately begin to defend myself.
Additionally, it was extremely difficult for me to come to terms with my own biases towards black people—my own ethnic people. Furthermore, while I am a bisexual man, I still catch myself feeling annoyed when seeing effeminate men. When involved in sexual activity with these men, these mannerisms are fine because the wall that I have been conditioned to build between my true self and the self that I put on for the rest of the world is brought down-- but out in the open I find myself being influenced by heteronormative standards. I also still find it hard to accept that some people are transgender. I find that it is easy to be sexually attracted to transgender people, but I frequently ask myself “how can anyone be this way?”
Personal Story. One day, while working at Subway, two men entered. I assumed that they were middle eastern because of their skin tone and language. Fear consumed me while they set in the restaurant and ate. I thought maybe they were terrorists who had chosen my small community for an attack. I vigilantly watched them. To my surprise and relief, they ate, said goodbye, then left. I am ashamed of the assumptions, biases, and prejudices that have come to be part of me, but I know that to break through them, I must acknowledge that the feelings exist. I would not be aware of the problematic nature of my thoughts and feelings were it not for my worldview, which stresses the worth of all people. When my feelings oppose this internal standard, I feel it and must grapple with it.
Solutions
To face and overcome my biases, prejudices, phobias, etc. I seek out educational resources regarding whatever I am struggling with. For example, for a while, I believed that immigrants were failing to assimilate properly and thus causing crime and other problems. After doing research I concluded that this was false. I actively combatted my prejudice by seeking out facts. On the other hand, if my prejudiced assumption is confirmed then I will seek out information regarding the dynamics involved. For example, for the idea that certain groups are more likely to be violent, I will consider dynamics such as poverty and institutional discrimination which might create conditions which encourage violence. Seeking further education sometimes means interacting with diverse populations so that I can learn the truth first-hand. Instead of standing around pointing fingers at people and groups, this process of educating myself allows me to stand in solidarity with them. I look forward to taking this spirit with me as I encounter and work with future clients!
My name is Sean Lamar Hellems. I turned 24 on October 14. I was born in 1992 to John Hellems, Sr. & Natalie-Jean Craft in Bridgeton, Missouri—a suburb of Saint Louis. Unfortunately, my mother struggled with drugs and alcohol. After acting irresponsibly, she was hit by a truck and killed when I was two years old.
In 1994, my father married Raygenea Williams. That same year, we left Saint Louis in an old abandoned mail-truck. We moved 100 miles north to Hannibal, Missouri because Saint Louis was becoming too crime-stricken. My parents wanted to build a life that would allow us to have the best opportunities. They believed that moving to a smaller mostly white community would accomplish this. …show more content…
Unfortunately, my parents’ lack of higher education effected the family greatly. We were consigned to low income housing. My siblings and I were forced to wear the cheapest clothing. In fact, I remember wearing Velcro-strapped shoes until sometime in middle school. This resulted in social problems for me. Early on, I had behavioral problems, which resulted in counseling for a short time. I attribute my subsequent changed behavior to my commitment to my Catholic faith at the time. This helped to instill values that allowed me to see the effect that my actions had on my family and community.
Ancestral History
Father’s family.
My dad was born in Saint Louis Missouri to William and Lucy Hellems. Lucy was part Cherokee and mostly Black, and William was mixed with Black and White. William was born in Stephens City, Virginia in 1893. Desiring to escape racial persecution which was prevalent in Virginia, the family changed the surname from Helms to Hellems and moved to Saint Louis Missouri.
Moreover, when the Helms immigrated to America, they did so for the same reasons as many other people: to seek economic opportunity. The United States of America was perceived to be a land of opportunity, where white men could come and build their lives and families with egalitarian protections codified in law and social mores. Unfortunately, the Helms would learn that these protections only truly extended to White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs). Catholics were heavily persecuted at this time. However, unlike most Catholic immigrants, the Helms were English. This means that they had the privilege of navigating the United States and its systems much more easily, given that there was no language barrier. Furthermore, American society was largely white, English, and Protestant. Despite the religious difference, my family was not forced to strip itself of any regional traditions or customs in order to assimilate into the broader society. Being English, my family’s existence was normative, allowing it to be affirmed with ease. Also, despite any religious persecution, my family retained …show more content…
its Roman Catholicism and passed it down for generations. The Hellems family today is still predominately Roman Catholic.
Mother’s Family.
Conversely, my mother was fully black. Unfortunately, not much is known of her family. My father’s relationship with her was fragile. (They “hooked up,” but were not in a committed relationship.) What is known is that Her ancestors were slaves. They were brought in chains from West Africa. As is true of most African Americans, my ancestors took the name of their slave master, which in this case was Craft. This represents an example of acculturation. This is especially true of freed slaves who wanted to ensure that their families had access to the most opportunity possible. Associating yourself with your African roots, by claiming an African name would result in the opposite
effect.
My mother likely did not think twice about why she had a European name. So, I will think about it instead. Blacks in the United States are expected to accept our names as something that comes with enjoying the blessings of America. Therefore, it is unnecessary for us to reclaim our African identity because to do so would be un-American. We are told that if we only jump (allow ourselves to be pushed) into the melting pot, we will come out with a new blended identity. The only problem is that this new identity generally takes the shape of the dominant identity in the United States: eurocentrism. There is no blended culture. Instead, everyone is expected to become as close to white as possible. Doing this reinforces the power structure, thereby maintaining homeostasis within the cultural system.
Moreover, People of Irish, Polish, German, and other European backgrounds could change their languages and cultural norms and would acculturate relatively easily. However, if one is black--regardless of how much that person attempted to diminish his or her ethnic roots--he or she would still be perceived as other due to skin color. This was true for my mother’s ancestors and black people across the world.
How This Background Effects my own Acculturation
Looking back on my family history awakens a need within me to continue to advocate for all minority groups who are living under institutional oppression. I look at the persecution facing Muslims today and It reminds me of the persecution faced by my Roman Catholic ancestors. I think about how my White, English ancestors could blend with society and easily navigate systems, and I am reminded that everyone should be empowered to reach his or her potential, regardless of his or her cultural or ethnic proximity to the established standard, and they certainly should be made to feel welcome in seeking resources to that end. This will be my mindset and goal when working with clients.
Moreover, when I think of myself, relative to my family history, I admit that I am ashamed. I am ashamed because throughout my past I have identified more with the white side of my father’s history. For years, I denied that I was black—even though it was conspicuous. Part of that is because growing up I was taught essentially that black history began at slavery. Who wants to be associated with something as inferior as slavery? No. On the contrary, I longed for the high and mighty society of the Greco-Roman world, the architecture of England and Germany, and the art and culture of France! I longed to be part of whiteness. To that end, I adopted a conservative ideology in high school, which allowed me to sit with white people and regurgitate racist platitudes and alternative facts about black culture and black people. I lament that too often, I was the black guy that racists would turn to for validation, allowing them to say to other black people, “see, this guy is black and he agrees with us!”
I would constantly hear “you are the whitest black guy I’ve ever seen.” I accepted that as a complement because at the time, I viewed my own worth in society as being relative to my proximity to whiteness. I gladly welcomed my new honorary white identity because it allowed me to associate with the cultural greatness for which I had so deeply longed.
The Role of Privilege, Power, Oppression, and Diversity in My Life
My Experiences of Privilege. Living in a mostly white community and attending an all-white church allowed me to benefit from white social advantages (privilege). I could attend schools that had the necessary resources for my success. My home environment was relatively safe—despite being in a low-income neighborhood. I could adapt to white norms, which allowed me to be “one of them” in my eyes. This allowed me to think of myself as superior to the other blacks around the nation who were always portrayed as poor and uneducated. I thought to myself “at least I have a good education.”
While I survive in a world dominated by a Eurocentric standard, it is important to look at the intersectional nature of my reality. I was raised Roman Catholic. Christianity is the dominant religion in the United States. So, while going to school, my religion was affirmed by my peers and by a curriculum that stayed away from teaching concepts that conflicted with the Christian norm, such as the theory of evolution. My religious convictions were accommodated by default. Accepting my Own Feelings. Prejudice and bias are a normal part of being human. We are hesitant and curious about things that are different from us because they are something to which we are not accustomed. We judge people and things according to the information that we have—regardless of the credibility of that information. Some people have more power according to their proximity to the established standards. The problem is that most people do not recognize that they are prejudiced or that they have unearned privilege. It is also natural to deny that which would put us in the negative light. For example, when a woman tells me that I am “mansplaining” I immediately begin to defend myself.
Additionally, it was extremely difficult for me to come to terms with my own biases towards black people—my own ethnic people. Furthermore, while I am a bisexual man, I still catch myself feeling annoyed when seeing effeminate men. When involved in sexual activity with these men, these mannerisms are fine because the wall that I have been conditioned to build between my true self and the self that I put on for the rest of the world is brought down-- but out in the open I find myself being influenced by heteronormative standards. I also still find it hard to accept that some people are transgender. I find that it is easy to be sexually attracted to transgender people, but I frequently ask myself “how can anyone be this way?”
Personal Story. One day, while working at Subway, two men entered. I assumed that they were middle eastern because of their skin tone and language. Fear consumed me while they set in the restaurant and ate. I thought maybe they were terrorists who had chosen my small community for an attack. I vigilantly watched them. To my surprise and relief, they ate, said goodbye, then left. I am ashamed of the assumptions, biases, and prejudices that have come to be part of me, but I know that to break through them, I must acknowledge that the feelings exist. I would not be aware of the problematic nature of my thoughts and feelings were it not for my worldview, which stresses the worth of all people. When my feelings oppose this internal standard, I feel it and must grapple with it.
Solutions
To face and overcome my biases, prejudices, phobias, etc. I seek out educational resources regarding whatever I am struggling with. For example, for a while, I believed that immigrants were failing to assimilate properly and thus causing crime and other problems. After doing research I concluded that this was false. I actively combatted my prejudice by seeking out facts. On the other hand, if my prejudiced assumption is confirmed then I will seek out information regarding the dynamics involved. For example, for the idea that certain groups are more likely to be violent, I will consider dynamics such as poverty and institutional discrimination which might create conditions which encourage violence. Seeking further education sometimes means interacting with diverse populations so that I can learn the truth first-hand. Instead of standing around pointing fingers at people and groups, this process of educating myself allows me to stand in solidarity with them. I look forward to taking this spirit with me as I encounter and work with future clients!