Prejudice: My Personal Experience

• What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

 
 One summer during my childhood, my uncle walked me and my cousins to the corner store to buy us candy. When we entered the store, the clerks watched us from the time we entered until the time we left. The clerks were two older, Caucasian males. My uncle asked them was there a problem (because they were staring at us the whole time). The men responded that they were making sure we didn’t steal from their store. There were others present in the store and the men did not pay any attention to them. The others in the store were Caucasians.  

• In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

The men in the store diminished equity be treating us differently than their other customers. We were not given the chance to show that we were indeed honest people and would not steal from them. They assumed that we would steal based on the color of our skin.

• What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

Thinking about this incident makes me feel sad/hurt because there are such cruel people in this world who are prejudice about certain people/ groups based on their own beliefs and thinking but not truth. People would rather assume than give people a fair chance.

• What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

I think that the men would have to change their way of thinking in order to increase equity. People in general should not judge others, especially based on their own feelings/ opinions about them.