Before
I began to explore my racial/cultural/ethnic identity I had to look up
the definition of ethnicity. Are you surprised? Don’t be. There are
plenty of nouns we use daily without understanding their definitions.
eth·nic·i·ty: The fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.
eth·nic·i·ty:
A group of people whose members identify with each other, through a
common heritage, consisting of a common language, a common culture
(often including a shared religion) and a tradition of common ancestry
(corresponding to a history of endogamy).
How
I’ve come to understand, internalize, represent, and extend my
racial/cultural/ethnic identity can be summed up in the following
scriptural passages. You will find the King James Version (KJV) as well
as the Amplified Version (AMP) which provides more clarity if you don’t
enjoy reading old English.
Galatians 3: 23-29 (KJV)
“But
before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith
which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us
unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith
is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have
been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Galatians 3: 23-29 (AMP)
“Now
before the faith came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept
in custody in preparation for the faith that was destined to be revealed
(unveiled, disclosed), So that the Law served [to us Jews] as our
trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ
[came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right
standing with God) by and through faith. But now that the faith has
come, we are no longer under a trainer (the guardian of our childhood).
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many
[of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and
communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on
(clothed yourselves with) Christ. There
is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave
nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus. And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed],
then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to
promise.”
Who
am I? I am a child of God. It does not matter that I was born in the
city of Detroit in a neighborhood filled with drugs, guns, and crime. It
does not matter that I went to a predominantly white institution and
earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering. It does not
matter that I’ve visited Canada, Mexico, China, Chile, Argentina, Spain,
Denmark, England, Sweden, South Africa, Ghana, and the Dominican
Republic. All that matters to me is that I am one in Christ Jesus, and
because of that, I am an heiress!
Critical
race theorists assert that racism is the natural order of American life
(Ladson-Billings and Tate, 1995). Really? What is racism?
rac·ism:
The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or
abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as
inferior or superior to another race or races
rac·ism: Prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief.
Was
my middle school friend who told me I couldn’t date White boys racist?
Was the girl who asked me if I had to wash my hair racist? Was the boy
who told me about Asians vs. “normal white” people racist? Was the
Chinese couple who asked to take a picture with me racist?
I wonder if these people ever read Galatians chapter 3.
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