Race and the Sociological Imagination Essay Example for Free

Race and the Sociological Imagination EssayFor generations African Americans have been disadvantaged in America and effects of these injustices have made a lasting impression. Education is one of the leading problems in the b pretermit community. Though there have galore(postnominal) reforms in education over the years, racial injustices still exist because no attention in placed on how legislature affects people of color. I was brocaded in a middle-class family of educators. My entire life Ive been told to stay in teach, get an education, and influence hard so that you can beat the system. Recognizing the structural forces in my life has helped me understand my place in society.Being fitting to understand everyday life, not done personal circumstances but through the broader historical forces that structure and direct it (Desmond and Emirbayer 43) has really had an impact on me. My father was born in 1968, the year we consider then end of the civil rights movement. He we nt to Luscher Elementary during the 70s and at that time the work was integrated. He had mostly White teachers and schoolmates. He received a quality education because of the resources given to whites were now lendable to blacks. He chose to attend St. Augustine High school.The Archdiocese of New Orleans constructed St. Augustine High School with funds solicited from Catholics of the Archdiocese through the Youth Progress Program. The Archdiocese of New Orleans placed the school under the patronage of St. Augustine of Hippo, a preeminent Christian and scholar of Africa, and a Father of the Church. This was appropriate since from its inception the school was designated for the education of young men from subdued Catholic families of New Orleans. St. Augustine High School led the way in battling segregation in New Orleans.The successful legal repugns mounted by the school resulted in the de-segregation of the high school athletics in the state of Louisiana. The famed Marching 100 was the first African-American high school band to sue in the Rex parade on Mardi Gras Day. My grandfather and father attended St. Augustine High School and through the education they received along with athletic scholarships and financial aide-de-camp they both went on to attend Loyola University. My survey in society was shaped by my economic position, which was an effect of my grandfather and fathers educations.My grandfather was able to attend college but this was not true for his parents. Depending upon a persons situation social welfare programs can either enforce progression or plateau disadvantages. I was able to attend Isidore Newman School and I lived in an integrated neighborhood where resources such as schools, hospitals, parks and grocery stores were better than those in other part of New Orleans. My integrated neighborhood declare oneselfd me with a good education. Blacks in poor neighborhoods are inhibited from achieving the same education as whites because of zo ning legislation, transportation and lack of funds.My family was able to establish themselves financially because of social welfare programs such as war bonds, Pell grants, and the integration of schools. My grandfather was able to own their own home and provide for our family. He had a career as a school administrator they paid well. He provided opportunities for his children to attend college and for his wife. Desmond and Emirbayer argue that , If we hope to drive racial domination from the gates of our schools we must continue the work of confronting whiteness in the curriculum (346).I understand that as finding ways to end institutional racism and raising awareness of ideologies that get out end prejudices. Until I attended Loyola I had a naive impression of racial awareness. Personally, I believe education is the pick up to combating racism. We must education our peers on our cultures. We must explain that colorblindness in society is not whats best. Only by embracing and r ecognizing each other differences we will be able to break the social bubbles we live in. Ive gained a stronger sense of racial awareness through this course.I have the ability to challenge and change other peoples ideologies and understand my own. I know because of my social position have scholarships, financial aide and the values of hard work and education instilled in me by my parents and grandparents. Im also aware that many people are not able to gain that same access. Because of my racial awareness there is so much more I want to find out about the contributing factors that led to my familys social position in New Orleans. It is through my racial awareness I plan to beat the system.