Race in Your Community

Lisa Walsh
                                                            Race in Your Community
                                                                        ETH/12
                                                                      7/15/2010
                                                                Gregory Mooney

I grew up and was raised in a large city with a population currently of about 850,000 people, within the city there are several counties and cities containing various communities. I was raised in a white neighborhood, much like myself. Portland is known for its diversity, although it’s concentrated more in certain areas. I remember everyone in my neighborhood being white and rarely ever seeing someone of another race. The schools I attended brought on more diversity as I moved from elementary to high school, the high school I attended had a diverse population of African Americans who seemed to reside all in the same area of town. When attending high school it seemed as though I was more open-minded toward the black community, more than they were to me being a white girl. The black girls would sometimes pick on the white girls. The African American population resided on what people call the north side of Portland, today known as north Portland. Portland as a whole has had issues regarding racial profiling African Americans and the police, almost every day in the news you’d hear stories about police brutality beating an African American, simply because of their race. Today more diversity is known throughout the community, with minorities moving and working in, what was considered the white neighborhoods and populating the suburbs. The police and minorities still continue to be an issue today. The city works closely with other groups to improve the issues with the police and minorities.

I currently live in a suburb of Portland, 9 miles west of Portland, called Beaverton. I’ve been here for about 10 years. When I first moved here I... [continues]

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