You are Not Alone - episode 57 (We begin Season Two)
Welcome to our second season! We’re starting off with a Men in May series as Men in March was successful on multiple levels. It was a joy to hear from some men. First up this month we have Ben. He just turned 24 years old and I am still flabbergasted by all he had to say. The wisdom and the insight blew me away. He has a lot of sound and practical tips for the way he lives his life. Plus he shares this with the young people he works with, mentoring them.
Ben lives by integrity, loyalty, and longevity in his relationships. These are high bars to hit, and he is more than willing to offer grace to anyone having challenges by extending a helping hand, patience, and even a ladder if they need one. He knows he has his own stuff to work on, and seeks the advice of those around him who are wise, and typically older. I ended our conversation by sharing with Ben how much I admire his values. And I do.
A reminder this is not a Christian podcast. All are invited and welcome. That said, every guest gets to be who they are, where they are, and without apology. You get to be you, and I get to be me. Would you really have it any other way?
Artistic. Loose. Loyal.
—Ben
The Human Race
Thoughts from You are Not Alone
In our “pre-talk” Ben was sharing the topic he wanted to talk about. Friendship. He has a varied group of friends - single, married, young, older, with diverse ethnic backgrounds. During out recording I mentioned the variety of “races” in his life and I felt a little ping after I said it. Am I supposed to use the word “race” or is it another word that is not considered politically correct? So I do what I tend to do when I want to learn more. I start googling and I go from there.
There are multiple theories out there saying there are 3, 4, 5 and even 6 different races. The six are as follows:
1) White, 2) Black or African American, 3) American Indian or Alaska Native, 4) Asian, and 5) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. The Office of Management and Budget permits the Census Bureau to also use a sixth category - 6) Some Other Race.
I noticed there was not specific category for those of Hispanic or Latin background. (My father is Puerto Rican. Where does that fit in?) Which got me to wondering, What really is the difference between race and ethnicity? Yes, I am a college-educated individual and yet there are some things I either didn’t retain or can’t remember. And as far as I’m concerned it’s all ok because I get to learn, or re-learn things.
According to census.gov, and to answer, Where do Hispanics/Latins fit in? I found this:
People of Hispanic origin may be of any race. Hispanics can choose one or more race categories, including White, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.
Well then, what is the difference between Hispanic and Latin or is there one? (You can see how one thing leads to another, leads to another.) Hispanic Network has this to say:
Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably though they actually mean two different things. Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish and/or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations, while Latino refers to people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.
Which leads to what exactly is included in Latin America? Good ‘ol Wikipedia:
Latin America is a group of countries and dependencies in the Western Hemisphere where Romance languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, and to a lesser extent, French are predominantly spoken.
Well, I certainly learned more than I anticipated. I’m pleased with the info I found because it enriches my views, and helps me to better understand race and ethnicity. I will try to keep it straight!
What conclusions have I drawn? For starters there is a lot to it! I noticed arguments out in the world saying there is but one race - human. From Scientific American:
The truth is that we are all one human family that had its origins in Africa.
I rather like that thought. We have lots of colors, physical features, and history that make us unique, and yet connect us. Let’s focus on that. Don’t you want variety in life? In your family, friends, environment, seasons, food, clothes, the things you do with your time? Why should the way we look, and our background, be any different?
I believe there is only one race - the human race. — Rosa Parks
