By Claire DeRoin ~
It’s no secret that the student body at Morningside College is predominantly white. As a matter of fact, at least 86% of campus is made up of white students. The number could actually be higher than that, since 5% of students gave no information about their race.
In addition to a mainly white campus population, according to the 2010 Census, only 21% of the Sioux City metropolitan area is made up of non-white groups.
Two Morningside students that consider themselves non-Caucasian have had great experiences on campus, despite being in the minority.
Jescy Rodriguez, a mass communications and theater major, classifies himself as Hispanic but more specifically Cuban American. He is from Kearny, New Jersey, which he calls “the best example of a melting pot society known to man.”
While Rodriguez hasn’t experienced any discrimination on campus, he feels the sting elsewhere.
“People definitely look at me differently when they find out my last name is Rodriguez,” he said. Sometimes, Rodriguez said, hiring managers give him a second look once they see his name on a resume or job application.
Senior Ana Miranda considers herself Hispanic although she admits, “The race question is always tricky for me.” Born to an El Salvadorian mother and a father from Honduras, Miranda struggles when given options to name her ethnicity. “Sometimes Hispanic is not even an option, so I choose other, or Chicano, which is often considered Mexican-American.”
Miranda doesn’t see a need to point out the cultural and racial differences between students. “It is not fair to only single out one group of people based on their race,” Miranda says. She points out that in every racial group, there are subgroups that are universal to every group of people, such as hard-workers, moochers, over-achievers, and greedy people. “I may not agree with what they believe in, but they still deserve to be treated with respect,” Miranda says. “I expect them to respect me, as well.”
Like Rodriquez, Miranda can’t recall even one incident of prejudice at Morningside College.
“My motto is if someone has a problem with me, it does not mean it is related to my race or ethnicity, but moreso with something I did wrong,” she said.
What is Rodriguez’s advice for continuing to live harmoniously? “People can learn to appreciate the subtle differences we all possess.” Rodriguez says that’s a good start for the American people.
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