Blog 1: Family culture and ethnicity

In today’s blog, I will be delving into the topic of family culture and ethnicity. It's important to reflect on this because it allows us to showcase who we are, where we come from and how things like our family's dynamic and culture can shape how we form relationships with others. Knowing that the world is ever-changing and we don't always have to revert to tradition when we don't feel it’s morally right and accepted socially. We are here on this planet together, and I believe it’s important to be proud of where you come from but never allow it to cloud your judgement in people and set your own traditions in the relationships you have aside from nuclear family kinship unit.

My family's cultural background is very base level of American culture. I say that because of my ethnic background is of European ancestry. My mother's family was based in New York, and my father is English, and he came to America at age 12 and has assimilated to the American lifestyle. We had a very normative or standard family dynamic. As far as traditions go, we always celebrated the major holidays Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas together while doing all the activities that go along with those celebrations. My memory always goes to waking up on Christmas morning and opening gifts with my family and I've carried that same base tradition within my relationship with my partner. My partner and his family are of Mexican descent and so we also incorporate his family traditions of how they celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. It's very important to me that we can include each other’s culture in our family unit.

As a white American, I know that I automatically lead a privileged life, and I do believe that has given me advantages and opportunities. I have never let that stop my interactions or building relationships with people of other ethnicities/races/backgrounds. That was the mentality I had grown up with as well and something I stand on morally. I am always educating myself on the experiences that minorities face and reminding myself of how I benefit from being a white person, while my friends, coworkers, and my partner were not awarded the same opportunities that I or family have. As an adult it has brought more self-awareness and pushed me to advocate for those that have relationships with.  With my immediate family specifically my mother and step-father, they still have that traditional American family mentality and they tend to not look outward and in turn it can make our interactions challenging because I choose to think differently and expand on seeing, learning and understanding other cultures. That has given me a strong sense of self and has made me the person I want to be as someone with strong moral beliefs and looking outward beyond what I know from having easier road in this life.

Reflecting on this topic has given me the introspect to continue to hear other people’s experiences with their family’s dynamics and how that has impacted them as a person. I think it’s beneficial in shaping myself and how I maintain my personal relationships. It can even be beneficial in aiding with the conflict of the differentiating views my family can have and to work towards building stronger and healthier relationships in the future.

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