Mayor 2

 
3 December 2021
Professor Hnatusko
Integration Assignment 2 
Grow as I Go 
One of the most important questions I have asked this semester is as follows: When you find yourself encountering people with racial biases, how do you correct them; similarly, when you find yourself giving into implicit biases, what do you do to eliminate them? This question is so important because it forces people to reflect inward on the relevant issue of racism. Professor Augustin Fuentes says, “Racial bias is implicit in the American experience” (“Diversity Matters!” by Prof. Agustin Fuentes – Moreau FYE Week Eleven). This is significant because it highlights the issue of ignorance in America. Americans need to do more than not be racist. They need to correct any implicit biases that cross their minds and use their privilege to retaliate against the racial hierarchy that benefits white people. Professor Fuentes explains how people make associations based on skin color, and these associations almost always harm people of color. At Notre Dame, I have witnessed implicit racial biases. One of my closest friends here is African American. He explains that while he loves Notre Dame, it is upsetting that people assume he is an athlete at the school. He says because of his skin color, people assume he cannot be at such a prestigious university for academics. This perfectly highlights implicit biases in America because the students who ask if he is an athlete mean no harm; they do not realize the associations they make are racially motivated. In my question, I made sure to emphasize that everyone experiences implicit biases. People must recognize these biases do not make them bad people; our brains are wired to make connections and assumptions. When people make no effort to correct these biases, their character is questionable. 
Since the start of my journey here at Notre Dame, my appreciation for self-confidence and growth has increased in importance. When I was initially accepted into Notre Dame, I experienced severe imposter syndrome. This feeling of unworthiness intensified once I arrived on campus. I constantly compared myself to my classmates and wondered why I was chosen to study with such intelligent students. I started researching imposter syndrome because I knew many kids experienced it at top universities. While this helped alleviate some of my negative thoughts, it was not until I completed the week nine QQC that I realized how important confidence is. Julia Hogan’s quote, in particular, has helped me tremendously. She writes, “Instead of letting your life be ruled by the expectations of others or your own expectation that you have to perfect, what if you just did your best?” (“Why Letting Go of Expectations is a Freeing Habit” by Julia Hogan, Grotto – Moreau FYE Week Nine). Not only does this quote emphasize the toxicity of self-comparison, but it also highlights the importance of doing your best. A tactic I use to combat imposter syndrome is self-affirmations. I try to remind myself each morning that I am intelligent and worthy of being at Notre Dame. While it may sound silly and somewhat unproductive, it has been very helpful thus far. Another resource that has helped me this semester is the video on kintsugi pottery. The video helped me realize that while I may be flawed, my flaws contribute to my beauty. While the cracks in the pottery symbolize brokenness, they also highlight growth. This duality is very profound: brokenness leads to growth, and growth is a beautiful thing (“Women Find Healing Through Kintsugi Workshop” by Grotto – Moreau FYE Week Ten). Knowing that we all struggle and are broken in different ways helps me confront my imposter syndrome. I am grateful and privileged to have such accessible resources at Notre Dame and home to help me recognize my gifts and worth. 
Before coming to Notre Dame, I thought one’s religious journey was “black and white.” I now know that it is much more nuanced and complicated than that. I once thought that one’s relationship with God was linear and progressive, meaning it only strengthened over time. Now that I have been in theology for the entire semester, I know that one’s spiritual journey is rather divergent and everchanging. This realization that faith is not “black and white” has helped me realize the importance of remaining hopeful. In Holy Cross and Christian Education, the author wrote, “We must be men with hope to bring. There is no failure the Lord’s love cannot reverse, no humiliation He cannot exchange for blessing, no anger He cannot dissolve, no routine He cannot dissolve, no routine He cannot transfigure. All is swallowed up in victory. He has nothing but gifts to offer. It remains for us to find how even the cross can be borne as a gift” (“Holy Cross and Christian Education” by Fr. James B. King, C.S.C. – Moreau FYE Week Twelve). So, while one’s journey may not be linear, he or she should always hold tightly onto hope because the Lord is all-knowing and omniscient; His timing is always better than our own. 
Something that was once ambiguous that now holds greater clarity is how I can be an ally to underrepresented minorities – on campus and off campus. During the Black Lives Matter protests, I often wondered how I – a teenage, caucasian boy – could make a difference. I knew I was not racist, but I also knew that was not enough. Christopher J. Devron wrote, “White people don’t get a moral pass by simply refraining from overtly racist acts. Rather, they must examine racial biases within systems; reflect on how they participate in and benefit from these biases; and then take deliberate action to change them” (“Should Catholic Schools Teach Critical Racy Theory?” by Christopher J. Devron, S.J, America Magazine – Moreau FYE Week Ten). This quote is extremely beneficial because it outlines what I can do to help be an ally. The first step to making a difference is recognizing my privilege. I need to understand intimately that I have benefited from the system that was designed by white people. I then need to help others realize this as well. I must also examine implicit biases that cross my mind and correct them. Correcting others’ implicit biases is just as important – even if it means having an awkward conversation. It is my moral responsibility to continue to educate myself and others on how to be an ally to underrepresented minorities.