Race/Related: My First Encounter With Racism

As part of an alliance with the New York Times Competition, young radio reporters across the country explained their lasting memories of the first encounters with racial discrimination. Regardless of whether it was intercepted by a policeman, a stereotype that it was called a racial bondage by an elementary school child, or a minor without a companion of a new country, these experiences today The shape of the identity.

Youth Radio has a long history of reporting on issues of race and identity. This work represents the core of what we are doing. It is to explore society's most complicated problem through youth experience. We gathered some of the most memorable stories of journalists about these questions.

About a month ago, I walked from the school to the BART station and I was listening to the podcast while drinking soda. And I realized that my blue uniform was like a shadow. This is a white cop. He scanned me as if it was a terminator and tried to ascertain if I was a threat. I have never been stopped by the police. But I am not afraid and I am not even nervous. I am ready

Someone said to me in the race for the first time, I am in a pizza store in Everett, a small town in the western part of Washington State. I am waiting for a call outside the restaurant. I saw the two walking. They look very young - their twenties young people or young people - light, gold / brown hair. When they passed me, I heard them laughing and saying.

I spent a while trying to deal with what I have heard right now. I was surprised, but I was not surprised at all. After all, I am a Filipino journalist who reports on a professional trample.

Soon after I entered elementary school, one of my classmates threw a word to me with a small brawl. I do not remember being very angry at this little boy - this may be something that primary school students are usually irritated. Maybe I am taking a mark; maybe I will line up and vice versa

This is the first time that I heard this word. I do not know how to respond. I have a lot of questions. Am I depressed? Can I call a white student? Who invented that word? Do adults use this word?

(A way to use names only to protect privacy, his articles have been translated from Spanish to English)

I remember the first day I learned the meaning of "racial discrimination" in America. My friend and I came back from school, and we walked through a white couple. They started talking to each other with a quiet tone, looking at us. We can not understand everything they say, but we caught some bad things about Hispanics and immigrants, and they know what we are talking about. I will continue walking. This is not worth entering. You'd better keep quiet.

In our choice of "Initial encounter with racial discrimination", the race / relationship team worked with Youth Radio to ask young people across the country, "What is your earliest ethnic experience ? "This question led you here. Please read the four stories. They can be used to start a conversation or to supplement an ongoing conversation in the classroom. Explain to students that everyone has racial identity. Caucasian ethnic identity may be considered "default". People mistakenly believe that only ethnic minorities (African-American, Hispanic / Hispanic, Native American, Asian) have ethnicity. It is important to emphasize that everyone has racial experience whether open, hidden, unconscious, or implicit. People experience these experiences directly, witness what they happen to others, and have opportunities and privileges for their national identity.

As part of an alliance with the New York Times contest, young radio reporters across the country explained their lasting memories of the first encounters with racial discrimination. Whichever of the fixed ideas that it was intercepted by a policeman, a racial bondage by an elementary school child, or a minor without a companion in a new country, these experiences are I formed the appearance of today. About a month ago, I walked from the school to the BART station and I was listening to the podcast while drinking soda. And I realized that my blue uniform was like a shadow. This is a white cop. He scanned me as if it was a terminator and tried to ascertain if I was a threat. I have never been stopped by the police. But I am not afraid and I am not even nervous. I am ready

It is very relevant: I first encountered the concept of white vulnerability; a short essay on the phrase "not all ..."; people of different races respond to ambiguous and obvious racial discrimination "Guide to activities with a large pouch metaphor"; "This is a nasty moment when I notice that my white" liberal "friends are racists."