Growing Up African-American: A Reflection on Family, Temperament, and Cultural Identity

Name Institutional Affiliations Date Reflection: Ethno-Racial Autobiography Growing up as an African American is advantageous and stressing at the same time regardless of gender. Being an African American is a privilege because it hardens many people as they learn to coexist with a society that perceives them as inferior. On the other hand, it is stressing as it exposes many to unbearable racially coined situations grounded on inequalities hampering their development. Growing up as an African-American woman has shaped my person in a great manner. My family unlike what the society may think of the African-American ethnic group helped understand the meaning of family through values and beliefs that shaped our coexistence as people of the same blood. Valuing family is paramount as it enhances peaceful coexistence at all times. It is an aspect that I received from my family helping me understand why we should always be there for each other as a family in good and bad times. I value my great-parents, parents, siblings, offspring’s and spouse as with them I have a family that understand and loves me regardless of what the rest of the world think about my ethnic group. According to Sharafutdinova (2021), temperament is seen as a reflection of character and behavior. It is an important aspect that defines a person to the outside world. However, family relationships among other external factors like the neighborhoods a child grows in are potentially able to influence ones temperament. Such influences becomes effective since temperament becomes shaped starting at a tender age thus any exposure to either positive or negative influences have the potentials of shaping a child’s temperament as they develop from one phase to the other. To this effect, I can argue that having a supportive family has played a significant role in shaping my emotional individuality. I am an introvert living with introverted family members whose urge to make everyone feel comfortable within these family ties remains well defined. I value family gatherings, not because we talk so much upon meeting but because it is a value my family taught me to embrace since childhood shaping my character and behavior in a special manner. I do not ignore the fact that my family remained supportive during childhood teaching me the relevance of love, care and support towards any family member which proves a strong force that shapes my relationship with family members and the outside world. I have grown understanding the relevance of loyalty, discipline and responsibility since childhood which has helped me develop strong and long lasting relationship with family and in my social life. I am able to live in harmony and coexist peacefully within a society that perceives my culture from a very negative point of view; thanks to my supportive family for s