In your own terms describe your ethnic/racial background.

If you had to label your race and/or ethnicity, what would it

be?
Puerto Rican (and part Arabic).
Would these labels (or identifications of what you are) be shared by other members of your family? If not, why not?
Have family members changed over time, in their own self-definitions of ethnicity? If so, how so?
Most of my family members identify themselves as Puerto Rican. I havent seen a change over time in how they
identify themselves.

Can you remember one of the first times you became aware of your race/ethnicitywhat you were/or were not from the
point of view of others? Elaborate on this memory.
When my mom first told me that I had to start learning more Spanish, and when I see myself not treated as well by certain
teachers, possibly because of my race/ethnicity. A lot of my grade school teachers were Italian or Irish, and the same for
the students, and it felt like there was some favoritism when grading for behavior.

Think of two moments in your life, one where you remember clearly a racial/ethnic exclusion you experienced and
another where you remember a moment of inclusion. Social context of each?
Moment of exclusion:
One time in grade school, I was on the brink of expulsion for something I felt wasnt even significant. It seemed like other
classmates did the same thing, but my past behavior record, which I also felt was unfairly defined, caused me to reach that
point. I had to reshape how I viewed school and learn to behave myself strictly to avoid the wrath of teachers. It just
seemed like the teachers mightve been a bit prejudiced against me, as I was the only Spanish person, and my mom also
worked at the school.

Moment of inclusion:
Whenever my mom and I go to a Spanish restaurant, or to a store with Spanish people, theres a good chance my mom
will communicate with them as if theyre good friends. One time was just at a MetroPCS store, discussing phones.

Describe the ethnic/racial mix of your friends on Temples campus. Is this different from the mix of your friends at your
high school? Elaborate.
Theres a good ethnic mix. Ill make friends with any race or ethnicity, as long as theyre intelligible and share common
interests. In High School, I think ethnicity played a larger role in how I viewed peoples personalities, as there were a lot
of people of certain races who tended to always just be rowdy and misbehave. I was in honors classes, and there were no
African American people in my honors courses, so I didnt have as diverse friends, but I have college and grade school
friends who are Africa American, and Ive had Spanish, Asian, White, European descent friends from grade school to high
school. Temple I think is a mental and financial barrier to overcome in order to go here, though the financial support has
been great for me. I think its actually more diverse than in my high school thanks to the support programs, as nows the
time where people are told to get serious and either further their education, or get a job out of high school.

Self Identity
Name: Vladamir E. Carrero
Ethnicity /Ethnic Origins: Puerto Rican
Race: Hispanic
Your place of birth (country): USA
Parents place of birth (country): USA
Grandparents place of birth: Puerto Rico