People of color, despite the claims of the violent acts committed by them, should not be classified by how they look, by how they dress, or by how their hair is combed. Every black person is not the same. Today, I am proud to say that I am black, but I am not proud to support the stereotypes that have been handed to us through time.

As a young, black, American adult, I’ve grown to understand that stereotypes are not true. In the young, black community today, we see ourselves as typical teenagers. We don’t look in the mirror and see a robber, a murderer, or a gang member. We see who we are as a person. Our parents raise us to strive for the best just as any other Caucasian, Asian, or Hispanic parent.