Viewpoint - Viewpoint

There was an interesting conversation going on regarding Race and Light Skin Bias in India on a recruiting network… well this conversation has actually become even more interesting offline as well..

This is a topic that personally interests me.. I bring this up as a person who just recently received their American Citizenship a few years ago. I am originally from the Caribbean, Bi Racial.. Black, Portuguese, and White.. and not necessarily in that order.

Yes,  I prefer to say Biracial, when identifying to my heritage and biological makeup, as I give credit to both of my parents for my birth and gene pool.

Well this is what I have a problem with.. the terms African American, Asian American, Eastern American… etc..

Now why can we not just say American??  Really.. let’s take the term African American for example — In America I am considered to be Black because of appearances - the color of my skin, the texture of my hair, even though though the only black in my gene pool is from my grandmother.. and she, herself is biracial.

Yet, even though my gene pool is predominately other races - I would not be considered or identified with them.

Now, I am from the Carribean, not considered Caribbean American Right? No, of course not; No such animal exists..  But, yet prior to several Years ago when I was not an American what "should"  I have called myself?

I was not born in Africa, never been there.. can name about 8 countries there at best, don’t speak the language, but it is suggested that I label myself African American.. 

Hmm, I wonder, so how do the White Americans who orginated from Africa identify themselves?

My children, their father is American, 4th Generation, but his roots come from Mexico.. yet he is considered Mexican.. as are my kids.. Why? Are they Not American themselves..

I don't get it.. how is it that my kids who are 5th generation American, and who are "more American" than my White 3rd Generation American Husband, would be labeled Mexican.. go figure.. they can’t speak hardly a lick of Spanish.. only what they learned is school, and yet…

I wonder.. when will an American just be an American? If ever?

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ABOUT KAREN MATTONEN, CAC, CSP

Karen Mattonen started a career in Human Resources when she served as a Recruiter for Snelling Corporation. Leveraging her tenure with Snelling, Karen founded Advanced Career Solutions in 1997 focusing on the  HVAC and Mechanical Construction industry. Her reputation for excellence is echoed in the satisfaction of clients and candidates she has serviced nationwide. Furthermore, Karen is esteemed for sharing her expertise in Recruitment Education, Ethics and promoting self-regulation for the Recruiting industry.

She has a new and future-oriented vision of what recruiting can and should become: a profession we can be proud of for its ethical standing, professional conduct and ability to build great organizations. Her doing-well-by-doing-right philosophy is shaking up the status quo in an industry that needs to be shaken. She does this with conviction, leadership, and a distinctive voice that cries out for change.

Outside of the HR community, Karen Mattonen has been cited by Microsoft as a resource in how to use Microsoft Outlook as an ATS. She has also served as the Marketing and Public Relations Director for the 3^rd largest city in Utah.

Her passionate and tireless advocacy has led her to create HireCentrix - The Pulse of H.R, Regulation, Retention, Recruiting and Risk Management www.hirecentrix.com.  Hirecentrix is a company dedicated to providing training to the HR, recruiting and staffing industries, which includes a special focus on the ethical and legal dimensions through offering a full service resource for individuals to share and communicate, obtain current and accurate information, acquire and provide education and learning within the quickly expanding, diverse and rapidly changing Recruiting and Human Resource climate.

Karen has achieved accreditation as a California Accredited Consultant (CAC) through California Staffing Professionals. She has also gained her Certified Staffing Professional Certificate (CSP) through American Staffing Professionals. (www.americanstaffing.net)

Click here to reach Karen via email.

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