When I was twelve years old, I asked my parents what our religion was. They told me it was Islam. Immediately after they answered my question, they told me not to tell anyone because no one will like me; however, I had no clue as to what the negative outlook on the Muslim faith was. My second year in middle school was around the corner. I was excited to introduce myself and tell my classmates about my religion. After the first few days of school, I sat around a table with at least seven boys. I introduced myself by saying my religion and name. Their response to me was a question. They asked me if I was a terrorist. One of the boys asked me if I plan to drop a bomb on our school and when. At that age, I did not know how to stand up for myself. Since then I constantly remind myself that insulting stereotypes do not define people. I believe UNC promotes diversity amongst many cultural backgrounds. My classmates at UNC will be able to understand how I will contribute to UNC because in order for me to grow as a person I keep an open mind and remind myself that everyone at UNC is coming from different paths of life.
Please let me know what you guys think. Thank you!