Personal Autobiography

September 7, 2005 (10 points)

Investigate, reflect upon and write about culture from the vantage point of your own heritage. The paper should be five pages. Use the following as the guide to structure the paper:

1. Provide a brief overview of where you were you were born, when, the number of siblings, your parents and siblings and their activities (i.e., job and social). Why am I taking this class? Who am I? What is my racial culture? With whom do I identify? How do I feel about my own ethnic group? How do I know this to be true?

2. Describe your religious and spiritual influences, social culture, socioeconomic status, and how you and you family shared similarities and differences from one another and from other families who you believe shared your ethnic background.

3. Consider and describe how your cultural background will (likely) affect your work as a counselor working with culturally diverse clients. Based on your upbringing, what are some stereotypes, prejudices, assumptions and biases about different ethnic groups? Where did these stereotypes, prejudices, assumptions and biases come from?

4. Which cultural group will be most difficult for you to work with at this moment in your life? What are my fears and discomforts about groups that are different from me? What are your strengths and limitations to work with individuals from cultures other than your own? Where do you see yourself in your racial identity development? How do you know this to be true?

5. Make connections about who you are and the text chapters 1-4 and describe the steps you will engage this semester to strengthen your personal and cultural awareness.