by Helen Suenaga

Created on: July 16, 2010   Last Updated: July 17, 2010

How is racial pride beneficial to society?  Racial pride is defined as a person seeing his or her race as prideful or taking pride in one’s culture.  This can be a benefit for several reasons.

First, understanding your heritage and ancestry can lead to learning new things and aspects about your culture. This brings up some interesting points.  Do you know how your ancestors came to be? Do you know what your ancestors used to do in the past to survive daily?  Do you know what they ate?  Do you know the values and traditions they passed down to each new born?  Do you know where your bloodline originated?  Are you from a royal line of the families?  Do you know if your culture or heritage is like in a hierarchy?  These are the questions to think of and ask your ancestors or elders.  The points are value and understand your culture so you can pass on the knowledge and wisdom.

Second, racial pride can be powerful when used correctly. For example, there is a nonprofit charter school struggling to survive and keep their offices they have had for over three years on state owned land.  Racial pride kicks in if this school’s objective is to teach, project, and allow students to assess his or her values and traditions in a specific race.  The racial pride is of benefit because of known knowledge.  The people who may advocate keeping the school and not allowing it to move, will have better grounding to stand in order to voice their opinions clearly.

Third, do not only look at the negative about your race, heritage, or ancestry.  They took our land; they robbed our ancestors, blah, and blah, blah.  The past is the past, look to the future on how you can better educate and nurture the young ones.  This difference is so the younger generation has a chance to survive, prosper, and overcome the past.  Racial pride is a benefit and should be considered a burden or that of hate.  Do not be a hater, accept the past, live for now, and look for the future.

Finally, culture is everywhere and if we can take the time to learn, understand, and listen to our elders to find out about the past.  There is no stopping us in the future.  The question to ask yourself is what are you fearful of doing or learning about your race, heritage, and ancestry? 

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