Pre-Reading Questions for Week 2: What is Race?

Race is the genetic traits passed onto you by your ancestors who were a product of years and years of adaptation to their particular environment/geographical location.  It is simply the science of the human being, evolution at work, evident in our appearance.
In the U.S. we hear of blacks, whites, latinos, asians and pacific islanders.  All are generic and not nearly specified, but for the most part, the majority of people have some belonging into one or more of those categories
Personally, a race is defined by skin tone, facial structure, hair color, etc.  For the most part, race is something of physical attributes.  For example, the scientific theory of evolution dictates survival of the fittest.  Blacks for example, given the harsh exposure of the sun in Africa, has afforded them a generous amount of pigmentation in their skin,  a built in sun block so to speak.  Whites of the Netherlands or Russia, had no need for such copious amounts of pigmentation in their skin, and thus, over years, those born without it were able to live, reproduce, and effectively rinse the gene pool.
Yes, for example, in Mexico, the type of mexican you can be becomes incredibly specific.  Not unlike the different tribes of the Native American, there are different ares of mexico from which you claim.  of course, most areas will boast about their own dominance over others.  Perhaps the most easily distinguished are those of native heritage and those of spanish.  My family is of spanish, while the native, such as the Aztec or Incan have different facial features, almonds eyes, higher, more pronounced cheek bones.  In general, outsides tend to generalize, while citizens fracture further.
To me, that is what ethnicity is, the fracture that entails upon assimilation.  It is one level deeper and includes the culture, outlooks, beliefs of those who hail from it.
Race is the umbrella, although technically it wouldn't be incorrect for someone to label me as Latino,  calling someone who was a native american that wouldn't be that far off either.  Ethnicity is who or what you are as a person.  It can accurately identify your history, perhaps religious beliefs and customs, dishes, even last names.
I am of Mexican/Spanish descent, so I'm split.  My mother has fair skin, my father dark.  Our last name is Castillo, spanish for castle.  I would predominately charecterize myself as Mexican.  Every sunday we gather for dinner at my grandmas and have her dishes consisting of nothing but homemade mexican food.   

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