Not sure how to talk about my race and background
Hi guys, I'll be applying in the upcoming cycle, and I'm conflicted about how to talk about my race on the law school application. I'm 75% Middle Eastern and 25% Sudanese. My maternal grandmother is Sudanese, and she raised me for fifteen years in the Middle East. I grew up with African culture and food thanks to my grandmother, but when I came to the United States, I never felt welcome in the African American community because I look Arab/White, not Brown/Black; but I did feel a connection to the community. Is it fair to identify as mixed race and write about that experience? Or should I simply talk about and identify with the Arab part of my identity?
In all honesty, I did not experience much racism in the US, whereas my African American brothers and sisters suffered, and continue to suffer, under this racist system, and I feel some moral guilt identifying as such, as I do not wish to appropriate an experience that is not my own. Any advice and moral guidance would be appreciated. Thank you!
Posted May 11, 2026, 5:17 AM UTC