Don’t misjudge black names

I am an undergraduate student at Fresno State, and a social issue many don’t pay close attention to is the discrimination African Americans encounter when trying to obtain jobs.

Through my own knowledge and research, I learned a variety of ways African Americans face inequality, most importantly, in the workforce. One example I came across was the connotation their names give off lowers their chance to obtain the job they applied for, a white name versus a black name.

This is injustice to those who have the traditional norms of naming their kids a name after their ancestors.

I find it quite depressing how a loving African-American mother has to be put in a dilemma from the satisfaction of naming her child a name from her culture compared to a neutral name to avoid racial discrimination in her baby’s future.

It is time to allow African Americans to have equality and not be let a name determine whether they get hired. Let the African Americans be seen as equal.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Don’t misjudge black names."