Same-Race Matching vs. Cross-Race Matching and the Connection to my Past Experiences

Arguments for same-race matching held that there was no way an adult who is not of minority background could possibly help minority youth cope with the issues they may face in society. Also, it is believed that those of white background may feel guilt at some point in their mentoring because of past white oppression of such minorities. Finally, minority youths may feel that their mentors are judging them for being of such a minority background. Also, pairing minority youth with someone of white background may suggest that the youth should try to model their lives and beliefs based on the mentor, who in this case would be a white person. Therefore, minority mentees should be matched with minority mentors to promote a sense of community, heritage, and solidarity. However, cross-race matching arguments state that it is not race that matters most when matching a mentor with a mentee. The mentors abilities and skills are what matter most, and if anything, socioeconomic status should be taken into consideration rather than race. Furthermore, cross-race matching will support and encourage both mentor and mentee to explore each other’s cultures and break down societal barriers, promoting a sense of community no longer based on race.
After reading these arguments and particularly focusing on the arguments for same-race matching, I began to understand why even I sometimes tend to gravitate towards people who look like me, whether they are in similar clothing or of similar skin color. It’s a matter of feeling comfortable with those you think will share similar interests, beliefs, or feelings on issues. Most people assume that by surrounding themselves with people who are just like them, usually in terms of race, will help a person avoid judgment and will further encourage a sense of community. In terms of Filipino-Americans, maybe they further seek this sense of community because of the fact that they are a minority in a predominantly “white” nation. Such a community of similar minority background thus becomes a member of their family unit, which is something they pride over all other things because of their heritage and background.

PPV 2002 Technical Assistance Packet #7, Electronic Document,

http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/26_publication.pdf, accessed April 15, 2008