By Sonji Young
FOCUS Director of Bridges Across Racial Polarization®
Some 28 years ago, my mother gave me my name after developing an admiration for Muhammad Ali’s first wife. Pronounced (sOn-Gee), I’ve discovered the complexities of ethnic identity and how it can be masked and often times, mistaken.
Just saying my name sparks memories of the numerous occasions, besides mere mispronunciation, that it's led me into. While dining at a large chain restaurant in 2002, my name was casually mispronounced as sushi, rather than Sonji. Oh and how could I forget my freshman college roommate, who voiced her disappointment and confusion caused by my name, citing that she “was expecting a smart Asian as a roommate”. Those instances of offensiveness taught me so much.
Aside from phonetics, my experiences have revealed that the meaning of my name often takes a backseat to the perceptions of race and abilities that are inevitably visible in society’s responses to ethnic diversity.
What effect, if any, do you feel your name or someone you know has had on society’s (corporate, educational, government) perception of your abilities?
Want to know more? Check out the National Bureau on Economic Research’s web article,“Employers' Replies to Racial Names” http://www.nber.org/digest/sep03/w9873.html