How different is Burbank High School when I attended to now?
When I attended Burbank High School, I noticed there was a segregation between Hispanic and Armenian students during lunch hour. I never found it as an issue because it became normal that they would hang out on “unassigned” hang out spot. Not until my senior year, a fight broke out between Armenian and Hispanic students.
Our lunch was immediately shortened. Although as students of Burbank High School, we never found out what the issue.
Not until I entered Journalism 310 class of Professor Gerson, I looked into this incident happened during my senior year of high school. As I got into the the datas of Burbank, I noticed the trend of Armenians. They do not have their own category of boxes to check for their ethnic background.
According to city data there is about four percent of Burbank population is Armenian. Armenian population is difficult to distinguish because their ethnicity is not in one of the choices for someone to fill in. In able for me to research about Armenian population, I had to search on different websites to compare and contrast if the numbers are consistent and accurate.
Burbank community makes up of Hispanic community about 27 percent of the population. It was easier to search data for the Hispanics and Latinos because they have their own category because as you can see below their have their own category. They are recognized minority in this country and as well in the Burbank community
Unfortunately, the Armenian race does not show on the category below.
As you can see on this chart in the bottom of Burbank High School students’ percentage by ethnicity, Hispanic is shown, yet Armenian ethnicity is not showing.
This was interesting to find because it is an issue among Armenian students for trying to figure out who they are in the community. Since this chart shows they are underrepresented.
I agree with Shirinian because when I took my media diversity class in college we had to check if we have any white privilege.
As a woman and Filipino ethnic background I hardly had any white privilege.
For Armenians to be called “white” in the category, they do not have the same privilege as for those who have lived in this country who go ancient years ago.
Armenians have their deep history of recognizing the Armenian Genocide. I remembered in high school most of the Armenian population would be absent to this day. The question if they are considered “white” then why is it not in the American History books?
I had an Armenian friend in high school who was frustrated even though the teachers understand why the Armenian students were not in class, the country does not recognize it.
It is difficult for Armenian students to be recognized in the category of ethnic backgrounds. Furthermore, recognizing self-identity is hard for teenagers especially in the high school setting. This can most likely lead to tension because Armenians are underrepresented in this country.
According to Los Angeles Times, majority of Burbank immigrants are Armenians and Hispanics.
According to Nicholas Grudin, “In next-door Burbank, the Armenian population has more than doubled, going from from 2,780 in 1990 to 7,950 in 2000.”
I interviewed my younger brother, John Dizon, since he was a freshman when the fight broke out during my senior year. He said he rememebered it and the lunch was cut short and that there were campus supervisors during our lunch time the next day. He felt like it was like any other fights where it was pointless fight in high school.
In addition, I interviewed a fellow Burbank High School student, Marissa Bribiesca, who graduated in 2006. She remembered it as like any normal fight between Armenians and Hispanics. She did not think it was something to it because there was not an explanation of what had happened.
The setting during lunch hours is completely different when I visited. What used to be called a “senior hill” where the majority of the popular senior student hang out is no longer the designated spot for them.
The cafeteria still had Armenian crowd but it definitely had mixture of race.
As for the wall where the Hispanic and Latinos hang out, it had a different crowd.
A shocking discovery when I visited because what used to be called a “senior hill” is not populated by seniors.
The tension felt like it was not there when I visited recently. It has been six years since I graduated and it has a different mixture of students.
As much I have a positive outlook when I visited my old high school, the country is not that built that way.
The issue is still out there for Armenians to be represented in their category of their ethnic background in the United States.
Armenian community comes together yearly for recognizing Armenian Genocide. This will help to keep for their rights to be recognized in their country. Even though they are not being boxed in as an option for their race, there are still datas out there that will specifically recognizing the Armenian race.
As for the Hispanics and Latinos, they are also fighting for their rights in this country. Even though they are one of the biggest population in minorities, their issues are not solved either.
The election gave the uncertainty of the future. The fight is not over but perhaps there will be a hope of working together in the minority community.
