identity short essays

Essays About Identity: 18 Writing Prompts for Students

Get inspiration for your essays about identity with these 18 inspiring writing prompts.

There are many times when a student needs to write an essay. Many colleges will ask for a personal essay when entering college, and the topic may be open-ended for these projects. You may also be asked to write a “who am I” essay for this.

Who am I essays are a great opportunity for self-reflection. You can delve into what makes you tick and what actions have defined your character over the years. Writing these essays also allows you to showcase your writing skills. However, this is one place where you have to do the writing yourself, not ask for help from a writing service with professional writers because you need to write about your own life and your experiences. Someone else cannot do this for you.

Essays about who am I can be challenging to write because they are so open-ended. Unless you have a clear direction from the assignment, you may need to get a little creative with the direction you take this essay. Here are some sample essay topics that deeply explore “who am I.” Consider using one to start your ideas flowing as you create an excellent personal essay.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers .

1. I Am a Good Leader

2.  exploring my future, 3. who i want to be, 4. who i am and how i change, 5. my likes and dislikes, 6. my worldview, 7. how i am similar to my father/mother, 8. who i am in three words, 9. i am a survivor, 10. my ethnicity, 11. i am more than just good grades, 12. my bravest moment, 13. how my childhood experiences made me, 14. i am a good friend, 15. why i will succeed, 16. i am a product of my choices, 17. i am a failure (and what i learned from it), 18. i am my role in the family.

Depending on the purpose of your who am I essay, describing your leadership skills could be a great option. You could explain how your life experiences have transformed you into someone with strong leadership potential. You could explore the character traits that lend themselves well to leadership.

This essay topic has a lot of room for interpretation. For example, even if you don’t see yourself as a leader, you might have much leadership potential when you dig into your character. So, pull out that leadership and build it into a personal essay.

This personal essay topic allows you to explore what you anticipate for your future. If you are writing an essay in high school as part of the college application process, you can incorporate why you are a good fit for the school into this essay to help your essay stand out.

When exploring your future in an essay, be sure to explore who you are as a person and why your future goals make sense based on your character traits and passions. This self-reflection will make for a powerful essay.

Not all who I am essays need to be about who you currently are. Instead, you can write a powerful essay about the person you hope to become. Every human being has tremendous potential, and you can showcase that potential in an essay sample.

Think about your character traits and life goals. What could you do with those traits to reach those goals? Exploring these ideas could create a strong essay example.

The human experience is all about change. We change as we grow and develop into more mature individuals. You could explore how you change in an essay that would talk about how your growth and development make you into a better person.

Exploring things that are the catalyst for change in your life can be a good starting point for a personal essay. Since you are unique, your changes will come from a different place than other people. There is quite a bit to talk about with this topic.

Your likes and dislikes are what make you who you are. If you are focused on personal essay writing, this can be a good place to start. Because you have many things that you like or do not like, this can be a lengthy essay topic idea.

Go beyond the surface here. While you could talk about foods you like and dislike, is there something deeper you could explore? Are there particular topics that inspire you and others that turn you away? The answers to these questions will help you explore this essay topic.

A worldview is a platform through which you view the world, politics, and social concerns. It could be religious, sociological, or even ethical. Spending time figuring out your worldview helps you understand your way of relating to the world.

Once you know what your worldview is, you will be able to expound on it in your essay. Explain what you believe, but also explain why. Being able to support your reasons with self-reflection and logic will make your final essay exceptional.

Do you take after one of your parents? Compare your character traits to theirs to see how you connect. Seeing yourself in another person is a great way to reflect on what makes you, you.

Again, this is a place to dig deep. Look beyond the surface like physical characteristics and look at your character traits and how they are similar to your parent. You might find that you have quite a bit in common as you start analyzing the answer to this question.

Can you describe yourself in just three words? This essay topic is an exercise in brevity, giving you the chance to hone in on who you are. But, of course, an essay is not just three words.

Once you decide what your three words are, you can expound on them. For example, if one of your words is “student,” you can explore what that means. Likewise, if you choose to state your race, you can discuss why that is a defining feature.

Have you survived something traumatic in your life? If so, you could write an engaging essay about how you are a survivor. Many people who go through traumatic circumstances suffer a victim mentality, but you could focus on how you are choosing to be a survivor, not a victim.

Focus on the trail a little, but discuss how the trial has grown you as a person. You can show in your essay how you can move past difficulties and embrace the change that they bring. This essay can clearly show your resistance as a human being.

A person’s ethnicity is an important part of who they are. This can be an engaging essay topic, as it gives you the chance to celebrate your ethnicity, beliefs, and family history.

This topic is quite fascinating to delve into, but be careful. You do not want to come across as being fully defined by your race alone. Be sure to weave other character traits into this particular essay topic so that you come across as a well-rounded, balanced person. Remember, your ethnicity is just a portion of who you are as a whole person.

The academic world often gets too focused on grades and reports. While grades are important, you should be more than just a grade card. Hard work should matter just as much as the actual score, especially if you have some challenges that make learning and test-taking more difficult.

If you are more than just good grades, what does define you? When writing this essay, make sure you define your character traits in a positive light. Keep the essay upbeat and show how your hard work will define you even when grades do not.

Is there a time when you expressed a significant amount of bravery? It does not have to be a mountaintop rescue or a near-death experience. It could be as simple as standing up in front of a class for the first time to deliver a speech.

Find an example of bravery from your life and expound on it in your essay. Explain what made you feel afraid and how you overcame the fear to do something truly brave. Use this exploration to showcase some characteristics that help you act bravely in frightening situations.

Most people have quite a bit of development from their personal childhood experiences. Can you find some of these and point to specific ways they influenced your character as an adult? This idea could be a great way to explore who you are today.

Are you a social person because you spent a lot of time with people when you were young? Are you more introverted because you did not? You might find that your childhood significantly impacts your character, giving you an engaging essay topic to explore.

If you are a good friend to others, it says quite a bit about your character. Can you showcase how you are a good friend to others in your essay? What makes you someone people want to spend time with?

Character traits that make you a good friend can also make you a good student. Are you trustworthy or particularly friendly? These traits will help you in the classroom and your social life, so highlight them in your essay.

Do you picture yourself as a success in the future? If so, explain why in your essay. For example, you may think that you will succeed in starting your own business . Or maybe you have specific skills that make you confident of your abilities in the classroom.

Showing your confidence in your essay is helpful as you try to promote yourself to your potential college or your high school teacher. First, spend some time evaluating what it is about you that means you are likely to succeed, then compile that into an essay that shows your skills in the best possible light.

Our choices define us. Can you turn that into an essay topic? Can you showcase how your choices have created the person you are today, or can you write about one particular choice that was defining in your life?

This essay topic gives you quite a bit of time for self-reflection. You can easily highlight a particularly good choice you made or focus on a mistake and how you overcame the consequences of that mistake. Either way, you can use the choices in your life to outline who you are and why.

We all have failures in our life. This essay topic shocks the reader and gets their attention, which can make it powerful, but it also gives room to discuss failure positively. Talk about one of the biggest failures you have had in life and what you learned from it.

You can use this essay topic to transform something negative into something positive. First, think about how that monumental failure defined you and how the lessons you learned from the failure have made you a better person today.

Are you a parent, sibling, or child? Are you the only child or one of many? These family dynamics can significantly impact who you are as a person, so consider exploring them as part of your essay.

Discuss how your role within your family has defined you and what it means for your future. Focus on the strengths that your role gave you rather than any drawbacks. Remember, your essay promotes you as a person and a writer, so keep it positive.

If you are interested in learning more, check out our essay writing tips !

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Individual and Society — Personal Identity

Essays on Personal Identity

The theme of Personal Identity is of paramount importance as it delves into the essence of what makes us unique individuals. It encompasses a wide array of factors including culture, language, gender, family dynamics, religion, and personal experiences that together shape our sense of self. Exploring personal identity helps in understanding the complex interplay between individual traits and societal influences, fostering a deeper comprehension of oneself and others.

Writing essays on Personal Identity is crucial for several reasons:

• It encourages self-reflection and introspection, allowing individuals to explore and articulate their understanding of their own identity.
• It promotes empathy and cultural awareness by examining how diverse backgrounds and experiences contribute to the mosaic of society.
• Essays on this topic can contribute to critical discussions about the role of external factors, such as social media and globalization, in shaping personal identity.
• They offer a platform for discussing pressing issues related to identity, such as gender identity and the impact of mental health, in a nuanced and informed manner.
• Writing about personal identity challenges writers to consider the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of identity in the modern world.

List of Popular Personal Identity Essay Topics

• Exploring the Impact of Culture on Personal Identity Formation
• Uncovering the Layers of Personal Identity
• The Role of Language in Shaping Individual Identity
• Personal Identity in the Digital Age: Social Media and Self-Perception
• Gender Identity: Navigating the Landscape of Self-Discovery
• The Impacts of Racism and Identity in James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son"
• The Influence of Family Dynamics on the Development of Personal Identity
• Religion and Spirituality: Their Contribution to Personal Identity
• The Interplay Between Personal Identity and Mental Health
• Personal Growth and Identity: The Journey Through Life Transitions

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Understanding The Significance of Personal Identity

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Personal identity refers to the unique and enduring characteristics, traits, beliefs, values, and experiences that define an individual's sense of self. It encompasses the conscious awareness of one's own existence and the recognition of being distinct from others. Personal identity is shaped by a combination of genetic factors, social interactions, cultural influences, and personal choices.

The concept of personal identity, often explored in philosophy and psychology, has a complex and multifaceted origin. The origins can be traced back to ancient civilizations and philosophical traditions that pondered the nature of the self. One influential school of thought is found in ancient Greece, particularly in the works of philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. Plato proposed the idea of an immortal soul that persists through various incarnations, while Aristotle emphasized the importance of the mind and memory in shaping personal identity. In the realm of Eastern philosophy, Hinduism and Buddhism have also contributed to the understanding of personal identity. Hinduism embraces the concept of reincarnation, where individuals' identities persist across multiple lives. Buddhism challenges the notion of a fixed and enduring self, suggesting that personal identity is impermanent and constantly evolving. The concept of personal identity further developed during the Enlightenment era in the 17th and 18th centuries. Philosophers such as John Locke introduced the idea that personal identity is rooted in consciousness and memory. Locke argued that the continuity of memory and experiences over time determines one's sense of self.

Psychological Continuity: This theory, popularized by John Locke, emphasizes the importance of psychological attributes, such as memory, consciousness, and personality traits, in defining personal identity. According to this view, a person's identity is based on the continuity of their mental states and experiences over time. Biological Continuity: This theory emphasizes the role of biological factors in personal identity. It posits that an individual's identity is primarily determined by their physical characteristics and genetic makeup. Biological continuity theorists argue that bodily continuity is essential for personal identity. Narrative Identity: This theory, influenced by narrative psychology, asserts that personal identity is constructed through the stories we tell about ourselves. Our sense of self is shaped by the narratives we create to make sense of our experiences, relationships, and life events. Bundle Theory: This theory, advocated by David Hume, challenges the notion of a unified and continuous self. According to bundle theory, personal identity is a collection of interconnected mental and physical attributes, thoughts, sensations, and experiences. There is no underlying substance that remains constant over time. Social Identity: This theory emphasizes the role of social interactions, cultural contexts, and group affiliations in shaping personal identity. It suggests that identity is not solely an individual construct but is influenced by social norms, roles, and relationships.

Physical Appearance: Our physical characteristics, such as our body shape, facial features, and unique traits, play a significant role in our personal identity. They contribute to how we are recognized and perceived by others. Psychological Traits: Personal identity is intertwined with our psychological traits, including our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, values, and personality traits. These aspects shape our perspectives, behavior patterns, and the way we interact with the world. Memories and Experiences: The accumulation of memories and life experiences forms an integral part of personal identity. Our unique collection of past events, relationships, achievements, and challenges shape our individual narrative and shape who we are. Cultural and Social Identity: Our personal identity is influenced by the cultural and social contexts we are part of. Factors such as nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, and social roles contribute to our sense of belonging and shape our identity. Interests and Passions: Our hobbies, interests, and passions also contribute to our personal identity. The things we enjoy, the activities we pursue, and the skills we develop become integral parts of who we are and how we perceive ourselves. Relationships and Connections: The relationships we form with others, including family, friends, and communities, have a profound impact on our personal identity. Our interactions and connections shape our sense of belonging, social roles, and the way we relate to others. Future Goals and Aspirations: Personal identity is not solely based on the past and present but also encompasses our future aspirations and goals. Our ambitions, dreams, and the vision we have for our lives contribute to our sense of identity and drive our actions.

1. According to a study published in the journal Science, researchers found that our sense of personal identity can be influenced by external factors, such as the opinions of others. The study showed that people were more likely to conform to a group's judgment, even if it conflicted with their own initial perceptions. 2. Research suggests that personal identity can be shaped by cultural norms and social expectations. For example, studies have shown that collectivist cultures, which prioritize the needs and goals of the group over individual desires, tend to have a stronger emphasis on social identity and conformity. 3. Personal identity can be influenced by language. Linguistic relativity theory suggests that the language we speak affects our perception and understanding of the world, including our sense of self. Different languages may have unique ways of expressing personal identity, which can shape how individuals perceive themselves. 4. Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain's neural networks play a crucial role in forming and maintaining personal identity. The connections between different regions of the brain contribute to our cognitive processes, emotions, and memories, all of which shape our sense of self. 5. Identity crisis is a phenomenon where individuals experience uncertainty or confusion about their personal identity. It is often associated with major life transitions or events, such as adolescence, career changes, or cultural shifts. Identity crisis can lead to self-reflection and a reevaluation of one's values, goals, and beliefs. 6. Personal identity can evolve and change over time. This concept, known as identity fluidity, suggests that individuals may experience shifts in their self-perception due to personal growth, new experiences, or changing social and cultural contexts.

The topic of personal identity holds immense significance as it explores fundamental questions about the nature of human existence and individuality. Understanding personal identity helps us unravel the complexities of human cognition, emotions, and behavior, enabling us to gain insights into ourselves and others. Exploring personal identity in an essay provides an opportunity to delve into the intricacies of self-perception, the formation of identity, and the factors that shape our sense of self. It allows for a critical examination of how personal identity is influenced by cultural, social, and psychological factors, offering a deeper understanding of human diversity and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. Additionally, studying personal identity facilitates introspection and self-reflection, encouraging individuals to explore their own beliefs, values, and aspirations. It prompts us to question the stability and continuity of our identities, opening up avenues for personal growth and self-actualization. Furthermore, personal identity has implications in various fields, including psychology, philosophy, sociology, and neuroscience. By exploring this topic, we can draw interdisciplinary connections and foster a holistic understanding of human nature and the complexities of the human experience.

1. Shoemaker, D., & Tobia, K. (2019). Personal identity. (https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3198090) 2. Olson, E. (2016). Personal identity. Science fiction and philosophy: From time travel to superintelligence, 69-90. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118922590.ch7) 3. Swinburne, R. G. (1973, January). Personal identity. In Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society (Vol. 74, pp. 231-247). Aristotelian Society, Wiley. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/4544858) 4. Glover, J. (1988). I: The philosophy and psychology of personal identity. (https://philpapers.org/rec/GLOITP) 5. Floridi, L. (2011). The informational nature of personal identity. Minds and machines, 21, 549-566. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11023-011-9259-6) 6. Schechtman, M. (2005). Personal identity and the past. Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology, 12(1), 9-22. (https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/186014/summary) 7. Shoemaker, D. W. (2007). Personal identity and practical concerns. Mind, 116(462), 317-357. (https://academic.oup.com/mind/article-abstract/116/462/317/1083800) 8. Garrett, B. (2002). Personal identity and self-consciousness. Routledge. (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203015667/personal-identity-self-consciousness-brian-garrett) 9. Luckmann, T., & Berger, P. (1964). Social mobility and personal identity. European Journal of Sociology/Archives Européennes de Sociologie, 5(2), 331-344. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/european-journal-of-sociology-archives-europeennes-de-sociologie/article/abs/social-mobility-and-personal-identity/3A597A028214E9C7F6BD6EA77CFBC881) 10. McLean, K. C., & Syed, M. (2015). Personal, master, and alternative narratives: An integrative framework for understanding identity development in context. Human Development, 58(6), 318-349. (https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/445817)

Relevant topics

• Social Justice
• Discourse Community
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The Big Ideas: What do we believe?

Julia Alvarez: What We Believe About Identity

Unearthing the many layers of a self can take a lifetime.

By Julia Alvarez

Ms. Alvarez is the author of “Afterlife,” a novel.

This personal reflection is part of a series called The Big Ideas , in which writers respond to a single question: What do we believe? You can read more essays by visiting The Big Ideas series page .

One of the baffling things that happened when my family arrived in the United States in 1960 was having to find a term for ourselves. No one seemed to know where the Dominican Republic was. Back then there weren’t that many Dominicans in the United States — the dictatorship made it difficult to emigrate. So when my family was asked where we were from, we couldn’t just say, “We’re Dominican, you know, like Sammy Sosa or Alex Rodriguez.” Our classmates often mistook our country for the other Caribbean nation of Dominica. “Oh, you lucky dog! We went there for spring break!” At least Dominica was in the same neighborhood of islands.

The hyphenated nationality (Dominican-American, Chinese-American, even African-American) hadn’t yet been invented. If we had to check a box, the sorry options we were given (“Negro,” “Eskimo,” etc.) didn’t include us. We were vaguely of “Spanish origin,” which was better than the more deprecating slurs of the playground: “spic,” “wetback,” “greaser.”

I was born in Nueva York, but my parents returned to their homeland when I was a month old. They immigrated again when I was 10. I was American, but not American. I was an immigrant but not really. From the get-go, my identity wasn’t easy to untangle. I didn’t know how to talk about who I was, but I knew what made me uncomfortable. The two models of Spanish origin in popular culture were Miss Chiquita Banana and Ricky Ricardo — one, an over-the-top Latina “bombshell” touting her wares, both her bananas and her curvaceous self, and the other the butt of jokes, who brought on an outpouring of canned laughter whenever he opened his mouth. (Needless to say, I did not love “I Love Lucy.”) The whole idea that I could be in charge of the nuances and complexities of my identity never occurred to me. All I knew were the either/ors.

There was no vocabulary to light up the margins where my outlier selves were camped, waiting for the borders to open and let more of my selves in. “To thine own self be true,” we read in my Shakespeare class, a mantra of my hippie friends. But which self? I wondered. I was large; I contained multitudes, like Señor Whitman. How to say so? English was still a tongue I was trying to negotiate, and I had yet to find a term for myself that felt exactly right.

A term like “female,” which described one aspect of myself, didn’t allow for the differences, contingencies and modifications that came from being the Latina variety of female. “Intersectionality” wasn’t a word anyone used, though the place it maps was where I was living. Only when I started writing did I find the space to explore, qualify and give nuance to the many selves of my self, the stories of my story.

In the 1980s, like Columbus “discovering” America, editors suddenly discovered ethnic writers, though many of us had already been writing for several decades, our work published by regional magazines and small presses. But with our literary green cards came new identity challenges and assumptions for us to contend with. Did my characters always have to be Latinx? Did my plots always have to circulate around Latinx issues? Why were most of the books sent to me to blurb by Latinx or other ethnic authors? (“You’ll love it,” editors promised.) It’s not that I didn’t want to claim my ethnicity; it’s that I didn’t want to take on others’ limiting assumptions and scripts.

On top of this was the ongoing quandary of what to call ourselves. “Spanish origin” had morphed into “Hispanic,” which became stigmatized as a census-driven colonized term, one that ignored our Indigenous and African selves. Many of us, uneasy with those erasures, shifted to “Latino/a” (although that term recalled no bigger colonizer than the Roman Empire); then came “Latin@,” a more inclusive, gender-neutral description; and more recently “Latinx,” each term an effort to define ourselves and assert control over our journeys. And so by trial and many errors, putting my foot in my boca any number of times, I struggled to articulate what it meant to be a lived identity, not a performed or assigned or co-opted one.

Recently, a fellow ethnic writer and I reflected on coming of age in a world before multiculturalism. “And yet we’re still writing!” she crowed. The undefeated. It was such a relief to let my hair down with someone who felt the same bemusement and weariness at having come through the fire to yet more fire.

I was left wondering what it meant to have survived all these changes in the zeitgeist and in myself? What core principle of being had come through the fires of rejection, neglect and erasure? The triumph I most want to claim as I move into old age is surviving with that core intact.

One of the gratifications of growing older is hearing from younger Latinas that reading my work and that of my fellow contemporary Latina writers helped them understand their lives in all their complexity and variety. We all needed vocabularies, stories and testimonials, and over the 50-year stretch of my writing and publishing life, I’ve increasingly seen those needs satisfied. The borders have opened, at least on paper, for many of us.

But now as I enter my 71st year, I find myself in a shifting relationship with the identities I’ve spent a lifetime fighting for, shaping and claiming. Call it old age — or the result of years of practicing meditation, where the focus has been on letting go of the ego and embracing emptiness — but these days I’m more interested in shedding selves. In returning to a core self, the mother root.

More and more I’m drawn to the aesthetic of Japanese haiku, in which the extraneous and unnecessary is stripped away, leaving behind something charged and vital. I’m in awe of short, poetic novels that reside in the borderlands and liminal spaces of genre. I ache for fictional companions, older characters, especially older Latinas, accurately portrayed, not airbrushed into clichés (the wise abuelita, the once-beautiful señora of the autumnal patriarch, the red-hat-purple-shawl viuda alegre, the cantankerous gruñona — all the lite inhabitants of crone lit). How to report accurately on this stage of the journey, on the selves left behind, on what identity looks and feels like at this later stage of life?

The struggles are still necessary to fight. The layers still have to be lived through. You can’t shed an identity you never had the chance to claim and live out. As the gentle and brilliant Ocean Vuong writes, “Sometimes you are erased before you are given the choice of stating who you are.” We have to go back and help those who cannot get out, as my veteran compañera Sandra Cisneros reminds us at the end of “The House on Mango Street.” Nobody gets to be excused from the transforming work of love.

In one of his later poems, “The Layers,” Stanley Kunitz writes of the many lives and layers he has lived and left behind. And yet, “some principle of being / abides, from which I struggle / not to stray.”

Being a member of an ethnic “minority” has meant living in and through the many definitions and layers that a new language and culture provided. How do we understand a core self that survives intact from these assaults to its full diversity? (Finally in older age, I understand Toni Morrison’s defiant statement that she was not writing for the white gaze, which starts with not living in the blinding light of that othering gaze.)

Near the end of “The Layers,” a voice directs the old poet, overwhelmed by the wreckage a life inevitably leaves behind, to “live in the layers, / not on the litter.” Why dwell on the grievances, on the litter of bitterness, the distortions of others, the restrictive boundaries of smaller selves? I want, instead, to live with an awareness and appreciation of all the layers. Doing so involves accepting my own diversity, forgiving myself, seeing myself with perspective, humor, generosity and tolerance, and extending all of the above to others and to their struggles, which have also been and continue to be my own.

That might be the core principle that guides me, what I believe: not content or credo, but a way of being in the world — a life lived in kindness and kindredness, in abiding love.

Meanwhile, there is work still to do. As Kunitz writes in the final line of his poem: “I am not done with my changes.” The territory of identity in later life needs to be explored and articulated. Just as our earlier stories helped younger Latinas and other readers understand themselves, our elder stories today may help them in later life. What does it mean to be an elder not only in the ongoing struggles of our communities of color but also in the hugest civil rights struggle facing us all, that of saving the planet? As I grow old, I might only be able to show up on the front lines in the lines I write.

That would be a satisfying close: to disappear, like Walt Whitman, under boot soles — to be the ground others can stand on.

Julia Alvarez is the author, most recently, of “Afterlife,” a novel, and “Already a Butterfly,” a picture book for young readers. She was awarded a National Medal of Arts in 2014.

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Fostering Inclusivity in College Counseling

Recent posts, subscribe here, more expert advice, let's get existential: how to write a college essay about identity.

When you’re a teenager, you’re probably too busy to sit down and think about your own identity. No one exactly assigns you “introspection time” as homework (though, if you’re my student, this has very likely happened). So when you start working on your college essays, it might be the first time you truly start thinking about how you can express who you are in a way that will help a group of strangers understand something about you. Let’s be honest—it feels like a lot of pressure to sum up your identity in 250 words or less. But we’re here to help.

There are many different types of application essays you’ll need to write, as my colleague Annie so perfectly laid out here . But we’re going to talk about one type in particular: the essays about identity and diversity. These are powerful college essays that give admissions officers an opportunity to glimpse into your daily life and understand your unique experiences. For some students, though, these essays can be daunting to think about and write.  

Ever wonder why colleges are asking these questions? Well, the simple answer is that they want to get to know you more. Aside from your academic interests, your activities, and your accomplishments in the classroom, there really isn’t that much space to talk about things like your ethnic background, religion, gender identity, or local community. And these are things colleges want to know about you, too!

How Do You Write a Good Identity and Diversity Essay?

Before you start writing, let’s define a few terms you might run into while drafting your college essays about identity and diversity.

Who are you? I know what you’re thinking—it’s way too early in the morning to get this existential. I hear you. But let’s break this down. Identity is made up of many qualities: personality, culture, ethnic or racial background, sexual orientation, gender, physical ability, and linguistic background, among others. Maybe you identify really strongly with the religion on Mom’s side of the family, but not Dad’s. Maybe you speak a language not typical of folks from your culture. Maybe you have recently come into your gender identity and finally feel like yourself. Why is that identity important to the way you define who you are? Think of it like this: If you’ve met someone new, and your goal is to help them get to know you in the shortest amount of time possible, how would you be able to accomplish this? What’s your tagline? That’s how you’ll want to tackle this type of college essay.

Diversity  

One individual person can’t be diverse. But when a college is referring to diversity, they’re usually looking to their student body and asking how you, as an individual with your own identity, can add to their diversity. What experiences have you had in your life that might help you make the student body more diverse? Have you dealt with dyslexia and come to terms with how best to learn, keeping your abilities in mind? If so, how can you contribute to other students who might learn differently? Did you grow up as the oldest of 10 siblings and have to take care of them on a daily basis? What kind of responsibilities did you have and how did that influence you? These don’t need to be visible qualities. The goal of the diversity college essay is to understand how these identifying factors can help you contribute to a school in a way they haven’t seen before.  

Let’s define community. You may associate it with the city or neighborhood you live in. But a community doesn’t have to be geographical. It doesn’t even have to be formal. Community can come from that sense of connection you have with like-minded people. It can be built with people you’ve shared experiences with. So, when we think of community in this sense, we could be thinking about the community that exists within your apartment complex. We could be thinking about the youth group at your mosque. We could be thinking about your little group of artists within your science and tech magnet school. Think about what communities you are a part of, and be prepared to talk about your place within them.

You might think that these questions are only being asked by small liberal arts schools—but that’s not true. Bigger schools and colleges also want to get to know all of the thousands of students they’re bringing to campus as part of their class.

Big Name Colleges that Care About Diversity

To give you a glimpse of the variety, here are a few examples of college essays where these identity and diversity may come into play:

University of Michigan

“Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.”

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

“Expand on an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far?”

Pomona College

“Tell us about an experience when you dealt with disagreement or conflict around different perspectives within a community.”

Sarah Lawrence College

“Sarah Lawrence College's community places strong value in inclusion and diversity. In 250-500 words, tell us about what you value in a community and how your perspective, lived experiences, or beliefs might contribute to your College community.”

Remember what these colleges are trying to understand: who you are and what has influenced you to become the person you are today (identity), where you come from (community), and how you might be able to add to the diversity of their college campus. Once you really get to the core and understand the intent of these types of college essays, you’ll absolutely be able to write in an earnest and genuine way. We say this frequently at Collegewise, but it’s worth repeating here, especially when it comes to essays about identity and diversity. Just be yourself.

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How to Write an Essay about Your Identity

If you’re looking for a simple way to write an essay about your identity, then you’ve found the perfect tutorial!

Writing an essay about your identity can be a great way to highlight who you are as a person and explore your values, experiences, and characteristics. So, in this tutorial, I will show you how to write such an essay in five simple steps effectively. We’ll also work on a sample essay so you can see how to put these steps into practice.

Let’s get started!

Step 1. Plan the word count for your essay’s paragraphs.

Doing this first step is important if you want to make things simpler for you while writing an essay. You’ll get to know exactly how many words each paragraph will have, which makes the process quicker.

Note that essays have three parts you must include:

• The introductory paragraph
• Three body paragraphs
• The concluding paragraph

For example, suppose you need a 300-word paragraph. How would you distribute 300 words across five paragraphs? Here’s a simple way to do that:

That’s all you need for your essay — short introductory and concluding paragraphs and three concise body paragraphs.

Step 2. Select your main idea and supporting points.

You need to come up with a central idea that will give you a frame of reference for the rest of your essay. To do this, you can first consider what your identity is. Then, determine what shapes this identity. 

For example, are you an artist? Maybe you’re imaginative and creative! Do you have a unique perspective on things? Do you like expressing yourself visually?

Or maybe, you’re a doctor? Do you have extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of medicine? Do you possess strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills?

Whatever they are, you will use them as your basis — your essay’s thesis .

For our sample essay, we can use this as our main idea: “My identity as an educator has been shaped by my faith, parenthood, and my inborn creativity.”

Next, we will use the Power of Three to divide this main idea into three supporting points. 

The Power of Three is a three-part structure that helps you produce your body paragraphs.

Let’s see how it works for our sample essay. In this case, we will use three things that could shape someone’s identity as an educator:

• My faith is an integral part of my identity.
• Parenthood has had a significant impact on my identity.
• Creativity has been a part of my identity for as long as I can remember.

Now we have what we need to start writing our essay. Let’s go to the next step!

Step 3. Write the introductory paragraph.

To write an introductory paragraph , you can follow the diagram below:

First, you need an introduction — an opening sentence that briefly sets the essay’s context. Next, you will include your thesis and three supporting points.

Here’s an example:

Introductory Paragraph

“Different factors, including beliefs, experiences, and innate qualities, shape our identities. For me, my identity as an educator has been shaped by my faith, parenthood, and my inborn creativity. My faith guides my values and principles in teaching. My experiences as a parent have also helped me develop empathy and understanding toward my students. And my inborn creativity allows me to come up with innovative ways to present lessons, engage my students, and foster a positive learning environment.”

As you can tell, the introductory paragraph proceeds from general to specific , starting from the introduction, followed by the thesis and three supporting points.

Step 4. Write the body paragraphs.

Our essay will contain three body paragraphs that expound our supporting points. Here’s how to structure a body paragraph in any essay:

Body paragraphs start with a topic sentence that briefly summarizes the entire paragraph. Next, you will explain and illustrate your point using example/s .

Paragraph 1

“My faith is an integral part of my identity. My faith guides me in creating a safe and positive learning environment for my students. I strive to make my classroom a safe space where my students feel welcomed and valued. I model kindness and compassion, which I hope inspires and encourages my students to treat each other with the same level of respect and understanding.”

Note that the topic sentence gives context to the entire body paragraph. The following sentences explain the supporting point, and the rest illustrates it with an example.

Paragraph 2

“Parenthood has had a significant impact on my identity as an educator. It has taught me to approach teaching with compassion and empathy. As a parent, I learned that everyone has unique needs and struggles that require understanding and, if possible, a personalized approach to teaching. I apply this principle in my classroom by taking the time to get to know my students and understand their personal learning styles and circumstances. I schedule one-on-one meetings with students and offer them encouragement and resources to help those struggling to catch up.”

Paragraph 3

“Creativity has always been a part of my identity, especially as an educator. It is essential in creating engaging learning experiences for my students. I constantly look for fun and innovative ways to present lessons that will help them foster a love for learning. I incorporate hands-on activities and projects in my lessons to challenge my students creatively and critically about the material. For example, when I taught animal classification last academic year, I organized a field trip to a local zoo where the students observed and learned firsthand about the animals and ecosystems they were studying.”

Like paragraph 1, body paragraphs 2 and 3 follow the exact same structure outlined in the diagram above. It proceeds from the topic sentence to the explanation and example.

Excellent! Now we’re ready for the final step.

Step 5. Write the concluding paragraph.

The most time-proven way to write a concluding paragraph for any essay is to simply paraphrase all the points you’ve already mentioned in the introductory paragraph. Don’t copy and paste it! Instead, you can check your introductory paragraph and write the concluding paragraph based on it.

Let’s try this method to write the concluding paragraph in our sample essay:

“A combination of our beliefs, experiences, and characteristics shape our identities. As an educator, my identity has been shaped by my faith, parenthood, and creativity. My faith guides me in modeling important values in my classroom. Parenthood has taught me to approach teaching with empathy. And my creativity enables me to present material in innovative and engaging ways, which helps foster a love for learning in my students.”

We only restated the points in the introductory paragraph but used different words. Doing so makes writing the concluding paragraph pretty quick and simple.

And now we’re done! I hope you find this tutorial helpful.

Now it’s time for you to write your essay about your identity!

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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Essay Samples on Identity

Talking about myself: unveiling my story.

Introduction Exploring one's own identity is a journey that unfolds through introspection, experiences, and self-expression. In this essay, I embark on the task of talking about myself, delving into various aspects that define who I am. From my background and interests to my values and...

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Nature vs Nurture in Shaping My Identity

Introduction The age-old debate of nature versus nurture delves into the intricate interplay between genetics and environment, unraveling the factors that contribute to our individuality. In this essay, I embark on a personal exploration of this theme, delving into how both nature and nurture have...

Discovering Identity: A Narrative of Self

We are all protagonists in the stories of our lives, navigating the twists and turns that define our existence. In this narrative essay, I invite you to join me on a journey through the chapters of my own life – a journey of self-discovery, growth,...

Exploring Language and Identity in "Mother Tongue" by Amy Tan

Language is not merely a tool for communication; it is also a reflection of one's cultural background, experiences, and identity. In her essay "Mother Tongue," Amy Tan delves into the complexities of language and the profound impact it has on shaping an individual's sense of...

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• Mother Tongue

Navigating College as a Middle Child: Embracing Individuality and Connection

Being a middle child has been an integral part of my identity, shaping my perspective and experiences as I embarked on the journey of college life. In a family dynamic where I straddle the line between older and younger siblings, I've learned to balance independence,...

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The Impact of Labelling and Identity in Healthcare

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Evolving Identities: The Concept of Self-Identity and Self-Perception

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• Personal Identity
• Self Identity

The Struggle for Identity in Teenagers: Recognizing the Signs

As a teenager, we are all trying to figure out what our identity is. According to James Marcia, a psychologist, there are 4 stages of identity development: identity diffusion when the teen has not decided on his identity; identity foreclosure when a teen decides on...

Nature vs Nurture: Is Identity Innate or Learned

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The Fragility of Identity in Paul Auster's City of Glass

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Identity Politics in Post-Independence South Asia: A Comparative Study

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Belonging and Wellbeing: The Role of Social Identity in Mental Health

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Best topics on Identity

1. Talking About Myself: Unveiling My Story

2. Nature vs Nurture in Shaping My Identity

3. Discovering Identity: A Narrative of Self

4. Exploring Language and Identity in “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

5. Navigating College as a Middle Child: Embracing Individuality and Connection

6. The Impact of Labelling and Identity in Healthcare

7. Evolving Identities: The Concept of Self-Identity and Self-Perception

8. The Struggle for Identity in Teenagers: Recognizing the Signs

9. Nature vs Nurture: Is Identity Innate or Learned

10. The Fragility of Identity in Paul Auster’s City of Glass

11. Identity Politics in Post-Independence South Asia: A Comparative Study

12. Belonging and Wellbeing: The Role of Social Identity in Mental Health

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How to Write About Yourself in a College Essay | Examples

Published on September 21, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability. Your essay shouldn’t just be a resume of your experiences; colleges are looking for a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

To write about your achievements and qualities without sounding arrogant, use specific stories to illustrate them. You can also write about challenges you’ve faced or mistakes you’ve made to show vulnerability and personal growth.

Table of contents

Start with self-reflection, how to write about challenges and mistakes, how to write about your achievements and qualities, how to write about a cliché experience, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Before you start writing, spend some time reflecting to identify your values and qualities. You should do a comprehensive brainstorming session, but here are a few questions to get you started:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are the top five things you are thankful for?
• What has inspired your hobbies or future goals?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

As you self-reflect, consider how your values and goals reflect your prospective university’s program and culture, and brainstorm stories that demonstrate the fit between the two.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Writing about difficult experiences can be an effective way to show authenticity and create an emotional connection to the reader, but choose carefully which details to share, and aim to demonstrate how the experience helped you learn and grow.

Be vulnerable

It’s not necessary to have a tragic story or a huge confession. But you should openly share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to evoke an emotional response from the reader. Even a cliché or mundane topic can be made interesting with honest reflection. This honesty is a preface to self-reflection and insight in the essay’s conclusion.

Don’t overshare

With difficult topics, you shouldn’t focus too much on negative aspects. Instead, use your challenging circumstances as a brief introduction to how you responded positively.

Share what you have learned

It’s okay to include your failure or mistakes in your essay if you include a lesson learned. After telling a descriptive, honest story, you should explain what you learned and how you applied it to your life.

While it’s good to sell your strengths, you also don’t want to come across as arrogant. Instead of just stating your extracurricular activities, achievements, or personal qualities, aim to discreetly incorporate them into your story.

Brag indirectly

Mention your extracurricular activities or awards in passing, not outright, to avoid sounding like you’re bragging from a resume.

Use stories to prove your qualities

Even if you don’t have any impressive academic achievements or extracurriculars, you can still demonstrate your academic or personal character. But you should use personal examples to provide proof. In other words, show evidence of your character instead of just telling.

Many high school students write about common topics such as sports, volunteer work, or their family. Your essay topic doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, but do try to include unexpected personal details and your authentic voice to make your essay stand out .

To find an original angle, try these techniques:

• Focus on a specific moment, and describe the scene using your five senses.
• Mention objects that have special significance to you.
• Instead of following a common story arc, include a surprising twist or insight.

Your unique voice can shed new perspective on a common human experience while also revealing your personality. When read out loud, the essay should sound like you are talking.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Transition words
• Passive voice
• Paraphrasing

 Communication

• How to end an email
• Ms, mrs, miss
• How to start an email
• I hope this email finds you well
• Hope you are doing well

 Parts of speech

• Personal pronouns
• Conjunctions

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Cite this Scribbr article

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Courault, K. (2023, May 31). How to Write About Yourself in a College Essay | Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/write-about-yourself/

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Why Identity Matters and How It Shapes Us

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at Yeshiva University’s clinical psychology doctoral program.

Verywell / Zoe Hansen

Defining Identity

• What Makes Up a Person's Identity?

Identity Development Across the Lifespan

The importance of identity, tips for reflecting on your identity.

Your identity is a set of physical, mental, emotional, social, and interpersonal characteristics that are unique to you.

It encapsulates your core personal values and your beliefs about the world, says Asfia Qaadir , DO, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at PrairieCare.

In this article, we explore the concept of identity, its importance, factors that contribute to its development , and some strategies that can help you reflect upon your identity.

Your identity gives you your sense of self. It is a set of traits that distinguishes you from other people, because while you might have some things in common with others, no one else has the exact same combination of traits as you.

Your identity also gives you a sense of continuity, i.e. the feeling that you are the same person you were two years ago and you will be the same person two days from now.

Asfia Qaadir, DO, Psychiatrist

Your identity plays an important role in how you treat others and how you carry yourself in the world.

What Makes Up a Person's Identity?

These are some of the factors that can contribute to your identity:

• Physical appearance
• Physical sensations
• Emotional traits
• Life experiences
• Genetics 
• Health conditions
• Nationality
• Race  
• Social community 
• Peer group 
• Political environment
• Spirituality
• Sexuality 
• Personality
• Beliefs 
• Finances 

We all have layers and dimensions that contribute to who we are and how we express our identity.

All of these factors interact together and influence you in unique and complex ways, shaping who you are. Identity formation is a subjective and deeply personal experience.

Identity development is a lifelong process that begins in childhood, starts to solidify in adolescence, and continues through adulthood.

Childhood is when we first start to develop a self-concept and form an identity.

As children, we are highly dependent on our families for our physical and emotional needs. Our early interactions with family members play a critical role in the formation of our identities.

During this stage, we learn about our families and communities, and what values are important to them, says Dr. Qaadir. 

The information and values we absorb in childhood are like little seeds that are planted years before we can really intentionally reflect upon them as adults, says Dr. Qaadir.

Traumatic or abusive experiences during childhood can disrupt identity formation and have lasting effects on the psyche.

Adolescence

Adolescence is a critical period of identity formation.

As teenagers, we start to intentionally develop a sense of self based on how the values we’re learning show up in our relationships with ourselves, our friends, family members, and in different scenarios that challenge us, Dr. Qaadir explains.

Adolescence is a time of discovering ourselves, learning to express ourselves, figuring out where we fit in socially (and where we don’t), developing relationships, and pursuing interests, says Dr. Qaadir.

This is the period where we start to become independent and form life goals. It can also be a period of storm and stress , as we experience mood disruptions, challenge authority figures, and take risks as we try to work out who we are.

As adults, we begin building our public or professional identities and deepen our personal relationships, says Dr. Qaadir.

These stages are not set in stone, rather they are fluid, and we get the rest of our lives to continue experiencing life and evolving our identities, says Dr. Qaadir.

Having a strong sense of identity is important because it:

• Creates self-awareness: A strong sense of identity can give you a deep sense of awareness of who you are as a person. It can help you understand your likes, dislikes, actions, motivations, and relationships.
• Provides direction and motivation: Having a strong sense of identity can give you a clear understanding of your values and interests, which can help provide clarity, direction, and motivation when it comes to setting goals and working toward them.
• Enables healthy relationships: When you know and accept yourself, you can form meaningful connections with people who appreciate and respect you for who you are. A strong sense of identity also helps you communicate effectively, establish healthy boundaries, and engage in authentic and fulfilling interactions.
• Keeps you grounded: Our identities give us roots when things around us feel chaotic or uncertain, says Dr. Qaadir. “Our roots keep us grounded and help us remember what truly matters at the end of the day.”
• Improves decision-making: Understanding yourself well can help you make choices that are consistent with your values, beliefs, and long-term goals. This clarity reduces confusion, indecision, and the tendency to conform to others' expectations, which may lead to poor decision-making .
• Fosters community participation: Identity is often shaped by cultural, social, political, spiritual, and historical contexts. Having a strong sense of identity allows you to understand, appreciate, and take pride in your cultural heritage. This can empower you to participate actively in society, express your unique perspective, and contribute to positive societal change.

On the other hand, a weak sense of identity can make it more difficult to ground yourself emotionally in times of stress and more confusing when you’re trying to navigate major life decisions, says Dr. Qaadir.

Dr. Qaadir suggests some strategies that can help you reflect on your identity:

• Art: Art is an incredible medium that can help you process and reflect on your identity. It can help you express yourself in creative and unique ways.
• Reading: Reading peoples’ stories through narrative is an excellent way to broaden your horizons, determine how you feel about the world around you, and reflect on your place in it.
• Journaling: Journaling can also be very useful for self-reflection . It can help you understand your feelings and motivations better.
• Conversation: Conversations with people can expose you to diverse perspectives, and help you form and represent your own.
• Nature: Being in nature can give you a chance to reflect undisturbed. Spending time in nature often has a way of putting things in perspective.
• Relationships: You can especially strengthen your sense of identity through the relationships around you. It is valuable to surround yourself with people who reflect your core values but may be different from you in other aspects of identity such as personality styles, cultural backgrounds, passions, professions, or spiritual paths because that provides perspective and learning from others.

American Psychological Association. Identity .

Pfeifer JH, Berkman ET. The development of self and identity in adolescence: neural evidence and implications for a value-based choice perspective on motivated behavior . Child Dev Perspect . 2018;12(3):158-164. doi:10.1111/cdep.12279

Hasanah U, Susanti H, Panjaitan RU. Family experience in facilitating adolescents during self-identity development . BMC Nurs . 2019;18(Suppl 1):35. doi:10.1186/s12912-019-0358-7

Dereboy Ç, Şahin Demirkapı E, et al. The relationship between childhood traumas, identity development, difficulties in emotion regulation and psychopathology . Turk Psikiyatri Derg . 2018;29(4):269-278.

Branje S, de Moor EL, Spitzer J, Becht AI. Dynamics of identity development in adolescence: a decade in review . J Res Adolesc . 2021;31(4):908-927. doi:10.1111/jora.12678

Stirrups R.  The storm and stress in the adolescent brain .  The Lancet Neurology . 2018;17(5):404. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30112-1

Fitzgerald A. Professional identity: A concept analysis . Nurs Forum . 2020;55(3):447-472. doi:10.1111/nuf.12450

National Institute of Standards and Technology. Identity .

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

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How to Write the UNC Chapel Hill Essays 2020-2021

Famous for their long standing rivalry with Duke University, the “Tar Heels” boast impressive athletic teams, hundreds of student organizations, and a prosperous artistic community. Situated against the stunning backdrop of Chapel Hill, affectionately referred to as “The Southern Part of Heaven,” UNC at Chapel Hill has a wonderful presence in one of North Carolina’s largest cities and is a part of the famous Research Triangle (the other schools being North Carolina State University and Duke University). 

Its admitted class from the 2019-2020 cycle includes 4,067 students from North Carolina and 935 out-of-state students. The average SAT score from out of state was from 1360-1500. Out of the North Carolina applicants, 41% were accepted—compared to only 13% of out-of-state applicants who were accepted. 

UNC at Chapel Hill is one of the country’s most sought after schools. Have the Southern charms of UNC moved you to apply? Do the overwhelmingly low acceptance rates have you a bit…scared or overwhelmed? We’ll show you how to improve your chances of acceptance by writing standout supplemental essays. Want to know your chances at UNC? Calculate your chances for free right now.  

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University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill Supplemental Essay Prompts 

All applicants, prompt 1: in addition to the essay you provided with your common application, please choose two of the prompts below and respond to each in 200-250 words. your essay responses below should be different from your common app essay response. , carolina aspires to build a diverse and inclusive community. we believe that students can only achieve their best when they learn alongside students from different backgrounds. in reading your responses, we hope to learn what being a member of such a community would mean to you..

• Option A: Expand on an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). How has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far?
• Option B: If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be and why?
• Option C: Describe someone who you see as a community builder. What actions has that person taken? How has their work made a difference in your life?

Honors College Applicants

Please submit a short essay (250 words or fewer) that describes your academic interests and the ways you believe Honors Carolina can help you pursue them.

Global Gap Year Fellowship and Global Carolina Launch Applicants

Prompt 1: When students travel abroad, they become members of new communities. What qualities would you value in new social and cultural contexts and how would you contribute to your new communities? (200-250 words)

Prompt 2: Tell us more about why you want to go abroad. How do you hope to grow, and what skills do you hope you will bring back to Carolina? (200-250 words)

All Applicants, Option A

Expand on an aspect of your identity (for example, your religion, culture, race, sexual or gender identity, affinity group, etc.). how has this aspect of your identity shaped your life experiences thus far (200-250 words).

At first glance, this prompt seems extremely similar to the first Common Application prompt : “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.” However, UNC’s prompt has a different objective and a different context. Let’s return to the final sentence of the instructions.

“In reading your responses, we hope to learn what being a member of [the vibrant UNC] community would mean to you.”

Based on this context, the prompt can be reframed to be the following: 

Expand upon one aspect of your identity. Reflect on how this aspect has shaped your life experience so far, and how it would benefit or shape your experience at UNC at Chapel Hill.

This prompt requires you to select one facet of your intersectional, multifaceted identity. Because the word limit is 250 words, it is important to select only one meaningful part of your identity.

1. Clarify and describe the aspect of your identity in an engaging way.

You should briefly show how this aspect of your identity has impacted your life.

For example, if you were writing about your female identity, a forgettable essay might read: 

“One meaningful aspect of my identity that I feel is important to share is my female identity. Growing up with only brothers, I was often treated differently and unfairly.”

The writer merely regurgitated the language of the prompt! Boring! How might you make this more exciting? Try adding an anecdote or quick metaphor. A stronger response would look something like this: 

“He was only a few paces ahead of me. I began my mental checklist: core—engaged. Shoulders—down and back. Feet—landing softly on the sliding gravel. My brother turns over his shoulder, to give me a sneer and a snide remark. Little does he know, I’m about to pass him. I can see my father waiting, arms outstretched. by the oak tree at the end of our street. And I have to win. I must.

As the only woman in my family, pursuing a career in STEM, I feel like I am always a few paces behind. For years, I occupied the shadow of my older brothers, watching their accomplishments be celebrated more than mine, simply because of their male identity. I have worked and studied in androcentric spaces, namely labs and conventions, and felt like my contributions were being swallowed by louder, more masculine voices.”

2. Synthesize the story of your identity and your goals in a college experience. 

This can be brief—even one sentence. You should explain what you’re looking for in a college experience. This explanation can be a continuation of your identity and life experience.

• Maybe you want to further the exploration of your sometimes-contradictory beliefs in Christian Creationism and science.
• Or, perhaps you are looking to pursue your intellectual curiosity in environmental science stemming from your Norwegian culture.
• Or, maybe you long to pursue a degree in music because of its generational importance in your Mexican heritage.

This connection can also be a contradiction of an aspect of your identity.

• Perhaps you are interested in a career in psychology to combat feeling isolated by your queer identity.
• Or, maybe you want to find ways to explore abstraction and mess in art, film, or literature while your Japanese family champions order and cleanliness.
• Or, possibly, you are feeling discontent in your rural hometown and want to pursue a major in City and Regional Planning.

3. Make a call to action.

Show how UNC is the perfect fit for you and your identity. This portion of the essay involves extensive research into the school. What is the history of UNC? What majors or clubs might match your identities? What courses might challenge your identities or make you question them? Whether this is a commentary on Carolina’s values or a specific program UNC offers, you should find a link between your identity and UNC at Chapel Hill.

For example:

“As a Black woman, I see tremendous value and pride in a Tar Heel education. As an aspiring journalist myself, it would be a privilege to follow in the footsteps of Karen Parker, the first African American female journalist to graduate from UNC only fifty-seven years ago. I yearn for a community that champions social justice and equity in and out of the classroom. I want to continue the legacy of powerful, Black women that have changed the face of UNC’s campus.”

“I am ready now to share my sexuality, something that I have hidden from my conservative family and small town for my entire life. For me, UNC Chapel Hill stands as a beacon of tolerance and acceptance in a state where I have often felt unaccepted. I want to learn about the omitted history of queerness from our country and the ways that power, gender, and sexuality intersect in our healthcare system. Being able to take classes such as ‘The International Politics of Sexual and Reproductive Health’ with Professor Booth, or ‘Sexuality and Salvation’ with Professor Bloesch would allow me to pursue my intellectual curiosities, while giving me the space and language to articulate and explore my own identity. My education in Sexuality Studies and Healthcare could be supplemented by living in Pride Place—finding a community of people who share my identity and can help me grow in my quest of personal acceptance and self-improvement.”

Whatever aspect of your identity you choose, make it personal, make it unforgettable, and make it specific. After you write the first draft, ask yourself: how might an admissions officer summarize this essay? Do not forget to reframe your identity to UNC.

All Applicants, Option B

If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be and why (200-250 words).

This question has a specific objective in mind. Through asking your criteria for the “ideal place to live,” UNC at Chapel Hill is evaluating whether or not the resources and community the school possesses fit or match the description of your personal utopia. In other words, do your expectations and aspirations match the actual characteristics of the university? You should pick an element of your town to improve that can directly parallel a current (or lacking) aspect of UNC’s community.

1. Identify a problem in your own town.

This should be presented quickly and uniquely. Because the word count is very limited, anecdotes and quick metaphors are often the best option. 

e.g. “We have a running joke in my town of Scotia, California. When you meet someone new, you ask “Does your dad work for the factory?” It is only funny to us, its inhabitants, who know that the answer is always, undoubtedly, and unfortunately, “yes.” When I was younger, I’d trace my father’s hands—scarred by the splicing and sanding of wood—while he shared his dreams for me: to leave the town and pursue my own interests, not those of the factory.”

2. Identify the specific change you want to make.

What about your town could be changed to solve the problem you identified? 

e.g. “As an aspiring entrepreneur, my dreams and ideas are often dismissed in Scotia by laughter or lectures about practicality. While I have a reverence and respect for factory work, my brain has always been fascinated with ideation—the generation of ideas—and creating a team of similar thinkers to help pursue them.”

3. Demonstrate how UNC would provide the change in community that you desire.

This aspect of the prompt, similar to the previous one, requires research of UNC. Might you find this community in a specific major? Minor? Club? Residential Community? Be specific! —specifically those geared toward enhancing the quality of student life.

e.g. “Not only does UNC provide classes on entrepreneurship, through the Shufford Program, the school also has residential communities where conversations can continue beyond the classroom. My utopia or “dream community” sounds similar to life in the Blue-Sky Innovation residential community: staying up late, having conversations about startups with peers who could eventually become business partners. I crave these conversations and debates—to talk about consumer choice, profit maximization and choice under uncertainty with twenty-one other peers who will challenge and propel me forward as a student, thinker, and entrepreneur.”

If you are unsure of where to begin your research, try looking into some of the current initiatives and programs in place at UNC specifically geared toward enhancing the quality of student life.

For example, UNC at Chapel Hill offers a variety of Living-Learning Communities under its Residential Learning Programs. These communities allow you to live on campus while also living among students who share common career aspirations, social interests, or family backgrounds. Pride Place, First Gen, Global Scholars House, and Blue-Sky Innovation are among the variety of residential learning programs offered.

Here are some other helpful tips for this prompt:

• While it is okay to critique your town, stay away from sounding completely negative or disrespectful toward a way of life or being.
• Find a genuine, specific connection to UNC. This can be through clubs, residential services, coursework, etc. Granularity over generality.
• Have fun! Show off your personality. Don’t be afraid to make a joke at your own expense.

All Applicants, Option C

Describe someone who you see as a community builder. what actions has that person taken how has their work made a difference in your life (200-250 words).

Here, UNC hopes to understand what kind of people and ideas you value and assess whether they are comparable to the type of students, faculty, and values found at UNC. In answering this prompt, it is helpful to research the qualities and skills UNC values in its students and faculty. These points can be helpful for you to consider or reference if you are having a hard time pinpointing a specific interaction with a particular community leader. For the most successful essay, it is crucial that you write about an authentic moment.

 1. Identify a community builder. 

To begin the brainstorming process, draft a list of individuals that come to mind immediately. Possible examples include peers, local activists, teachers, club leaders, coaches, directors, conductors, religious leaders, etc. Then reflect upon what values or practices resonate with you. How does this person facilitate community? Can I discuss them for an entire essay?

Begin with an anecdote or an engaging hook, not with a regurgitation of the prompt’s language.

e.g. “We wait in eager anticipation for the slightest movement of his hand. He stands on his podium and gives us a reassuring smile, as if to say, Let’s do it just as we practiced. After briefly glancing down at the stand in front of him, Mr. Grauer’s right hand makes a definitive slash through the stagnant air. We watch as the audience leans forward, to hear the pianissimo of the flute.

As I glance at my sheet music for my entrance, not for another thirty measures, I am reminded of something Grauer said to us.

When asked why music was important, he responded. “People love to talk about how doctors save lives. But you never know when someone is going to walk into this symphony hall, needing for their life to be saved, too.” We sat in a solemn, long silence—perhaps realizing the gravity a single note has. I started my career in music out of obligation. Grauer didn’t care.”

2. How might these values be applied at UNC?

Answering this question could take as little as two sentences or it could be a more prominent part of your essay. Ask yourself:

• What have I learned from this community builder that I want to take with me to my undergraduate experience? 
• Do I admire this person’s charisma and ingenuity?
• How might I implement this person’s values at UNC?

Maybe your mentor taught you the importance of mental health and wellness—you could write about ActiveMinds at UNC. Or, perhaps your community builder taught you fearlessness— you could talk about joining a club that sounds appealing, but slightly intimidates you like a dance ensemble, mock trial, etc.  

e.g. “While imagining my farewell with Mr. Grauer seems a little too painful right now, I am drawn to what an undergraduate mentor in music might teach me and how I might continue to live and espouse the teachings Grauer has taught me at my university. Although I wish to pursue a degree in Public Health, specifically in Health Policy and Management, I do not want to surrender the community music has given me. Having the chance to play in the Carolina Bluegrass Band or the Global Rhythms Ensemble would give me the chance to be a part of community that has taught me the lessons of discipline, practice, and perseverance, and allow me to bring sustained joy to myself, other members of the ensemble, and the audience.”

Please submit a short essay (250 words or fewer) that describes your academic interests and the ways you believe Honors Carolina can help you pursue them .

This prompt allows the admissions committee to get a sense of you and what you will contribute to UNC at Chapel Hill.

First, you should begin with your academic interests. The more specific you are when describing your interests, the better.

Instead of just “biology,” perhaps you are passionate about bringing equality to the American healthcare system, specifically shining a light on the intersection of race and gender-identity and its respective effect on patient care.

Instead of “English,” perhaps you are fascinated with the act of translation and adaptation. What is lost through a translation? How might texts be adapted to fit our current political period without losing the author’s intent and the specificities of the zeitgeist of their time.

How did your interest begin? This should be introduced with an anecdote or a quick metaphor, something to grab the attention of the reviewer.

You should conclude your essay with an undeniable argument about how UNC will help you achieve your goals. This involves research of specific academic initiatives, faculty, and majors. 

Consider mentioning First Year Honors Seminars. There are a whole host of courses that are offered, including Lynching in American Literature and Culture, Ghettos and Shtetls: Urban Life in East European Jewish History, or Mind, Matter, and Metaphysics: The Philosophy of Experience and Reality. 

How would the Honors College support your learning, intellectual curiosities, and professional aspirations? Take a look at the Morehead-Cain Alumni Visiting Distinguished Professors. Robert Bach, the 2015 professor, was an ’84 graduate who led the development of the Microsoft Xbox. Sir Christopher Meyer, the 2010 professor, was a former British ambassador to the United States who authored a book on the history of British diplomacy. Go down a wormhole! Explore! Write about it!

Global Gap Year Fellowship and Global Carolina Launch Applicants, Prompt 1

When students travel abroad, they become members of new communities. what qualities would you value in new social and cultural contexts and how would you contribute to your new communities (200-250 words).

This prompt is your opportunity to delve into the reasons you are applying to this specific program at UNC. You should not only discuss your choice to apply for a global year program, but also why you want to experience one under the context of UNC’s community. 

1. Identify qualities that you value in new social and cultural contexts.

Some values may include conscientiousness, openness, extroversion, social harmony, respectfulness, empathy, etc. Once you’ve chosen a few values to focus on, share how these values have existed in your new social and/or cultural contexts. 

Anecdotes are often the best way to quickly and effectively introduce a concept. While writing, make sure you are aware of the distinction between appreciation and appropriation. It is okay to appreciate a different culture, but appropriation can quickly become problematic.

e.g. “ There is a story my mother likes to tell strangers. It goes like this: I am five years old. I walk into the kitchen of our small Brooklyn apartment with my sister’s Barbie suitcase and a bottle of water in a futile effort to make the most dramatic entrance possible. My mother is standing, hunched over the stove, her back turned to me. I stomp my right foot, loudly announcing my arrival. She turns, and I meet her gaze. “I’m leaving, and I won’t be back for a long time” I inform her. She places her hand over her mouth to conceal her laughter, but before she does, I’m out the door. 

My mother reminds me of this memory to show me how precocious I was. ‘You were a sixteen year old in a five year old’s body,’ she’ll tell me.

I think I have always had a hunger for independence.”

2. How would you contribute to your new communities?

Before answering this question, you should identify whether you want to Design Your Gap Year or apply to the Global Citizen Year. 

If you are Designing Your Gap Year, make a specific choice. What community/communities would you want to visit? What do you hope to learn from them? How would you contribute?  

If you are applying for the Global Citizen Year, choose an emphasis: environmental conservation, agriculture, public health, education, or social enterprise. Mention your self-designed final community project and the long-term homestay model.

e.g. “ My insatiable quest for independence has led me to the field of musicology. I want to explore the world and learn the origins, histories, and stories of music. I am drawn to the Design Your Gap Year program because of the independence it grants me to study musical culture in specific geographic areas. If given the opportunity, I would love to have a cultural, musical exchange with different communities around the world: to learn about music, and share my own music —heavily influenced by American gospel music . I am drawn to the rainy Pacific coasts of Colombia, where I can study the inception of currulao and the Marabi style of South Africa, created under the nightly curfews of Johannsberg.” 

Global Gap Year Fellowship and Global Carolina Launch Applicants, Prompt 2

Tell us more about why you want to go abroad. how do you hope to grow, and what skills do you hope you will bring back to carolina (200-250 words).

In this prompt, you should specifically discuss the reasons you want to go abroad. What is it that you hope to experience, learn, or gain from your time abroad?

1. Identify why you want to go abroad.

Do you hope to gain an appreciation for a specific nation’s people or history? Do you want to develop language skills? Are you hoping to gain self-reliance? Whatever your reason is, talk about it! 

Once you select a reason, use an anecdote or a quick metaphor to grab the reader’s attention. Avoid using clichés like “see the world” or “learn from a community.” Be more specific! Describe your reasons as they uniquely relate to you. 

e.g. “ My father is eccentric. His nonconformity extends beyond his wardrobe and music choices. I’ll call for him when I am in bed, struggling to speak with a sore throat. He’ll listen to my ailments and return a few minutes later carrying a brown vial. “This is Belladonna,” he’ll tell me. Later that day, my throat will be less irritated. Insomnia? “Here’s something for that,” he’ll say, before prescribing coffea cruda. A raging pimple? Cured with Calcarea sulphurica. 

The history of homeopathic medicine is a long and complicated one; however, it is something that I want to delve in and explore. Homeopathy is a worldly tradition: spanning from Pakistan to Chile— India to Brazil.” 

2. Identify areas for growth.

What would an abroad experience provide you with? What lessons may you learn that you are lacking? Adaptability? Nontraditional experiential learning experiences? Failure? Communication?

e.g. “ After eighteen years of learning through rote memorization to obtain specific results, I want to learn how to acquire and enjoy knowledge experientially. If you asked a friend to describe me, they might lead with the words “rigid” and “methodical.” As an aspiring scientist, those words sound like compliments; however, I want to learn how to be more adaptable and persevering — to try to embark on a journey and a project that may yield no traditionally “significant” results.” 

3. How would you impact the UNC community?

This could be anything from continued research and connection with a community to major selection. Are you going to start a club? Study with a professor whose expertise aligns with your experience? Be specific and intentional.

e.g. “ Although a (hopeful) global citizen, The Tar Heel State, specifically in the Tar Heel community, feels like home to me. After a year of learning about homeopathy abroad, I would have a worldly and more holistic perspective on medicine and treatment and be able to continue my research and intellectual curiosities on campus, hopefully under the guidance of Dr. Susan Gaylord, a professor at the School of Medicine and Public Health.” 

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Understanding the Concept of Identity

Identity is a tricky idea to pin down. Many people think of identity as simple and fixed, but it’s not. Many other people think that identity is changeable and malleable, but even they misunderstand how and why identity is changeable and malleable, and end up using the word (and the idea) poorly. Let’s start with a few things that identity isn’t, to help us figure out how to think about what all it can be.

Identity is not:

Fixed — identity is not something that remains the same throughout one’s life. It changes over time. It can also change from situation to situation, over very short spans of time.

Singular — identity is not something of which a person has only one. There isn’t a “true” self that exists within a person, with everything else being layers of interpretation. One’s identity can be one thing in the morning at breakfast, and another thing in the afternoon during class, yet both are still fully identities.

A possession — identity is not something that someone owns. It is created in the interplay of people, and is therefore made and remade constantly.

Controlled by any one person — identity is not held in the control of a single entity, and therefore is not subject to definition by any one entity (even the person claiming the identity).

Lots of people want identity to be a noun because nouns are real and concrete. They’re things. I can own a thing. I can say it’s mine, and tell you how to treat it, and make the rules about it. There’s a feeling of intimacy with an identity because it seems definitional, and if something defines me, I want to be the one in control of it. In order to have more control of it, I want it to be fixed and concrete. When it’s fixed in form just the way I like it, then I can be comfortable with it defining me. And that cycle of justifications becomes a self-supporting set of arguments. But what if we break that cycle? What if we crack it open at the moment when an identity defines someone?

Definitional — identity does not make a person who they are. It does not shape, or limit, or solidify someone in a particular form, or category, or manner.

If identity doesn’t define us, then what does it do? If it’s not who we are in a definitional sense, then what is it, and what does it mean to say “I am an X, a Y, or a Z”? Well, if it’s not telling me what something is , the best it can be doing is telling what something is like . It can describe, rather than define.

Identity is:

Descriptive — identity attempts to capture what something means in a given context. By doing so, this understanding of identity acknowledges that context is never absent, and it is always shaping the thing it contextualizes.

If we understand identity as descriptive, rather than definitional, then it becomes easier to understand all of the things above that identity is not. Descriptions aren’t fixed; they can vary from person to person. Descriptions aren’t controlled by one person; some people love cheesecake, while others hate it. If we can now wrap our heads around some of those things identity isn’t, what else can our understanding of identity as description rather than definition tell us about what identity is?

Fluid — identity changes across time and space. Who I am tomorrow may not be very much like who I am today due to a whole host of factors.

Situational — identity can vary from one situation to the next. In the context of my friends, I may know myself as a fun and funny person, but in another context of a conversation with my boss, I may be very serious and focused. I’m one me, but my identity in each situation is different.

Communicative — identity is the result of people’s ideas, words, and actions interacting with one another. I can send out a message by wearing a shirt with a logo on it, but how that shirt is given meaning by someone else is beyond my control. I send out the message, others take it in and interpret it, just like linguistic communication.

At this point, some people may be throwing their hands up and thinking, “if identity is just a description, and it’s all so variable, then what does it matter?” Well, it matters quite a lot because, even though identity is not a definition in some existential way, people still pretend or misunderstand that identities define, and then they layer other meanings on top of those definitions. In other words…

Operative — identity does stuff.

If I decide that the way I describe you is somehow fundamentally who you are, then I can use that identity as a justification for all sorts of thoughts, feelings, beliefs, actions, etc. Even further, if I have some sort of power that I can wield, my feelings and beliefs can become actions that affect you greatly. So, while identity is descriptive, rather than definitional, we shouldn’t let ourselves fall into the trap of thinking it is unimportant. Likewise, we shouldn’t fall into the other trap of using the often inappropriate importance given to identities to try to prove that they are definitions.

Analytical frameworks, critical frameworks, critical lenses, and so forth

Epistemology (or, an episteme), interdisciplinary.

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University of North Carolina at Wilmington | UNC Wilmington

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We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

University of North Carolina at Wilmington | UNC Wilmington’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short response.

To be considered for the UNCW Honors College, please respond to an essay prompt below in 350 words or less.

Intellectual curiosity is a distinguishing characteristic of honors students. It doesn’t matter what fascinates you, so long as something does. In what ways have you followed your senses of exploration and fascination, and how do you want to follow this intellectual curiosity during your time at UNCW?

The Honors College encourages interdisciplinarity—the interaction and synergy of multiple subjects and disciplines. We often offer classes that intersect art and science, literature and sociology, or religion and technology—among others. What interdisciplinarity have you found in your own life and academic interests?

Identity Short Response

Reflect on your identity, including your background and experiences, and how you envision your identity contributing to the UNCW community.

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Curriculum  /  ELA  /  9th Grade  /  Unit 1: Me, Myself, and I: Examining Personal Identity in Short Texts  /  Lesson 1

Me, Myself, and I: Examining Personal Identity in Short Texts

Lesson 1 of 20

Readings and Materials

Target task, enhanced lesson plan.

Understand the definition of personal identity and social identity, and use that understanding to create an Identity Chart.

Resource:  Identity Charts  

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Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved

Discussion & Writing Prompt

Create an identity chart that reflects your personal and social identity markers. On the back of your identity map, choose 3 parts of your identity that are most significant to who you are, and explain why.

Criteria for Success

• Includes at least 4–6 words/phrases that you would use to describe your identity. 
• Includes at least 4–6  words/phrases that others might use to describe you.
• Could include objects, symbols, and images alongside words and phrases.
• Explain three parts of your identity that are most significant to you on the back of the identity map.

Sample Response

An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.

Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.

Excerpt:  Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain  pp. 1 – 15 — "Introduction"

While reading, answer the following questions.

How was Rosa Parks described by those who knew her? Why does that surprise Cain?

What is the most important aspect of our personality? Why?

What percentage of Americans are introverts? Was this surprising to you? Why or why not?

What is the "Extrovert Ideal"?

Who are some of the famous introverts Cain mentions?

How did Laura handle herself in the meeting with the bankers? What was the result of this meeting?

What are some characteristics of extroverts? Introverts?

What is shyness, and how is that different from introversion?

Who was Cain's first client, "Laura"?

Annotation Focus

• What are the qualities/characteristics of an introvert? extrovert?

Notes for Teachers

Discussions about personal identity, especially early in the year, can be challenging for students. While some students might be comfortable sharing aspects of their personal and social identities, others might be hesitant to do so. It is important that students know that they will not be required to discuss the details of their Identity Chart unless they want to.

Bring your most engaging lessons to life with comprehensive instructional guidance, detailed pacing, supports to meet every student's needs, and resources to strengthen your lesson planning and delivery.

Reading Standards for Informational Text

RI.9-10.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.9-10.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Speaking and Listening Standards

SL.9-10.1 — Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9—10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Writing Standards

W.9-10.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Supporting Standards

Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit

Language Standards

L.9-10.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.9-10.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.9-10.6 — Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

W.9-10.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 SL.9-10.1 W.9-10.10

Analyze how Susan Cain's structure and tone relate to her argument and purpose.

RI.9-10.4 RI.9-10.5 RI.9-10.6

• “I'm Nobody! Who are you?”
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking pp. 1 – 15 — "Introduction"

Analyze how the speaker's word choice reveals her perspective on being a "nobody."

RI.9-10.2 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.4

Analyze how Rudy Francisco uses specific details and figurative language to develop his central idea.

L.9-10.5 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4

Narrative Writing

• “My Honest Poem”
• Narrative Writing: My Honest Poem Rubric (G9)

Plan and write a free verse poem that explores your personal identity.

W.9-10.3 W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5

• Counting Descent p. 13 — Poem: "Soles"
• Counting Descent p. 25 — Poem: "Counterfactual"

Analyze how diction establishes and shifts the mood in a poem to convey meaning.

RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4

Analyze how narrative perspective, structure, and characterization shape the reader's understanding of a story's ending.

RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.5 W.9-10.10 W.9-10.3 W.9-10.9

Analyze how the author uses literary devices to convey the boy's complex experience as a child of immigrant parents.

L.9-10.5 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5

Analyze how the motif of dreams communicates an important theme from the story.

• “(citizen)(illegal)”
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking — "Introduction"
• Fresh Ink: An Anthology pp. 194 – 209 — Short Story: "Super Human" by Nicola Yoon
• How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity pp. 63 – 72 — Short Story: “Trev” by Jacqueline Woodson

Engage in a small-group hexagonal discussion to make connections between texts read so far in the unit. 

RI.9-10.1 RL.9-10.1 SL.9-10.1.a SL.9-10.1.b SL.9-10.1.c SL.9-10.1.d SL.9-10.6 W.9-10.1 W.9-10.10 W.9-10.9

Analyze how the author uses symbolism and structure to reveal the story's meaning.

RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5

Analyze how an author's choice of narrative perspective, structure, and tone contribute to overall meaning in a story.

RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5

Analyze how the mother's character reveals an important message from the story.

RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.5 RL.9-10.6

• “Hair”

Analyze how the author uses diction and figurative language to show contrasting perspectives on the speaker's hair.

• “Our Fight for Disability Rights and Why We're Not Done Yet”
• “Judy Heumann Reads an Excerpt from Her Memoir Being Heumann ”

Identify a speaker's purpose in two digital texts, analyzing the rhetorical choices the speaker makes to achieve that purpose.

RI.9-10.6 RI.9-10.7 SL.9-10.3

Socratic Seminar

Prepare for a Socratic Seminar on overarching questions about Unit 1.

RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 W.9-10.1 W.9-10.10 W.9-10.9

Assessment: Socratic Seminar

Formulate and share unique arguments about meaning in and across all texts from Unit 1. Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a summative Socratic Seminar.

RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 SL.9-10.1.a SL.9-10.1.b SL.9-10.1.c SL.9-10.1.d SL.9-10.6

Performance Task: Narrative Writing

• All unit texts
• “In 'Turning Red' I Finally Saw Myself Reflected in a Main Character”

Brainstorm and outline a personal reflection essay in which students consider how the texts in Unit 1 have been a window into another's identity and/or mirror of their own identity.

RI.9-10.4 RI.9-10.5 W.9-10.2 W.9-10.4

Performance Task

• Unit 1: Personal Reflection Essay Rubric (G9)

Outline and begin to write a personal reflection essay in which students consider how the texts in Unit 1 have been a window into another's identity and/or mirror of their own identity.

W.9-10.2 W.9-10.4

Write a personal reflection essay in which students consider how the texts in Unit 1 have been a window into another's identity and/or mirror of their own identity.

L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 W.9-10.2 W.9-10.2.d W.9-10.4

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Short Essay on Our Culture Our Identity [100, 200, 400 Words] With PDF

Culture is the most significant identity of human beings. So, knowing own culture is very much important. In this lesson today, you will learn how to write an essay on the popular phrase: Our Culture Our Identity.

Short Essay on Our Culture Our Identity in 100 Words

Culture plays an important role in our lives. Every person is unique and different from the other. It is mainly because of their culture. People belong to several nations and communities. So their language changes, their dresses are different, their habits also do not match with each other. All of these happen because we belong to several cultures.

Our culture builds us to be complete human beings. It is our identity. Culture affects our behaviour, manners, and style. It includes the nature we have. Also, it comes from our family background, the teachings we receive and the moral education that we are given. If we are well cultured, then everyone will praise us. 

Short Essay on Our Culture Our Identity in 200 Words

The line ‘ Our culture our identity’ comes from the country Nepal. Nepal is a land of diversity. It has various types of flora, fauna, festivals, food, dresses, and culture. But now this is applicable to every country living on Earth. Culture is a part of our identity. It builds our character and manners. If we are cultured, then we are praised by all.

Culture also includes language and our behaviour. It also contains our social activities. Culture differs from person to person. It happens due to different nations. We grow up under a definite culture. It affects our moral development. Culture comes both from our family and also from our surroundings. 

Culture Whatever we believe comes from our culture. It remains throughout our life. Nowadays, several people are going to different countries. They study or work abroad. Then the culture of that foreign land affects the person. He mixes the foreign culture with his own. Everything in our life is controlled by culture. It makes us what we are. Our wishes are also part of our culture.

When we succeed in our life, our culture is praised. Culture includes our religions and festivals. Durga puja is now an important festival in foreign countries. All know about Durga Puja. So this helps the Hindu religion and Indian culture get more popular. We live for our culture. Our culture is our pride.

Short Essay on Our Culture Our Identity in 400 Words

We are Indians and we are proud of our nation. We are proud of its people, culture, diversity, independence, nature, and surroundings. What is important for us is the culture we have. Culture makes our identity. As Indians, we have a specific culture. It is different from what others have.

Our culture separates us from others. It is something that makes us unique. It teaches the right and the wrong. We start learning about our culture from childhood. So that we can forever remember it. So culture is our strength. If we follow our culture and its rules, then we will be praised forever. 

The identity of a person is formed by his culture. Whatever we believe comes from that. If we have plans for the future, then our culture helps us in it. When we work for our nation, our culture is praised. Every culture has its own value. We cannot forget that. As we grow up, we have to maintain those values. It helps to grow our lives. It makes our lives more beautiful.

These values are different from one another. Every country has its own culture. It has its own values and morals. We see different habits, people, their practices, festivals, foods, clothes, and language. All of these happen because of culture. Our behaviour and manners are also important. It shows how beautiful our culture is. 

We are taught about our culture from our childhood. Parents always teach their children about the cultures of their country. Even a small society has a separate rule. Culture comes from our family. If we are well behaved, then people praise our family background. Our grandparents also give us lessons on our culture. They are old and wise.

They know a lot about the culture of the nation. Our environment plays an important role in building us as well. If we have a bad surrounding, then it affects us. We do not learn good manners, we become rough, and also go the wrong way. It becomes very difficult for us to adjust if our culture is not good. So culture creates good and strong personalities. 

The line ‘our culture our identity’ comes from Nepal. Nepal is a land of diversity. It has a different language, nature, clothes, food, festivals and people. But now this is applicable to all countries. Culture is very important for us. We must know about it. It makes us proud of what we have. A cultured person is always the best human being on Earth.

In this session today, you have learned how you can write essays on the popular topic:  Our Culture Our Identity. In this lesson, I have tried to discuss the topic from a very easy perspective to make it easier to understand for all kinds of students. If you still have any doubts regarding this context, post them in the comment section below. 

Join us on telegram to get the latest updates on our upcoming sessions. Thank you for being with us. See you again, soon. 

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Windows Onto History: The Defenestrations of Prague (1419–1997)

By Thom Sliwowski

Throwing people out of windows (or defenestrating them, as the Latin has it) is an act imbued with longstanding political significance in Prague. From the Hussite revolt in the late Middle Ages through the Thirty Years’ War to modern instances of “autodefenestration”, Thom Sliwowski finds a national shibboleth imbued with ritual efficacy. more

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Little Boney: James Gillray and Napoleon’s Fragile Masculinity

By Peter W. Walker

Of all the caricatures of Napoleon Bonaparte, representations of the French emperor as a miniscule megalomaniac continue to haunt the historical imagination to an unparalleled degree. Peter W. Walker searches for the origins of “Little Boney” in the early 19th-century caricatures of James Gillray, the English illustrator who took Napoleon down a peg by diminishing his reputation and scale to the point of absurdity. more

• Art & Illustrations

From Snowdrop to Nightjar: Robert Marsham’s “Indications of Spring” (1789)

By Hugh Aldersey-Williams

What can we learn from observing the progression of spring — a hawthorn’s first flowering, the return of birdsong on a particular day? Hugh Aldersey-Williams explores the lifelong calendrical project of Robert Marsham, the Norfolk naturalist considered Britain's first phenologist. more

• Science & Medicine

“The Substantiality of Spirit”: Georgiana Houghton’s Pictures from the Other Side

By Jennifer Higgie

When Georgiana Houghton first exhibited her paintings at a London gallery in 1871, their wild eddies of colour and line were unlike anything the public had seen before — nor would see again until the rise of abstract art decades later. But there was little intentionally abstract about these images: Houghton painted entities she met in the spirit regions. Viewing her works through the prism of friendship, loss, and faith, Jennifer Higgie turns overdue attention on an artist neglected by historians, a visionary who believed that death was not the end, merely a new distance to overcome. more

• Religion, Myth & Legend

Eugène-François Vidocq and the Birth of the Detective

By Daisy Sainsbury

According to his memoirs, Eugène-François Vidocq escaped from more than twenty prisons (sometimes dressed as a nun). Working on the other side of the law, he apprehended some 4000 criminals with a team of plainclothes agents. He founded the first criminal investigation bureau — staffed mainly with convicts — and, when he was later fired, the first private detective agency. He was one the fathers of modern criminology and had a rap sheet longer than his very tall tales. Who was Vidocq? Daisy Sainsbury investigates. more

Through the Cheval Glass: Reproduction in the Photographs of Clementina Hawarden

By Stassa Edwards

Soon after Clementina Hawarden began taking photographs in the mid-19th century, her eye caught on doubles, reflections, her daughters glimpsed in the mirror. Stassa Edwards examines the role that reproduction — photographic, biological — plays in this oeuvre, and searches for the only person not captured clearly: Hawarden herself. more

• Photography

Liberal Visions and Boring Machines: The Early History of the Channel Tunnel

By Peter Keeling

More than a century before the Eurostar and LeShuttle, a group of engineers and statesmen dreamed (and fretted) about connecting Britain to France with an underwater tunnel. Peter Keeling drills into the history of this submarine link, and finds a still-relevant story about the cosmopolitan hopes and isolationist panic surrounding liberal internationalism. more

Rhapsodies in Blue: Anna Atkins’ Cyanotypes

By Paige Hirschey

In an era when the Enlightenment’s orderly vision of the natural world began to unravel, Anna Atkins produced the world’s first photography book: a collection of cyanotypes, created across a decade beginning in 1843, that captured algal forms in startling blue-and-white silhouettes. Paige Hirschey situates Atkins’ efforts among her naturalist peers, discovering a form of illustration that, rather than exhibit an artist’s mastery over nature, allowed specimens to “illustrate” themselves. more

Cliché-Verre and Friendship in 19th-Century France

By Miya Tokumitsu

In the 1850s, as photography took its first steps toward commercial reproducibility, a more intimate use for light-sensitive plates briefly bloomed. It had a few names: heliographic drawing, photographic autography, or, as it is best known today, cliché-verre. Miya Tokumitsu takes us to the towns and forests of France where a group of friends began making marks on photographic plates, and finds their camaraderie cohere in lyrical arrangements of topography and light. more

The Reluctant Levitator: Teresa of Avila’s Humble Raptures

By Carlos M. N. Eire

Levitation was the last thing Teresa of Avila wanted. It drew the wrong kind of attention and embarrassed her in public. She tried to remain grounded, clinging to furniture when the weightlessness set in, and then suddenly, it stopped for good. Carlos Eire reads Teresa's autobiographic Vida and finds the 16th-century saint complaining to God about the aethrobatic miracles that he forced her to endure. more

The Silent Treatment: Solitary Confinement’s Unlikely Origins

By Jane Brox

Characterised today by the noise of banging, buzzers, and the cries of inmates, solitary confinement was originally developed from Quaker ideas about the redemptive power of silence, envisioned as a humane alternative to the punitive violence of late-18th century jails. Revisiting Pennsylvania’s Eastern State Penitentiary, Jane Brox discovers the spiritual origins and reformist ambitions of solitary’s early advocates, and sees their supposedly progressive desires come to ruin by the 20th century. more

Marked by Stars: Agrippa’s Occult Philosophy

By Anthony Grafton

Reading Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa’s encyclopedic study of magic is like stumbling into a vast cabinet of curiosities, where toad bones boil water, witches transmit misery through optical darts, and numbers, arranged correctly, can harness the planets’ powers. Anthony Grafton explores the Renaissance polymath’s occult insights into the structure of the universe, discovering a path that leads both upward and downward: up toward complete knowledge of God, and down into every order of being on earth. more

Free Speech and Bad Meats: The Domestic Labour of Reading in Milton’s Areopagitica

By Katie Kadue

Does a healthy intellectual culture resemble a battlefield or a kitchen? Revisiting Milton’s Areopagitica , a tract often championed by today’s free speech absolutists, Katie Kadue finds a debt to the work of early modern housewives. In their labours to preserve food and transform it into wholesome cuisine, Milton saw an analogue for how the reading public might digest books — good and bad alike — into nourishing ideas. more

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NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

David Folkenflik

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust.

NPR's top news executive defended its journalism and its commitment to reflecting a diverse array of views on Tuesday after a senior NPR editor wrote a broad critique of how the network has covered some of the most important stories of the age.

"An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America," writes Uri Berliner.

A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR's former CEO, John Lansing, has fed "the absence of viewpoint diversity," Berliner writes.

NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner's assessment.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she wrote. "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

She added, "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

A spokesperson for NPR said Chapin, who also serves as the network's chief content officer, would have no further comment.

Praised by NPR's critics

Berliner is a senior editor on NPR's Business Desk. (Disclosure: I, too, am part of the Business Desk, and Berliner has edited many of my past stories. He did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Berliner's essay , titled "I've Been at NPR for 25 years. Here's How We Lost America's Trust," was published by The Free Press, a website that has welcomed journalists who have concluded that mainstream news outlets have become reflexively liberal.

Berliner writes that as a Subaru-driving, Sarah Lawrence College graduate who "was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother ," he fits the mold of a loyal NPR fan.

Yet Berliner says NPR's news coverage has fallen short on some of the most controversial stories of recent years, from the question of whether former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, to the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19, to the significance and provenance of emails leaked from a laptop owned by Hunter Biden weeks before the 2020 election. In addition, he blasted NPR's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On each of these stories, Berliner asserts, NPR has suffered from groupthink due to too little diversity of viewpoints in the newsroom.

The essay ricocheted Tuesday around conservative media , with some labeling Berliner a whistleblower . Others picked it up on social media, including Elon Musk, who has lambasted NPR for leaving his social media site, X. (Musk emailed another NPR reporter a link to Berliner's article with a gibe that the reporter was a "quisling" — a World War II reference to someone who collaborates with the enemy.)

When asked for further comment late Tuesday, Berliner declined, saying the essay spoke for itself.

The arguments he raises — and counters — have percolated across U.S. newsrooms in recent years. The #MeToo sexual harassment scandals of 2016 and 2017 forced newsrooms to listen to and heed more junior colleagues. The social justice movement prompted by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 inspired a reckoning in many places. Newsroom leaders often appeared to stand on shaky ground.

Leaders at many newsrooms, including top editors at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times , lost their jobs. Legendary Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron wrote in his memoir that he feared his bonds with the staff were "frayed beyond repair," especially over the degree of self-expression his journalists expected to exert on social media, before he decided to step down in early 2021.

Since then, Baron and others — including leaders of some of these newsrooms — have suggested that the pendulum has swung too far.

Author Interviews

Legendary editor marty baron describes his 'collision of power' with trump and bezos.

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned last year against journalists embracing a stance of what he calls "one-side-ism": "where journalists are demonstrating that they're on the side of the righteous."

"I really think that that can create blind spots and echo chambers," he said.

Internal arguments at The Times over the strength of its reporting on accusations that Hamas engaged in sexual assaults as part of a strategy for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel erupted publicly . The paper conducted an investigation to determine the source of a leak over a planned episode of the paper's podcast The Daily on the subject, which months later has not been released. The newsroom guild accused the paper of "targeted interrogation" of journalists of Middle Eastern descent.

Heated pushback in NPR's newsroom

Given Berliner's account of private conversations, several NPR journalists question whether they can now trust him with unguarded assessments about stories in real time. Others express frustration that he had not sought out comment in advance of publication. Berliner acknowledged to me that for this story, he did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he give the network advance notice.

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues are responding heatedly. Fernando Alfonso, a senior supervising editor for digital news, wrote that he wholeheartedly rejected Berliner's critique of the coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, for which NPR's journalists, like their peers, periodically put themselves at risk.

Alfonso also took issue with Berliner's concern over the focus on diversity at NPR.

"As a person of color who has often worked in newsrooms with little to no people who look like me, the efforts NPR has made to diversify its workforce and its sources are unique and appropriate given the news industry's long-standing lack of diversity," Alfonso says. "These efforts should be celebrated and not denigrated as Uri has done."

After this story was first published, Berliner contested Alfonso's characterization, saying his criticism of NPR is about the lack of diversity of viewpoints, not its diversity itself.

"I never criticized NPR's priority of achieving a more diverse workforce in terms of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. I have not 'denigrated' NPR's newsroom diversity goals," Berliner said. "That's wrong."

Questions of diversity

Under former CEO John Lansing, NPR made increasing diversity, both of its staff and its audience, its "North Star" mission. Berliner says in the essay that NPR failed to consider broader diversity of viewpoint, noting, "In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner cited audience estimates that suggested a concurrent falloff in listening by Republicans. (The number of people listening to NPR broadcasts and terrestrial radio broadly has declined since the start of the pandemic.)

Former NPR vice president for news and ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin tweeted , "I know Uri. He's not wrong."

Others questioned Berliner's logic. "This probably gets causality somewhat backward," tweeted Semafor Washington editor Jordan Weissmann . "I'd guess that a lot of NPR listeners who voted for [Mitt] Romney have changed how they identify politically."

Similarly, Nieman Lab founder Joshua Benton suggested the rise of Trump alienated many NPR-appreciating Republicans from the GOP.

In recent years, NPR has greatly enhanced the percentage of people of color in its workforce and its executive ranks. Four out of 10 staffers are people of color; nearly half of NPR's leadership team identifies as Black, Asian or Latino.

"The philosophy is: Do you want to serve all of America and make sure it sounds like all of America, or not?" Lansing, who stepped down last month, says in response to Berliner's piece. "I'd welcome the argument against that."

"On radio, we were really lagging in our representation of an audience that makes us look like what America looks like today," Lansing says. The U.S. looks and sounds a lot different than it did in 1971, when NPR's first show was broadcast, Lansing says.

A network spokesperson says new NPR CEO Katherine Maher supports Chapin and her response to Berliner's critique.

The spokesperson says that Maher "believes that it's a healthy thing for a public service newsroom to engage in rigorous consideration of the needs of our audiences, including where we serve our mission well and where we can serve it better."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

Northwest Indigenous author’s new essay collection highlights her Coast Salish identity

The front cover of author Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe's book, Thunder Song. It’s a collection of essays examining the intersection of her Indigenous ancestry, Coast Salish history, queerdom and punk.

CounterPoint Press Publishing

Northwest author Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointe’s newest book is called Thunder Song. It’s a collection of essays examining the intersection of her Indigenous ancestry, Coast Salish history, queerdom and punk.

OPB’s Paul Marshall spoke to LaPointe about the book. The following is a transcript of the conversation.

Paul Marshall: Your great-grandmother’s presence is evident throughout the book. She’s such a powerful figure while writing this book. Did you learn anything new about her?

Sasha LaPointe: She was such a huge part of my life. She helped in raising us and educating us on our Coast Salish culture. I constantly feel like I’m learning new things about her.

A friend of the family, who was one of her former language students, wrote a really beautiful book about her life called “ Where The Language Lives .” I was reading that shortly after the publication of “ Red Paint ” (LaPointe’s 2022 autobiography), and there were really interesting things about her younger life. I had no idea that she knew how to read tea leaves.

Throughout this book, I knew about the symphony “ The Healing Heart of the First People of This Land ” and how adamant she was in getting that completed. I already knew the basics of that, but digging into that story and talking to my mom a lot about it and just seeing how dedicated she was, reading the details and of course the documentary “ The Healing Heart of Lushootseed ,” I got to know more intimately what that meant to her. Her ambition, care and compassion. I learned more of the extent and the intensity of her commitment.

Marshall: In the book, your uncle asked the question, what kind of Indian are you? Has any part of your answer changed since writing this book?

LaPointe: No. In fact, that first Salmon Ceremony, it’s one of my favorite essays. It was one of my favorites to write.

There’s so much joy as a Native person and empowerment, this sense of pride in my identity and that took a long time to arrive at. It wasn’t until adulthood. It’s a hard thing to be proud of who you are and also in the face of settler colonial trauma. Being a survivor, sometimes it’s hard to really embrace that part of your identity.

Marshall: You start to find your footing in the punk space. But you know that you had to be punk first, then Native person second and you’ve touched on it. How did you reconcile your identity in the space?

LaPointe: It took a long time, to be honest. There are a lot of incredible things that I experienced, and the punk community was such an important part of my life. I think for any folks who are feeling misfit or a sense of displacement, we seek friends and family, we seek community, and the punk scene provided that for a while. I both love and have a massive critique of it. I think both can exist, but it was really hard.

As I continue to grow as a human and want to have these conversations about Indigenous issues. I over time started discovering that it wasn’t the right space or community to have these conversations.

I started to feel more lonely. I can’t talk to a white anarchist about settler colonial trauma to the extent that they’re really going to get where I’m coming from and see me as a person. I started having these ideas and really wanting to process them and work them out as an artist, a person, a weirdo in the punk scene and realizing there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for connection and to do that.

Going to the Institute of American Indian Arts really opened up my world. I can be in a room with other indigenous artists, writers, poets, painters, filmmakers and I feel less alone. I’m in a space where we can have these conversations back and forth.

I think that making those connections and meeting my Native art community made me realize just how othered and different I felt in some of those spaces.

Marshall: You’re a woman who comes from salmon people and there was even a point where you denied your salmon privilege. What helped to repair that relationship over time?

LaPointe: I really couldn’t shake that memory of my uncle. When he passed I felt an immense amount of grief — our family felt that loss.

I remember sitting in the driveway on that wintry, icy, snowy night and him dropping that massive king salmon in my arms and when I said, “Uncle I’m a vegetarian,” the look on his face. It’s one of those memories that is so concrete and stays with me. What kind of Indian are you? I couldn’t shake it.

That speaks to younger teenage Sasha and wanting to fit into these punk spaces in this community where everyone was vegan and everyone was an animal rights activist. But in doing that, I was denying this very, very deep part of myself.

It’s not simply about food. Food is nurturing, but salmon is a sacred resource. So much of our culture is built around the salmon returning. It’s just such a huge part of my Coast Salish identity that I can’t believe I spent years denying that simply to try to fit in.

When I thought about my uncle asking me that question, I’m like, “Wait a minute. As a Coast Salish woman, I’m not the problem. The overfished oceans are not because of Coast Salish people.” That was a long journey, a long learning lesson, to arrive at this place. “Why are you denying this sacred resource that’s part of your culture?” I will never deny myself salmon again. It is a gift that we have salmon returning that haven’t left us.

Marshall: You wrote “The first time I ever heard the term two-spirit. I felt a sense of relief wash over me.” Why? And where did that shame you felt growing up queer come from?

LaPointe: I want to start by saying two-spirit can mean different things. I know it’s been kind of adopted as this kind of pan-Indian identity, but it means different things depending on the tribe or the community.

The way that it was explained to me, I was young, my mom had just come back from a two-spirit gathering in Montana and she was telling me about it and sharing photos and all of a sudden I felt this massive relief. For me, growing up with a sense of pressure to have to decide: Are you queer? Are you straight? What are your relationships like? There was this shame built up around that.

When my mom approached me with two-spirit, explaining that a two-spirit person can have both a masculine and feminine spirit, all of a sudden, I felt this kind of relief wash over me where I felt understood.

Having partners throughout my life ask: “Are you gay? Are you straight? Are you bisexual?” None of these labels seem to fit. Falling in love with people based on their gender identity has never occurred to me. I felt really conflicted. Certain partners would be angry or confused by my identity as a queer woman and if I didn’t fit into the way that they wanted to see me, or their idea, it was a disappointment or this point of frustration or conflict.

For a long time that really just built up a lot of shame in me. It’s not an easy thing to want to fit into someone’s idea of who they want you to be. The idea of embracing myself instead of these two halves of me. It’s this kind of journey of loving yourself and accepting yourself and really celebrating yourself. As a queer Coast Salish woman, there is nothing wrong with me and I am allowed to embrace all of that and be proud of that.

Blaine Slingerland

Marshall: The relationship between you and your parents, it’s complicated as you describe it, they’re your heroes and you draw strength from them. But then you also see that there are ways where they’re dealing with their own issues. What helped you to understand that duality more over time?

LaPointe: There’s a point in most people’s lives where you realize that your parents are human. For me, it was this moment of incredible compassion and care for them. I think I spent a lot of my teen years being really angry and that wasn’t necessarily fair to them. When you stop and sort of reach this point of adulthood where you see your parents, not as either superheroes or supervillains in your life, you see them as just people who are also struggling. They were young Indigenous parents trying to make it with five kids living in a trailer. I was really angry and had a lot of unresolved anger and frustration towards them. Looking back now having this realization of how hard they were trying to make it work.

Even without having five kids and trying to make it work, it is a difficult thing to navigate this world as Indigenous people. They already had a lot on their plate and realizing that they did the best that they could.

Marshall: There was something in the earlier part of the book, you wrote all these white people on Pinterest are baking loaves of sourdough and I am trying to time travel. On one front it was funny but also a little tricky because that’s your history.

LaPointe: It’s interesting whenever I read that part of the essay the audience laughs. It is kind of sassy but also a very serious thing. That was deeply emotional and sad and lonely feeling. As a descendant of survivors of smallpox, The pandemic hit a little different for me. There was a sense of anxiety and sort of this generational trauma. This fear coded deep in my DNA to feel unsafe. The idea of losing our elders to this illness was terrifying to me.

I’m not gonna lie, the pandemic was hard for all of us. We have this kind of collective trauma in lockdown. It was a really strange and alienating thing for me to see people saying ‘I’m watching Great British Baking and baking tons of cakes. I’m looking around the reservation from my roof, terrified that the elder next door is going to pass. What does that mean for me as a Coast Salish person?

It is strange when people laugh, I’m also not mad at them for laughing, because it is a little snarky, but also it hits on such a deeper fear and a deeper sense of loss and fear of erasure. There is this split. It’s snarky but this is a little serious for me. You’re the only person who’s asked me about it in this way and I deeply appreciate it.

Marshall: You wrote that songs have the power to heal and can be medicine. The book title is Thunder Song. What does the title mean to you?

LaPointe: It comes from the title essay ‘Thunder Song’ which is sort of an homage to my great-grandmother. It’s a kind of a love letter to all that she did in her life and all that she was. Choosing to title the collection after that was important to me because in recognizing that 20 years ago, she had this vision.

She felt called to do this work to commission a symphony because she believed very deeply in our Coast Salish culture and our ways: the fact that our songs are medicine and she wanted to share that. It’s as true as it was 20 years ago as it is today, if not more.

I imagine if my great-grandmother was with us today, looking around the state of the world she would be deeply disturbed and concerned. Her whole goal with that symphony was to remind people to be kind to one another to take care of one another which is a very basic part of our Coast Salish ways of being.

She just wanted to share that. The issues in my book aren’t site-specific. They’re not simply Coast Salish problems. These are problems all over the world. Titling it “Thunder Song” was a way to honor her and to also say the world still needs this medicine.

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Ozempic Hurts the Fight Against Eating Disorders

I t’s impossible to escape the soaring popularity of Ozempic and similar drugs these days—daily headlines, celebrity “success” stories, and apparent ease in procuring prescriptions (even Costco sells them now) abound. But the cumulative effect of all of this has many experts in the eating disorder field worried about how this might affect their patients. This makes sense—even for those without eating disorders, these drugs can feel both triggering and enticing. After all, research tells us about 90% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. This sounds like a quick fix.

Then, I started hearing reports—first anecdotal, then published —that some doctors were prescribing weight loss drugs like Ozempic to their patients with eating disorders. As in, to help treat them.

As a journalist who has extensively researched the harms of eating disorders and the barriers to recovery—and as a woman who had suffered from eating disorders on and off for much of my own life—I thought I must have misunderstood. Yes, we as a society are in the midst of Ozempic Fever—and by “fever,” I’m referring to excitement, rather than a possible side effect of the drug (which it is). Researchers are continuing to find new potential applications for these drugs, initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes. In March, the FDA approved a new indication for the weight-loss drug Wegovy (which has the same active ingredient as Ozempic), allowing it to be used as a treatment to reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke. Ozempic, a diabetes drug, used off-label for weight loss, is also being studied to treat anxiety and depression , polycystic ovary syndrome, substance abuse, Alzheimer’s , and now—eating disorders.

Read More: Ozempic Exposed the Cracks in the Body Positivity Movement

It’s early days and research hasn’t yet caught up with the enthusiasm.  But our cultural misunderstanding of eating disorders, even by well-meaning practitioners, could exacerbate the illnesses for those who suffer from them—and have dire consequences.

The new class of weight loss drugs mimics the body’s GLP-1 hormone , stimulating insulin production, and lowering blood sugar levels, helpful to those with type 2 diabetes. The drugs also curb appetite and slow the speed that food moves into the small intestine—you feel full more quickly and eat less. Many patients without eating disorders who take these drugs, have reported a reduction of “food noise” in their minds—referring to obsessive thoughts and preoccupation with food. (Though, as philosopher Kate Manne wisely posited in a recent New York Times piece , isn’t “food noise,” simply, hunger?)

For folks suffering from binge eating disorder (BED) or bulimia nervosa (BN), a drug that decreases appetite may seem to make sense. Both illnesses are characterized by eating large amounts of food, eating until uncomfortably full, and feeling distress around that (bulimia is distinguished by purging after a binge).

Binge eating often emerges as part of a cycle of restriction—dieting, fasting, or eliminating entire food groups—like carbs, for example. “Many people struggling with BED view the binge episodes as the problem and the restriction as something to strive for,” said Alexis Conason, a psychologist specializing in the treatment of binge eating disorder. “When people with BED take a GLP-1 medication that dampens their appetite, many are excited that they can be ‘better’ at restriction and consume very little throughout the day.” Subsequently, Conason adds, there is a dangerous potential for BED to then morph into anorexia, starving oneself with possibly life-threatening complications.

Eating disorders are complex illnesses that aren’t yet fully understood, even by experts in the field. Underneath the behaviors around food is often an intricate web of trauma, anxiety, and even genetic predisposition, all set against the backdrop of a culture that prizes thinness . Low weight is frequently (incorrectly) conflated with good health, and people in larger bodies are often subjected to bullying, negative stereotypes, and discrimination in the workplace .

Read More: Ozempic Gets the Oprah Treatment in a New TV Special

Emerging research strongly supports that for many, eating disorders are brain-based illnesses and in most cases, there exists a co-morbidity like anxiety, mood disorders, or substance abuse.

“GLP-1’s can’t help someone deal with their stress, anxiety, [and] trauma-history,” said psychologist Cynthia Bulik, one of the world’s leading eating disorder researchers, and Founding Director of the University of North Carolina Center of Excellence of Eating Disorders. “All of that background distress—fundamental distress that might be driving the BED in the first place—is temporarily bypassed by removing the desire to eat.”

Nearly 30 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime, but only about 6% of those are medically diagnosed as “underweight,” according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. This means that a person may exhibit all of the diagnostic hallmarks of anorexia, for example, extreme restriction and even malnourishment, but still present as average weight or even overweight. They may even be told by a physician to lose weight, despite the fact that they are already going to dangerous extremes to chase that “goal.”

“We tend to think that everyone in a larger body with an eating disorder must have BED and everyone in a smaller body must have anorexia, but this couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Conason. “So many people with BED seek help in weight loss settings instead of seeking eating disorder treatment; many view the problem as their weight and think they need more help sticking to their diet” when in reality, an end to the restriction would more likely regulate their eating.

It’s much easier to get weight loss treatment than help for an eating disorder. There is no standard of care for eating disorders in this country and treatment is unregulated. While there are some promising, evidenced-based treatments (cognitive behavioral therapy for adults, and family-based treatment for children and teens), they don’t work for everyone. If a person is fortunate to be diagnosed and receive adequate treatment, relapses are common and full recovery can be elusive.

Further, these drugs are often intended to be taken for a person’s entire life. “When they go off the drug, or can’t access it due to supply problems, the urge to binge comes right back and they have not developed any psychological (or) behavioral skills to manage the urge,” Bulik told me. Just like with a diet, any lost weight will likely be regained when a person stops taking the drugs. Weight fluctuations, themselves ,may increase a person’s risk of chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, according to multiple studies.

“The focus on weight and erasing the desire to eat could indeed do harm,” cautioned Bulik. “The potential for abuse is high and will become higher with new preparations that don’t require an injection … Remember, these drugs are ‘for life.’ Stop them, and everything comes rushing back.”

The long-term side effects of GLP-1’s are not yet known. But the harms of eating disorders are: eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness (second only to opioid overdose). People with eating disorders are more likely to attempt suicide, and during COVID-19, emergency room visits and inpatient admissions for eating disorders at pediatric hospitals skyrocketed, particularly for young women. According to the CDC, emergency room visits for 12-17 year old girls who suffer from eating disorders doubled during the pandemic. Those numbers, as shown by recent studies , have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

An even greater concern is that the gaps in comprehensive care for eating disorders invite experimental, potentially harmful treatments and leave patients vulnerable. GLP-1’s may seem like a short-term “fix,” but they won’t graze the deeper issues nor will they diminish the eating disorder crisis in this country. And it is a crisis—every year, eating disorders cost the U.S. more than $65 billion .

I know too well that if a doctor advises their patient with an eating disorder “here’s something to make you eat less” most patients would happily oblige. That’s part of the pathology of the illness. It’s the eating disorder talking. Ideally, it wouldn’t be your doctor’s voice, too.

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