Race and Your Community

I am an African American woman and I live in a community that consists of a Hispanic majority. I have lived in Norcross, Georgia since August 2010. I moved here because the rent was cheaper for me to pay when I lost my job in April. In my apartment complex, I do not see many African Americans that stay here, nor do I rarely see other races on this side of town.
Do members of your community look like you? In what ways do they look the same or different?
When I moved here, I was very uncomfortable because I felt that I was out of my zone, meaning that there were not many that looked like me in general. All of my neighbors are of the Hispanic or Latino race. When I come outside, people look at my son and me strangely as if we do not belong. Little do they know that is the way I feel as well? The people in my community are no taller than 5’5” and they have dark hair and complexions. There is a saying that people in certain races look alike, in my case the kind of do. All the community stores that are near my home are in Spanish from the grocery stores to the local Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. The patrons in my neighborhood do not seem to take any pride in it because they litter it up and walk away.
How do leaders within you community treat people who are like you? How do they treat people who are different?
When I was doing research on local community leaders and leadership programs, I found that there were not any in my area, and the ones that they have listed are miles away. The local Boys and Girls club is on the other side of town and I found out doesn’t even service the school my son goes to. I don’t know what I would do if I needed to use them for afterschool because I would have to drop him off and pick him up on my own. Even the school that my child goes to is twelve minutes away from home, and there are two schools that are closer than that.
How do other members of my community treat people who are like me? How do they treat people who are...