For this framework’s purposes, the characteristic of race is limited to a person’s physical appearance. This physical appearance does not indicate that one person is lesser or different from another. However, a person’s race is responded to differently based on context. A person’s race can shape their identity, both inwardly and outwardly. Race “defines” a person who exists in some locations more than it does in others. A person’s race is more or less of a defining feature historically—a person who was Japanese living in the United States during World War Two had different “freedoms” and was perceived differently by others than they are today.
Race does not define a complete person, but it does affect how they are perceived by others. For many, race a source of pride—facilitating a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, for many, race is tied to oppression, slavery, and conquest. (European Union and Stanford University, 2011). Race and ethnicity are intertwined, and no universally accepted definition of their relationship has been established. AoE4D aspects in the people: relational stack and the cultural aspect are more appropriate for examining race as a social and personal way of being.