Are your parents the same race? Same ethnic group? Are your brothers and sisters? What about your extended family -- uncles, aunts, etc.?

Where did your parents grow up? What exposure did they have to racial groups other than their own? (Have you ever talked with them about this?)

What ideas did they grow up with, regarding race relations? (Again, do you know? Have you ever talked with them about this? Why or why not?)

Do you think of yourself as white? (If you're not white, do you think of yourself as black, or Asian-American, etc.?) or just as "human"? Do you think of yourself as a member of an ethnic group? What is its importance to you?

What is the racial makeup of the neighborhood you grew up in?

What was your first awareness of race? -- that there are different "races" and that you are one.

What was your first encounter with another race? Describe the situation.

What messages do you recall getting from your parents about race? from others when you were little?

What was the racial makeup of your elementary school? Of its teachers?

Cultural influences: TV, advertising, novels, music, movies, etc. What color God was presented to you? Angels? Santa Claus? The Tooth fairy? Toys?

What holidays were celebrated?

What was the racial makeup of organizations you were in? Scouts, soccer team, church, etc.?

High School and Community

What was the racial makeup of your high school? Of its teachers?

Was there interracial dating? Any racial slurs? Any conflict with members of another race?

What else was important about your high-school years - maybe something that didn't happen in high school but during that time?

What is the racial makeup of your home town? Your metropolitan area?

What of your experiences there, in summer camp, summer jobs, etc.?

Describe what you learned about yourself as you completed the Racial Autobiography.

Describe what you learned about your own cultural competence. What areas would you need to improve on?

What do you plan to do for growth, development, and change?