Geography plays a big part in shaping who we are, especially when it comes to our race and cultural backgrounds. This happens in three main ways: where people live, how they move, and the places they create. Let’s break it down.

1. Where People Live:

   • Different racial and ethnic groups often live in certain areas. For example, in the 2020 U.S. Census, 18.9% of people identified as Hispanic or Latino, mainly in states like California and Texas.
   • In big cities, you can find neighborhoods where specific cultures thrive, like Chinatowns, which help keep traditions alive and build tight-knit communities.

2. How People Move:

   • Both past and present movements of people shape their identities. For instance, during the Great Migration from 1916 to 1970, over 6 million African Americans moved from rural areas in the South to cities in the North and West. This changed how race and community were viewed.
   • Immigration also changes identities. It's predicted that by 2060, non-Hispanic whites will be only 49.7% of the U.S. population, making the country more diverse.

3. Cultural Places:

   • The places we see around us also reflect and shape who we are. Schools, places of worship, and cultural festivals show the influence of different racial and ethnic groups.
   • According to the Pew Research Center, 70% of Asian Americans feel a strong connection to their ethnic background, partly because of where they live.

In short, geography has a huge impact on how racial and ethnic identities are formed. This happens through where people live, how they move, and the cultural places they create.